All your sweet fall cravings are wrapped up in these paleo pumpkin fudge cookies. They’re chewy, fudgy, bite size pumpkin spiced treats! Gluten and grain free, dairy free, soy free, and refined sugar free means they’re just as healthy as they are delicious.
Let me tell you – it felt really good to dip into the pumpkin and pumpkin spice. It’s my happy place, and I went overboard like I typically do when I dive into something and made 3 recipes in one morning. I then complained how tired I was after all the “hard work”, and then quickly slapped myself in the face for complaining. Just kidding. I ate all my pumpkin goodies and then complained some more 🙂
I really wanted to wait to share these cookies with you, but, I fell in love with them and needed to share. Show and share. To credit my patience though I did wait almost a week and it is the second half of September, so…
Pumpkin is my favorite and that has nothing to do with blogging at all or being a walking blogger cliche (although I enjoy both.) Nope, I’ve been loving this stuff since the first time I ate pumpkin pie, during the age of typewriters and Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. I still love that cookbook so much 🙂
Aside from a lifelong pumpkin crush, I couldn’t wait to share the above photo. And why? I was just really happy that I finally bit into a cookie and then made it look nice in a picture. The perfect photogenic bite is something I aspire to, as I think I’ve mentioned before. And also yesterday, but that’s what I get for writing posts a few days in advance. No secret is safe with me. Especially when it comes to blog material. But yes, the bite – small goals achieved to brighten up my day.
So what else is new besides these cookies? Umm, well that’s an awkward question – I’m not great with small talk. Even when I try to make small talk with myself apparently, it doesn’t go well. Leave it to me to be awkward with myself in the privacy of my own home. It takes talent.
But enough about me, let’s chat about the recipe just a little because that might be why you’re here (It can’t be for the jokes, at least not today.) I’d been wanting to make pumpkin fudge, but was feeling uninspired by the task and was craving variety. Enter the cookie idea. I still really love a chewy, fudgy bar or cookie and definitely went for that with these little bites.
They are spiced just as my pumpkin pie is and great for an after school snack, or even a breakfast treat. Yes, my kids happily ate them for breakfast while I ran 20 miles last Saturday. They love eating “cookies” for breakfast, and, these really are healthy enough to be breakfast. Don’t you love that about paleo treats? Since you don’t get that huge sugar crash, they are good for much more than dessert! But let’s get on with the recipe, this is one I don’t want to keep you from 🙂
Paleo Pumpkin Fudge Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree canned or homemade, if canned make sure it's NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp organic coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup creamy cashew butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 and 1/3 cups blanched almond flour I used Bob's Red Mill
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- dash sea salt
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg, pumpkin and coconut sugar together until smooth. Add the cashew butter, vanilla and spices and continue mixing.
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Add the almond flour, baking soda and sea salt to the mixture and blend until a dough forms (it will be sticky.)
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Chill the dough in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to handle. Once dough has firmed up, roll into small balls, flattened just a bit, and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
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Once you've used up all the dough (I made 18 cookies, if you only have one cookie sheet, bake in 2 batches) bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set.
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Remove from oven and allow to sit for a minute or two before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Cookies will be chewy and delicious! Enjoy!
Have you dipped (literally) into pumpkin yet? Bathed in it? Are you waiting?
Create your very own #fallfood hashtag! Yes, it’s for my own entertainment, thanks in advance 😉
I had bought some extra cans last winter of organic pumpkin at Trader Joe’s so I broke it out recently! I never loved pumpkin, as in pumpkin pies and stuff like that but I do like adding pumpkin to certain recipes, and especially my oatmeal 🙂
I think I love the spices more than the pumpkin 😉
While I am not big on pumpkin, I do occasionally like baking with it and these cookies look like something I would enjoy! I remember I liking your pumpkin muffins last year and I don’t think I have baked with it since then, I guess its time I joined the rest of the world and had some pumpkin!
Cookies are better than the muffins, I think! These aren’t overly sweet but still have that yummy pumpkin spice flavor 🙂
I am wading into the pumpkin pool. I started with the pumpkin 0’s, I’ve now had 2 pumpkin yogurts (the second one I was not impressed with). Pumpkin and I are taking our time. Trying not o rush things. I would come up with a good # but it’s too early yet…
I’m not sure about pumpkin yogurt, although I guess nearly everything goes with yogurt!
I’m sure they’re delicious with that cashew butter and almond flour! Great combo and I as well could eat pumpkin year round. It’s really the best!
I love my cashew butter 🙂
These will be making an appearance in my life soon! 🙂
Very easy and super chewy 🙂
oh yes! Pumpkin everything is awesome like these cookies 🙂
Pumpkin season, yum 🙂
Dang, i need cashew butter. I got the pumpkin already. GOTTA MAKE !
I love my cashew butter! Another milder nut butter would probably work too.
I’m embarrassed to admit, but I eat pumpkin puree straight out of the can almost daily. I have three races this weekend back to back so I plan on whipping these up today on my lunch break! The one ingredient I don’t have is the coconut sugar, do you think they’d taste okay without it?
That’s funny! I think these do need a sweetener to taste good, so anything you have would probably work out alright. Without it they might taste like pumpkin out of a can 😉
Haha I had to reply and tell you this: so I made the cookies before my race tonight (SO easy and didn’t take any time at all btw). Since I didn’t have coconut sugar or cashew butter, I made my own and added 3 dates into the food processor with my cashews to sweeten and 1 tbsp of honey. These were SO GOOD thank you for the recipe! And I won the race ???? which I credit to the cookies
That’s amazing! Congrats to you! And I’ll have to try your version of the cookies since it sounds healthier than mine 🙂
These look so, so good! I love really soft cookies, and love trying new recipes that include pumpkin. Definitely going to make these this weekend 🙂
Yay! I’ve made them twice, definitely a winner 🙂
Sweet. I have a couple cups of pumpkin sitting in my fridge right now leftover from the scones I made yesterday. I’ll make these bad boys today! I’m using regular flour though. Do you think that will work?
It will, though I’m not sure about the measurement but let me know how it works!
These are so pretty! I’m forcing myself to keep developing more pumpkin creations. Sweet savory and everything in between!
Ooh, can’t wait to see what you come up with!
They look amazing! I’ll have to try them with tree-nut substitutes 🙂 Being GF AND nut-free can be tough.
LOVE!! So glad these turned out, they sound amazing! And that bite really was perfect, I’m terrible at that. Looks perfect, pinning and hoping to make soon (thinking sunbutter would be ok for the cashew butter but gotta figure out a sub for the almond meal, I’m thinking just more coconut flour). Will def. try this out!
I think you could try coconut flour as long as you reduce the amount, maybe a half cup? I always add coconut sparingly and then work up. I think sunbutter would be good, anything creamy.
Holy YUM! These look fabulous!! I’m on a pumpkin kick lately.. I definitely need to try these 🙂
Thanks, hope you try!
#pumpkinallday
These look perfect! I have broken into a few cans of pumpkin already…I just couldn’t help myself.
It’s tempting, especially the way everything is displayed in stores!
I love pumpkin! I have a sugar pumpkin waiting to be made into puree, and these look delicious! I love cashew butter so much and got so excited when I saw it in the recipe.
I’m such a cashew butter fan too, it works well in so many recipes 🙂
Oh yeah, I’m on the fall foods party bus! This looks lovely, I have a bag of pumpkin spice that is waiting for me 🙂 I’ve been in a pumpkin and date phase lately. It’s like a touch of caramel and makes everything better. Happy Friday!
I wish I had a bag of pumpkin spice! I thought of you buying in bulk when I was picking out spices in the store 🙂
I’ve been elbow deep in pumpkin since the beginning of August, and I have a feeling a lot of people are because they were all out of pumpkin the last time I went to the store — I know. But ’tis the season! And these look amazing 😀
You’ve been cooking up incredible pumpkin recipes so more power to you (and the pumpkin!) I feel like every grocery store has a huge pumpkin section that draws everyone in. I actually bought gf pumpkin tortilla chips today – I need rehab 😉
Oh my gosh, these look amazing! Love that you used cashew butter, can’t wait to give ’em a try!
Cashew butter works so well with so many recipes, love it! And thanks 🙂
I’ve already made several pumpkin items. September hits and it’s all fair game to me. I went to Trader Joe’s yesterday and was surprised that they didn’t have much pumpkin items yet. I bought some pumpkin tea to try so looking forward to that.
That’s so strange about TJ’s! I wonder if they’re sold out? Seems like every store has too much of it! Pumpkin tea sounds delicious, I want some 🙂
It’s so good! The cookies are chewy and amazing and full of flavor! I absolutely love them!!!