These chocolate dipped, pumpkin seed butter cookies are a delicious, allergy-friendly treat. They’re soft, chewy, and decadent yet nutritious. These pumpkin seed cookies are nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free. They’re kid-approved and perfect for school snacks.
Main ingredients and substitutions
Be sure to use pumpkin seed butter with no added sugar or salt in these cookies. The only ingredient listed on the jar should be pumpkin seeds. Or you can make your own homemade pumpkin seed butter if you have a food processor or high-powered blender. You can also substitute sunflower seed butter if you prefer.
These cookies are sweetened with maple syrup. You can substitute honey if you don’t need them to be strictly vegan.
Coconut flour gives these pumpkin seed cookies structure and a satisfying, chewy texture. I don’t recommend substituting other flours in this recipe because coconut flour is much more absorbent than grain-based flours.
I used dairy-free dark chocolate chips in this recipe, but chopped dark chocolate is fine too. Or you can substitute any type of chocolate that suits your dietary requirements and palate.
How to make these pumpkin seed cookies
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, vinegar or lemon juice, pure vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix and squish those ingredients until a dough is formed (this is a sticky job so you can wear disposable gloves if you prefer).
Roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls and place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Then use your fingers to press the dough balls down into flat, circle shapes.
Bake the pumpkin seed cookies at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until they look solid and slightly golden around the edges. When the cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature.
Melt the dark chocolate while the cookies are cooling off. You can melt the chocolate in the microwave by heating it on high power for 20 seconds, then stir, then repeat until the chocolate is melted. Or you can melt the chocolate in a pot on the stove set to low heat. Just be sure to stir it constantly and remove it from the heat as soon as it’s melted.
Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip each cookie in the melted chocolate, submerging them about halfway in the chocolate, then place them on parchment paper lined plates (two dinner plates or one larger platter will work). You can reuse the parchment paper that you baked the cookies on.
Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on the chocolate dipped side of the cookies (optional) then place the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the chocolate can harden before serving.
A quicker option
To get these pumpkin seed butter cookies on the table really quickly, you can skip the step of dipping the cookies in melted chocolate. Instead, you can mix the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. This will give you the same flavor and will be simpler and quicker (albeit a little less pretty looking).
More nut-free treats to try
- These decadent brownies are gluten-free, vegan, and nut-free.
- This moist and delicious banana bread is made with chickpea flour.
- This nut-free chocolate pumpkin seed butter spread is easy to make and kid-friendly.
Pumpkin Seed Butter Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter (with no added sugar or salt)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Optional topping: pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on top of the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, vanilla extract, vinegar or lemon juice, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix well until a dough is formed.
- Use your hands to roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Use your fingers to press the cookie dough balls into flatter circles.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until they look solid and slightly golden around the edges.
- When then cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature.
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the dairy-free dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate), either in the microwave or on the stove. To melt it in the microwave, add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl, then cook on high power for 20 seconds, stir, and repeat until it’s melted. To melt it on the stove, add the chocolate to a pot on the stove set to low heat and stir constantly until melted.
- Once the chocolate is melted and the cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip the cookies in chocolate so that half of each cookie is submerged in chocolate and the other half is not, then place them on a platter (or two dinner sized plates) lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on the chocolate dipped sides of the cookies, then place the cookies in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden before serving.
Notes
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To make this recipe even quicker and easier, skip the step of dipping the baked cookies in melted chocolate. You can mix the chocolate into the raw cookie dough instead.
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Store these pumpkin seed butter cookies in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them for up to six months.