Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
The Perfect Vegan Cookie Recipe for Fall & Winter!
This cookie recipe is the ULTIMATE in fall & winter baking. This cookie recipe combines the deliciousness of a molasses cookie and a pumpkin cookie to create a spiced, chewy cookie topped with sugar.
These Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are:
- Soft and full of flavor.
- Perfect for cinnamon lovers!
- Plant-based and Vegan-friendly.
- Great for special occasions such as Thanksgiving & Christmas.
- Easy to make and perfect to share with neighbors.
If you’re one of those people who go pumpkin crazy in the fall, then you will be pretty stoked about this recipe. These Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are great all around! Soft, sweet, filled with warm spices, sticky deep molasses, and our beloved seasonal squash. We have to warn you though, they are quite irresistible … bake them at your own risk!
A Very Special Cookie
These Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are not your typical chocolate chip or vanilla cookie, they have special qualities which is why we love them so much. They have a soft and chewy texture and a spicy and intense flavor.
Because of these strong flavors, they are perfect to be enjoyed with a warm glass of almond milk or a black tea. Fall afternoons just got a lot cozier with these pumpkin-filled treats!
Tips for The Perfect Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
Baking can be very intimidating for some since it requires a bit more precision when it comes to the amounts of ingredients used and the methods applied. We get it, so in order to avoid the baking jitters, we will give you a few precious tips. Let’s make your baking experience as smooth as possible:
- It’s ok for the dough to be extra sticky: It might be because of concern to you but don’t fret, the molasses gives that extra sticky texture and that’s what we want.
- Because of the statement above, you might find it hard to roll the heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, so we advise you to wet your hands beforehand. The water will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
- Don’t press the cookie dough balls down, even if you’re tempted to. It probably looks like the cookies won’t take that round shape you’re after but trust us, they will.
Go ahead and try your hand at these pumpkin molasses cookies!
I hope you enjoy these delicious heavenly cookies!
The Ingredients and Substitutes
- Flour: 2 ⅓ cups, all-purpose
- Baking Soda: 2 teaspoons
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon, ground (you can add more or less to the cookie dough depending on your personal taste).
- Ginger: 1 teaspoon, ground
- Sea Salt: 1 teaspoon (helps to balance the sweetness and acts as a flavor enhancer).
- Cloves: ¼ teaspoon, ground
- Pumpkin: ½ cup (You can use either canned or homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe).
- Oil: ½ cup, canola works best
- Molasses: ¼ cup (keep reading for tips on using molasses)
- Flax Meal: 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons
- Turbinado Sugar: 2 tablespoons (or other coarse sugar) (optional)
How to Make Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies?
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
- Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves in a medium bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
- Whisk together in a second medium bowl, the sugar, pumpkin, oil, molasses, flax meal, and vanilla until smooth and uniform.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined.
- The dough will probably be a bit sticky. If so, wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls.
- Place on a baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches of space between each. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set but not hard.
- Remove from the oven. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 or 6 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Watch your bake time. Due to the molasses, these cookies can quickly get over-baked. You want the tops of the cookies to be just set, and the edges to be very lightly golden.
- Store the pumpkin molasses cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
A Little Background on Molasses
- Molasses is a byproduct when making sugar, the resulting dark-colored syrup after the sugar crystals have been removed and the mixture has been boiled.
- Molasses adds a rich, sweet but slightly burnt flavor to baked goods and savory dishes alike.
- There are many types of molasses, each distinguished by how many times the syrup has been boiled, as well as if anything has been added to it.
- Molasses is commonly used in fall treats because it helps bring out spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. It also helps add moisture to your baked goods.
More VEGAN Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Soft Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1 cup of sugar
- ½ cup of pumpkin
- ½ cup of canola oil
- ¼ cup of molasses
- 1 Tablespoon of flax meal
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons of turbinado sugar (or other coarse sugar) (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. Mix well. Set aside.
- In a second medium bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, molasses, flax meal, and vanilla until smooth and uniform.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined.
- The dough will probably be a bit sticky. If so, wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls. Place on a baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches of space between each. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set but not hard.
- Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 or 6 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Watch your bake time. Due to the molasses, these cookies can quickly get over-baked. You want the tops of the cookies to be just set, and the edges to be very lightly golden.
- Store the pumpkin molasses cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
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Welcome to Plant-Based on a Budget! Here you’ll find affordable and easy-to-make recipes, and an inclusive, supportive approach to plant-based eating.
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