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Pumpkin Cookies are classic spice-cookie-meets-cake. Giant cookies are super fun, and they’re easy to make. Plus cookies have an exciting dimension when frosted — like a cake! Frosted pumpkin cookies are a seasonal treat I’ve loved for years. This spin is perfect for the GAPS and Paleo diets, and I’m especially excited for GAPS diet folks who feel they need a special treat. GAPS treats are harder to find. This recipe can also be made dairy-free, with an alternative to the Buttercream Frosting here.
Special Occasions
For birthdays, this recipe makes a fun and different birthday “cake”. For Thanksgiving, the pumpkin flavor is perfect, seasonal and festive. For Christmas or winter celebrations, this recipe can be made into traditionally sized cookies and is a great addition to any cookie plate.
Ingredients
This recipe uses a small amount of coconut flour and then recommends sprouted nut flour, for best digestion. This guidance is especially key for those of you on the GAPS diet. It’s so easy to get by with convenience foods like almond flour and almond butter, but for healing the gut there is a much better and more effective way.
Here’s how to sprout nuts! 🙂 Here’s a great dehydrator if you don’t already have one. Or this one is perfect when you are on a tight budget (it’s what we had for about 15 years). The added step is well worth it to allow our digestive mechanisms to heal or prevent wear and tear on our guts.
This recipe also features a bit of collagen, extra protein to balance the sweets we’re eating. Collagen (find it here) is also great for the texture of this cookie, which you’ll love — a bit cakey, just like a pumpkin cookie should be, and super moist.
My family LOVES this Giant Pumpkin Cookie with Buttercream Frosting, and I think you will too! (Share your comments and photos with me below when you make it!)
Make one giant frosted cookie or a batch of cookies, whichever fits your occasion. This pumpkin cookie recipe is classic, tender and cake-like, with fall spices.
- 1 cup nut flour (preferably sprouted: see How-to link in Recipe Notes) or blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled slightly, or use lard or coconut oil for dairy-free version
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin or butternut squash puree
- 1/3 cup honey or Paleo folks: maple syrup will probably work fine here
- 1/4 cup coconut flour for fruit-free, flax seed meal may sub well here
- 1/4 cup collagen see discount code and link in Recipe Notes
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or sauerkraut juice for fruit-free
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet or round pizza pan with parchment paper, or use a Silpat baking mat (see Recipe Notes).
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Combine dry ingredients in medium size bowl: sprouted nut flour, coconut flour, collagen, cinnamon, baking soda and sea salt. Stir to mix.
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Combine wet ingredients in medium size bowl: butter, pumpkin, honey, egg and apple cider vinegar. Whisk to combine.
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Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold in well without over-mixing.
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Pour cookie batter onto prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly into 8-8.5" circle.
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Bake in preheated oven about 12 minutes, or until puffed in center and browned all over, without being too dark.
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Cool while you make the buttercream. (See Buttercream Frosting link in Recipe Notes, as well as dairy-free version.)
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Frost cookie simply or decoratively. The recipe makes a generous amount of frosting: If you wish to put fluting around the full circumference of the cookie you'll have enough; or save some for next time. (The frosting keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge. Simply bring to room temperature and beat again before using.)
Learn how to sprout nuts/seeds and make nut or seed flour HERE.
Find grass-fed, grass-finished, pesticide-free Collagen Peptides HERE.
Find the Silpat baking mat HERE.
Find Buttercream recipe HERE.
Find Dairy-free Buttercream recipe HERE.
Need a Fast & Easy Dessert?
If you’re on the GAPS diet or the Paleo diet and perhaps not yet seasoned at making life go smoothly for yourself and your family in the kitchen, I know this recipe will help. The batter comes together quickly, and then you pour the whole thing onto a lined cookie sheet — easy. If you’re well-seasoned 😉 but still love easy recipes, this recipe will please you again and again. Enjoy!!
Comments 24
I love skillet cookies like this…so much more hands off!! And a pumpkin version, drool!! I will definitely be trying this out!
The perfect fall cookie cake! Love all of these ingredients. I need to get one of these round silpats!
Author
It is SO handy! 🙂
What a beautiful treat! And your little icing flowers are on point!
But who wouldn’t want a giant cookie!? YUM! This looks great – love the ingredients! My girls will really enjoy this!
You can never go without a giant cookie, especially when it’s pumpkin flavored! I would totally prefer this over cake for my birthday.
Author
Thanks Jean LOL! I’m with you! 🙂
Oooh! I think I have everything for this! Can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Wow ! How fun!! Love giant cookies and that buttercream frosting sounds delicious!
Author
Thank you ChihYu! The buttercream frosting really is so special. I end up using the leftovers on my waffles at breakfast!! — SO good!! 🙂
This is so pretty! I love pumpkin desserts that look decadent but are secretly healthy.
Author
Well said! 🙂 Thanks!
I remember passing the giant cookie place in the mall as a kid and being so enthralled with cookies THAT big! This is such a fun recipe, perfect for fall, and perfect for me!
Author
Haha, cute and thanks! I’m glad others remember the big cookie places at the mall, ha! Something about them really captures us, especially children or … grown up children. 🙂 I hope you get to make it Lindsey!
What a great idea to make a pumpkin skillet cookie. I love using almond flour and think it has such nice flavor. This looks like a perfect fall treat!
WITH the buttercream frosting, swoon! My goodness this is such a fun cookie. My eyes got so big when I saw that it was a giant cookie. You truly are the baking queen Megan! xo
Author
You are too sweet!! MWA, thank you love!! 🙂
I love this giant cookie that’s filled with pumpkin and that icing yum!
I love making giant or skillet cookies because you don’t have to bake batch after batch! Your pumpkin version looks so good, and that buttercream frosting… well I don’t think I could be trusted with the leftovers!
This combines a bit of everything delicious! I love it
Is canned pumpkin legal for GAPS? I never can find fresh pumpkin
Author
Hi Kristine, yes, it is! As long as the only ingredients are “pumpkin” or “winter squash”.
Can you use gelatin instead of collagen in this recipe?
Author
Hi Jen, gelatin and collagen play different roles in baked goods, so in this case, unfortunately no.