Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
Soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced, these Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies are the perfect way to use up leftover pumpkin while transitioning into Christmas baking! These holiday cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced with a sweet glaze on top.
If you’re looking for more gingerbread recipes, check out some of my other favorites like Maple Caramel Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Bars, Healthy Gingerbread Granola With Olive Oil, or Frosted Gingerbread Banana Bread.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Makes: 12 cookies
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, pumpkin, molasses, all purpose flour
- Flavor Profile: cozy gingerbread with sweet glaze
- Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils, vegan swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: soft, chewy gingerbread cookies without eggs
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and Chewy: This homemade cookie recipe is soft and chewy, just like classic gingerbread should be!
- Naturally Eggless: Pumpkin is the perfect egg replacer for cookies because it creates soft and chewy cookies. These eggless gingerbread cookies are perfectly spiced with all the holiday vibes!
- Reduce Food Waste: If you have leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving, but you’re simply ready to make Christmas cookies then this recipe is the perfect balance. Use up leftover pumpkin and make a classic holiday cookie at the same time!
- Nostalgic: You will love these Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies because they are so nostalgic with the perfect amount of spice and a sweet glaze on top.
- Cozy Gingerbread Flavor: Made with just 3 iconic spices, this gingerbread flavor will leave you feeling all warm and cozy, just like Gingerbread Caramel Sauce!
If you have leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving, but want to start Christmas baking, this is the perfect recipe! These homemade gingerbread cookies are part of my series, turning leftover pumpkin into holiday treats!
I love reducing food waste, and after Thanksgiving you may have extra pumpkin that you're not sure what to do with. It's incredibly easy to use that leftover pumpkin for Christmas desserts so it doesn't go to waste! Check out the other four recipes in this series to use up pumpkin and make holiday desserts, Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Festive Gingerbread Snack Cake Without Frosting, Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Tree Cupcakes, and Cranberry Pumpkin Dog Cookies.
Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: I use my Homemade Dark Brown Sugar, but store bought also works. You really want to use dark brown sugar for gingerbread for that rich molasses flavor.
- Molasses: I also add organic blackstrap molasses into these cookies for that signature dark color and robust flavor.
- Pumpkin: I use Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin Puree. You can also use fresh pumpkin puree too if you have that leftover from Thanksgiving or if you cooked a whole pumpkin. If you have leftover pumpkin, try out Pumpkin Spice Pop Tarts With Pie Crust too!
- Baking Soda: I use baking soda because these are cookies with an acid (brown sugar and molasses). Read my article Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Spices: I use organic cinnamon, ginger, and cloves which is my favorite trio for gingerbread spices. You can also use Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix or your favorite in place of all three spices too. While I don't usually add nutmeg to my gingerbread spice, you can if you would like. And, if you want to use pumpkin pie spice in a pinch, that also works but will have a little different flavor.
- Milk: I use organic milk in the icing. You can use cow’s milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or even oat milk.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Baker’s Tips
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave it out on the counter overnight, especially in the winter months so it softens naturally.
- Dark brown sugar is key for that rich gingerbread flavor. If you only have light brown sugar, it will work but the flavor will change. But, you can also make my homemade dark brown sugar with light brown sugar!
- My trick for letting cookies with icing set is to put them all on one baking sheet and place in the freezer overnight. Then the next day you can stack or place them in an air container for storage and they won’t stick together. It really helps if you place a piece of parchment paper in between each one to prevent sticking together.
- It’s best to store these in an air container so they stay soft and chewy.
- Vegan — For vegan gingerbread cookies, replace the butter with vegan butter and the milk with your favorite nondairy milk, like coconut milk.
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 354 grams (2 ¼ cups plus 1 teaspoon) gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude — Bake at 375°F for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms.
How to Make Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the molasses.
- Mix on low until combined.
- Add the pumpkin to the butter mixture.
- Next, add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in that order.
- Mix on low until a smooth dough forms.
- Using your hands (or a cookie scoop) form the dough into 12 balls and place on the lined baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. You'll have 6 cookies per cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or the center looks set and cracked until the bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. (If you’re baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
- To make the glaze: In a medium bowl add the powdered sugar and milk and whisk until a smooth glaze forms.
- Spread the glaze over the tops of the cookies, I just use a butter knife for this.
Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies FAQ’s
I use pumpkin as an egg replacer in these ginger cookies! Pumpkin works incredibly well to replace eggs as it adds moisture and makes these cookies incredibly soft.
Yes, the pumpkin is our egg replacer in these cookies as it acts as a binder and helps keep these cookies super soft.
No, these do not taste like pumpkin because the gingerbread spices and molasses over power the pumpkin. So, we just get all the benefits of the pumpkin texture, without the flavor.
Yes, that's exactly what I use here. I like Farmer's Market.
Yes, just add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the recipe.
Yes and no. The recipe will work if you do but you’ll be missing out on added flavor. You can make my homemade dark brown sugar with light brown sugar and molasses, so I recommend doing that and using dark brown sugar!
You can, but the cookies may be too sweet if you do that. Blackstrap molasses is more bitter and regular molasses is sweeter. We already have the right amount of sugar here, we don't need more sweetness. So, you should use blackstrap molasses for the best flavor.
Not measuring properly can cause this because if you get too little pumpkin or too much flour, that can cause these cookies to be cakey. They should not be cakey, but instead be incredibly soft and chewy! Be sure to use a digital food scale for the best results.
If you have too much flour, this can cause cookies not to spread. Be sure to weigh ingredients for the best results.
Be sure to store in an airtight container so they stay soft and chewy.
Store in an airtight container so they stay soft and chewy. It’s best to place a small piece of parchment paper between each cookie so they don’t stick together. I also like to keep these in the fridge because the frosting has milk in it.
Yes! Just be sure to place a piece of parchment paper in between each cookie and store in an airtight container or freezer safe bag. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
These are great for holiday cookie boxes if you plan to give the boxes to people the same day you make the cookies. Because these are soft and chewy, they should be stored in an airtight container. And, a cookie box is not airtight. If you want to include these in cookie boxes, I recommend making in advance, freezing, and then you can assemble your DIY Christmas Cookie Box the day you plan to gift them.
More Gingerbread Recipes
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Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
- Half Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
Dough
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 113 grams dark brown sugar (packed)
- 113 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 85 grams blackstrap molasses
- 113 grams pumpkin puree
- 340 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Icing
- 284 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the molasses and mix on low until combined.
- Add the pumpkin to the butter mixture.
- Next add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in that order.
- Using your hands (or a cookie scoop) form the dough into 12 balls and place on the lined baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. You'll have 6 cookies per cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or the center looks set and cracked until the bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- To make the glaze: In a medium bowl add the powdered sugar and milk and whisk until a smooth glaze forms.
- Spread the glaze over the tops of the cookies, I just use a butter knife for this.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days, or you can also freeze for longer.
Video
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave it out on the counter overnight, especially in the winter months so it softens naturally.
- Dark brown sugar is key for that rich gingerbread flavor. If you only have light brown sugar, it will work but the flavor will change. But, you can also make my homemade dark brown sugar with light brown sugar!
- My trick for letting cookies with icing set is to put them all on one baking sheet and place in the freezer overnight. Then the next day you can stack or place them in an air container for storage and they won’t stick together. It really helps if you place a piece of parchment paper in between each one to prevent sticking together.
- It’s best to store these in an air container so they stay soft and chewy.
- Vegan — For vegan gingerbread cookies, replace the butter with vegan butter and the milk with your favorite nondairy milk, like coconut milk.
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 354 grams (2 ¼ cups plus 1 teaspoon) gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude — Bake at 375°F for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms.
Nutrition
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These are my favorite holiday cookie!