Chocolate Frosted Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies

These Chocolate Frosted Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies are the perfect little two-bite sized treat using my favorite pumpkin and chocolate combination.

I never seem to use an entire can of pumpkin at a time so I always end up with a cup or half a can left over.

Then I have to think of something else to make with pumpkin.

I think I pretty much have everything covered…pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin truffles, pumpkin cornbread, pumpkin quinoa, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice-cream, pumpkin nut butter cups, pumpkin smoothie, etc.

This time I had just enough left over to make a batch of these cookies.

And it only took a few minutes to whip up the chocolate frosting so they were completely ready in about 30 minutes.

These little guys are made without any flour, grains or dairy of any kind.

I almost passed out when I saw some ingredient lists for traditional frosted pumpkin cookies.

Here’s some typical ingredients for a 48 cookie batch:

Traditional Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:  4 cups white flour, 2 cups butter, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, 2 eggs

Frosting Ingredients:  5 – 6 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 cups butter, 3/4 cup cream cheese

I didn’t include the generic ingredients like pumpkin, pumpkin spices, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, etc. but the foundation of traditional cookies are filled with refined flour, sugar and dairy.

These Chocolate Frosted Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly and contain no refined sugars.

5 Fast Facts About Pumpkin:*

• high in beta-carotene
• full of iron, zinc and vitamin C
• rich in anti-oxidants
• 280% RDA of vitamin A
• good source of B complex vitamins

5 Fast Facts About Almonds (Almond Flour):*

• helps to regulate cholesterol and blood pressure
• energy booster
• loaded with calcium and fiber
• 1/4 cup contains 8 grams of vegan protein
• high in anti-oxidants

5 Fast Facts About Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:*

• lowers blood cholesterol levels
• rich in anti-oxidants
• improves bone mineralization and calcification
• excellent protection from heart attack and stroke
• contains anti-inflammatory benefits

5 Fast Facts About Ground Flax Seeds:*#

• high in omega-3 essential fatty acids
• contains soluble and insoluble fiber
• super high in lignans
• provides anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits
• provides cardiovascular benefits

5 Fast Facts About Vanilla Bean Powder:*

• anti-microbial
• high in anti-oxidants
• can help reduce inflammation
• contains small traces of minerals
• 1 teaspoon contains 3 g of protein and 3 g of fiber

5 Fast Facts About Maple Syrup:*

• contains manganese and zinc
• super high in anti-oxidants
• helps with inflammation
• 1/4 cup contains more calcium than the same amount of milk
• 1/4 cup contains more potassium than a banana

5 Fast Facts About Raw Cacao Powder:*

• super high in anti-oxidants
• promotes cardiovascular health
• contains essential fats
• can help to decrease blood pressure
• contains over 300 compounds including protein, calcium, copper, zinc and iron

5 Fast Facts About Coconut Oil:*

• super high in lauric acid
• rich in antioxidants
• contains natural microbial and anti-bacterial agents
• helps to improve metabolism
• improves cholesterol levels

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

#Because flax seed has phytoestrogenic effects, patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer should use flax seed with caution (http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/flaxseed)

Where to Buy:  If you have trouble finding any of the ingredients to make this recipe, you can order online from Amazon and have them delivered straight to your door and you’ll be supporting The Healthy Family and Home website at the same time!

Tip #1:  This recipe was enough to make (2) 8-inch round cake pans of cookies.  I used the small pumpkin cookie cutter shown above (similar to this one) and it made 32 – 34 small cookies.

Tip #2:  Feel free to adjust the pumpkin spices to your preference.

Chocolate Frosted Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo-Friendly, No Refined Sugar)

Print recipe

www.thehealthyfamilyandhome.com

The Healthy Family and Home

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup organic unrefined granular sweetener
• 3 flax eggs (3 tablespoons ground flax seeds + 9 tablespoons water)
• 2 pinches organic ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon organic vanilla bean powder
• 1/4 teaspoon organic ground nutmeg

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup organic raw cacao
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid, but not hot)
• 3 tablespoons organic maple syrup

Directions

For the frosting
Step 1	Add all ingredients for the frosting to a small bowl and stir until well combined and it's creamy and smooth. Make sure the coconut oil is melted/liquid, but not hot (very important). Set aside.
For the cookies
Step 2	Add all ingredients for the cookies to a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined. Transfer to two 8-inch baking pans and spread evenly, using your fingertips to lightly flatten the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden on the top. Let the cookies cool completely before using the cookie cutter.
Step 3	Use your favorite cookie cutter (smaller sizes work best) and cut out and gently remove the cookies from the pan. Frost them with the chocolate frosting and put the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes for the icing to harden a little. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator to keep the cookies crisp and the icing from getting soft. Enjoy!