Description

Healthy Pumpkin Blossoms are soft, tender cookies infused with pumpkin purée and warm cinnamon, sweetened naturally with pure maple syrup, and topped with a rich dark chocolate kiss. These wholesome treats combine whole wheat or gluten-free flour with pumpkin and spices for a delicious fall-inspired bake that’s perfect for dessert or a cozy snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup (183g) pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup

Topping

24 dark chocolate kisses

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour, ground cinnamon, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter or coconut oil, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the pure maple syrup thoroughly.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until all the flour mixture is incorporated but do not overmix to maintain a tender cookie texture.
Chill Dough: Cover the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If chilling for longer than 1 hour, cover the bowl tightly with foil to keep the dough fresh.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Shape Cookies: Drop the chilled cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet in 24 rounded scoops using a spoon or cookie scoop. Flatten each dough mound slightly so it is just a bit wider than a chocolate kiss.
Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven at 325°F for 13–16 minutes. The centers should remain slightly underdone to keep them soft and chewy once cooled.
Add Chocolate Kiss: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press a dark chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie while still warm. This will allow the chocolate to soften slightly without melting completely.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool fully. This cooling time helps the cookies set perfectly.

Notes

You can substitute white whole wheat flour with gluten-free flour to keep this recipe gluten-free.
Ensure you use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling to avoid excess sugar and spices.
Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and enhances the cookie texture.
Press chocolate kisses into the cookies immediately after baking — if you wait too long, the chocolate won’t soften.
For a vegan option, use coconut oil and check that your dark chocolate kisses are dairy-free.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: pumpkin cookies, healthy pumpkin blossoms, pumpkin dessert, maple syrup cookies, gluten-free pumpkin cookies, fall cookies, pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin chocolate cookies