Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Fall is in full swing, the trees are so beautiful with all of their warm colors and dropping their leaves like confetti and I am all about the pumpkin treats right now!  Last weekend I decided I needed to make a pumpkin dessert, and I was craving chocolate chip cookies, so I thought I would make some Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!  Why not make chocolate chip cookies with the warming flavors of fall!

For these cookies, I used my usual chocolate chip cookie dough base, but instead of the apple sauce I added pumpkin since the consistency is similar and I have done this before with good results.  I added my own blend of pumpkin pie spices, which is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.  It is so warming and delicious in all my desserts!  Instead of white sugar in these cookies, I decided to use brown, since I love it with pumpkin and it has more of a caramelly flavor.

I used whole wheat pastry flour in these because it is what I have on hand and prefer to use, but you could also use regular all purpose flour or even a gluten free all purpose baking flour (like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour, which I have used before and it works well) if you would like to make these gluten free.  The dough for these was so delicious!  Cookie dough is honestly one of my favorite parts to baking cookies, almost as much as the warm ones fresh from the oven.

These smelled amazing while baking!  I could not wait to try one!  They were super delicious with warming pumpkin spices, a soft chewy texture and the rich dark chocolate chips!  They are so wonderful while still warm from the oven!  If you are in the mood for a pumpkin treat, definitely give these Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies a try!

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 16

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla bean powder or pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour (for a lighter colored cookie)
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line two sheet pans with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla extract  until well blended.
3. Mix in the spices, salt, baking soda and baking powder then the flour until smooth.
4. Stir in the chocolate chunks until they are evenly distributed.
5. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on the cookie trays about 2 inches apart.
6. Press the dough balls down slightly.
7. Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 7 minutes, then rotate them and bake another 7 or so until the cookies are done and lightly brown at the edges.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before enjoying.