Tasty Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Finding cookies that work with dietary restrictions while still satisfying your sweet tooth can feel like an impossible task. After all, most cookie recipes rely heavily on ingredients that aren’t AIP or Paleo-friendly, and let’s be honest – the alternatives don’t always deliver on taste or texture.

Luckily, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies check all the boxes: they’re completely AIP and Paleo compliant, soft and chewy just like traditional cookies, and packed with cozy fall flavors that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe.

What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ll want to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which has added spices and sugar. You can find canned pumpkin puree in the baking aisle year-round, and brands like Libby’s work perfectly fine. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own by roasting a sugar pumpkin and pureeing the flesh, but honestly, the canned stuff is convenient and consistent. Just make sure to give your pumpkin puree a good stir before measuring it out, as it can sometimes separate in the can.

Options for Substitutions

These AIP-friendly cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, but keep in mind that some substitutions might change the texture slightly:

• Tigernut flour: This is the star of AIP baking, but if you can’t find it, cassava flour works as a 1:1 substitute. The cookies will be a bit more dense but still tasty.
• Tapioca starch: Arrowroot starch works perfectly as a 1:1 replacement. Both help give the cookies that nice chewy texture.
• Collagen and gelatin: These add protein and help bind everything together. If you don’t have both, you can use just one or the other – use 3 tbsp of whichever you have on hand.
• Coconut oil: Make sure it’s melted and slightly cooled before mixing. You can swap it with palm shortening or avocado oil if needed.
• Maple syrup: Honey works as a substitute, but use slightly less since it’s sweeter. Start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to taste.
• Dairy-free chocolate chips: Make sure they’re AIP-compliant if following that protocol strictly. You can also chop up a dark chocolate bar or skip them entirely for plain pumpkin cookies.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making AIP pumpkin cookies is overmixing the dough, which can make your cookies tough and dense since tigernut flour behaves differently than regular flour – mix just until the ingredients come together.

Another common error is not letting the coconut oil come to room temperature before mixing, as cold coconut oil won’t blend properly with the other wet ingredients and can create lumps in your dough.

Make sure to use pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) and measure it accurately, since too much moisture will make your cookies spread too thin and not hold their shape.

Finally, don’t skip the resting time after mixing – letting the dough sit for 10-15 minutes allows the tigernut flour and tapioca starch to hydrate properly, which helps create better texture and prevents crumbly cookies.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies?

These soft pumpkin cookies are perfect on their own, but they’re even better with a warm cup of herbal tea like chamomile or ginger tea. Since they’re AIP and paleo-friendly, try pairing them with coconut milk or your favorite non-dairy milk for dunking. They also make a great afternoon snack alongside some fresh fruit like sliced apples or pears, which complement the warm cinnamon and pumpkin flavors beautifully. For a cozy fall treat, serve them with a mug of golden milk or dairy-free hot chocolate.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies stay soft and chewy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to put a piece of parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking together, especially since they’re naturally more tender than regular cookies.

Freeze: You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag. I often make a double batch and freeze half for later when I’m craving something sweet but don’t want to bake from scratch.

Thaw: Frozen cookies taste great straight from the freezer, or you can let them sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to soften up. They’ll taste just as good as the day you made them, and the chocolate chips stay perfectly chewy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 16-20 g
• Fat: 36-42 g
• Carbohydrates: 120-135 g

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (dairy-free for allergen-friendly baking)
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour (helps bind and adds chewiness)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
• 1 cup tigernut flour (finely ground for best texture)
• 2 tbsp collagen peptides
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s)
• 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin (adds structure and moisture)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I use pure grade A)
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil (cooled slightly before mixing)

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Mise en Place

• Parchment paper

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

While the oven heats, gather all your ingredients and measure them out into separate bowls—this ensures you won’t scramble mid-recipe and helps you catch any missing ingredients before you start mixing.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup tigernut flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 2 tbsp collagen peptides
• 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tigernut flour, tapioca flour, collagen peptides, gelatin, baking soda, and cinnamon until evenly combined.

I like to sift the cinnamon through a fine mesh strainer first—freshly ground cinnamon will give you noticeably more flavor than pre-ground, and sifting breaks up any clumps so the spice distributes evenly throughout the dough.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3 tbsp pumpkin puree

In a separate bowl, stir together the maple syrup, cooled melted coconut oil, and pumpkin puree until fully combined and smooth.

Make sure the coconut oil has cooled slightly—if it’s too hot, it can cook the pumpkin and create an uneven texture.

The mixture should look like a thick, creamy paste.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Add Chocolate Chips

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold together gently using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—don’t overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.

The dough should hold together but still look slightly textured.

Fold in the chocolate chips last, being careful not to crush them.

I find that folding rather than stirring vigorously helps keep the chips intact and ensures they’re distributed evenly throughout the dough.

Step 5: Shape and Place Cookies on Baking Sheet

• cookie dough from Step 4

Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, divide the dough into 8-9 equal portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Gently flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a spoon—this helps them bake more evenly and gives them a more consistent texture.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look just barely done—they should still have a slight firmness to the touch when you remove them from the oven.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack immediately and let them cool completely.

The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so resist the urge to move them around while they’re still warm.