Soft Paleo Pumpkin Cookies with Salted Maple Frosting
Healthy soft pumpkin cookies with an addicting salted maple frosting! These melt-in-your-mouth gluten free pumpkin cookies are grain free, easily dairy free and taste like a slice of your favorite pumpkin pie. The perfect dessert for fall and holidays!
1/4cupmelted and cooled coconut oil (or sub melted butter)
1/3cuppumpkin puree
1/4cuporganic cane sugar (regular sugar or coconut sugar will also work!)
1tablespoonpure maple syrup
1egg, at room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1 1/2cupspacked fine almond flour (do not use almond meal)
3tablespoonscoconut flour
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
1tablespoonpumpkin pie spice*
1/4teaspoonsalt
Optional if not using frosting: Roll dough in cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon)
For the Salted Maple Frosting:
½cuppowdered sugar
1tablespoonpure maple syrup
1tablespoonmelted butter
1/2tablespoonunsweetened almond milk, plus 1-2 teaspoons more to thin if necessary
Pinchof sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, sugar, maple syrup, egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined and smooth. Next add in almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Process until a dough forms. Allow dough to sit for 5 minutes.
Next use your hands to roll dough into golf sized balls. Roll in cinnamon-sugar if you'd like. Place on prepared cookie sheet then flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand, but still keep the cookies nice and round. They should be about 1/4 inch thick before baking because we still want them to be nice, thick and fluffy. Bake for 8-11 minutes.
Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely before frosting. Makes about 12 cookies.
For the frosting: In a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, pure maple syrup, melted butter and almond milk. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste. If frosting is too thick, you can add a teaspoon or two more milk to make it spreadable. Frost each cookie then enjoy! Sprinkle top of frosting with a little cinnamon for a gorgeous look. Cookies will get softer each day. Cookies can be stored in a container at room temp for a few days, then I recommend storing them in the fridge.
Notes
*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can mix together: 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves.See the full post for tips, tricks & storing instructions!