These gluten-free pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies are perfect for fall! Packed with the perfect blend of warming spices, melty white chocolate chips, buttery toasted pecans, and topped with flaky sea salt.

Pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies with pecan and flaky sea salt.

Why You'll Love These Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The fall season is finally here, and with it comes that perfect, cozy baking weather! I always get excited to make my favorite pumpkin treats, like my ultra-moist gluten-free pumpkin bread and my classic gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. This recipe is a delightful new twist on those classic cookies. It's a pumpkin white chocolate chip cookie featuring a sophisticated blend of flavors you'll adore: rich toasted brown butter, sweet melted white chocolate, crunchy pecans, and a balancing sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Here are a few more reasons why you are going to love this pumpkin cookie recipe:

Quick Prep Time. The dough only needs a quick 30-minute chill time, meaning you can enjoy fresh-baked cookies sooner!
Perfect Texture. This recipe ensures wonderfully soft and chewy pumpkin cookies (not cakey!) thanks to the simple step of blotting the excess moisture from the pumpkin purée before mixing.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients

Ingredients for pumpkin white chocolate cookies: Flour, sugar, dark brown sugar, pumpkin, butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, white chocolate chips, pecans, and flaky sea salt.

Ingredient Notes

Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make soft and chewy pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies. See the printable recipe card with full instructions and measurements below.

Gluten-Free Flour: Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour blend works great in this recipe. For the best results, always be sure to weigh your flour using a food scale to ensure precise measurements.
Pumpkin Purée: Please be sure to use 100% canned pumpkin purée, and not the pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling!
Egg Yolk: That extra yolk is key because it adds richness to the dough, helping to create that perfect, desirable chewy texture.
Warm Spices: A wonderful blend of warm pumpkin spices gives these cookies their festive flavor.
White Chocolate Chips: My favorite white chocolate chips to use are Ghirardelli and Guittard.
Pecans: Remember to toast your pecans ahead of time. This simple step not only enhances their nutty flavor but also ensures they have time to cool completely, preventing them from melting the white chocolate when you mix them into the dough.

Blotting The Pumpkin

A picture blotting pumpkin on a white paper towel to remove moisture.

We blot the pumpkin purée before mixing to remove excess moisture, which is the secret to achieving a soft and chewy cookie instead of a cakey one.

Measure and Spread: Use a kitchen scale to measure 86 grams (about ⅓ cup) of pumpkin puree directly onto several layers of dry paper towels.
Blot Firmly: Fold the dry edges of the paper towel over the puree and press down firmly to absorb the moisture.
Repeat Until Thick: Transfer the puree to a fresh, dry set of paper towels and repeat the blotting 1 to 2 more times.
Ready to Go: The puree is ready when it is noticeably thicker, drier, and weighs approximately 60 grams (about ¼ cup)

How To Make Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's an overview of how to make this pumpkin white chocolate chip cookie recipe. For complete instructions, you can jump to the recipe card.

Browning butter in a clear bowl. Toasting pecans on a metal baking sheet.

Step 1: Brown the butter. In a medium skillet, brown the unsalted butter over medium heat until it's a rich golden brown color with a nutty aroma. Pour the hot browned butter into a large bowl, and let it cool for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Toast the pecans. Spread the pecans onto a large baking sheet and toast them for 5-6 minutes.

Mixing the wet ingredients for white chocolate pumpkin cookies, then adding the dry ingredients and folding in the chips.

Step 3: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Next, add the egg yolk, blotted pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until the ingredients are just combined and the mixture has a smooth and creamy texture.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients. Next, incorporate the gluten-free flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients until they are thoroughly blended. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the white chocolate chips and pecans until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Rolling the pumpkin white chocolate cookie dough into balls, then baking on a large parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 5: Scoop and roll the dough. Using a large cookie scoop (or spoon), portion the chilled dough into 56-gram balls (weighing them is recommended for accuracy). Roll each portion smoothly, then place only 6 dough balls on each prepared sheet, ensuring they are spaced well apart.
Step 6: Bake the cookies. Place the cookie dough balls on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 11-12 minutes. Once you remove the cookies from the oven, immediately sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage

Store Leftovers: Store white chocolate chip pumpkin cookies in a tightly sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze these white chocolate pumpkin cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months. Remove the bag from the freezer the night before serving.

Close up of white chocolate pecan cookies.

White chocolate pumpkin cookie cut in half, exposing the melted chocolate and chewy center.

I hope you love this white chocolate pumpkin cookies recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.