Put a new spin on your fall baking routine with these butternut squash molasses cookies. These are soft fluffy cookies that are lightly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. You’ll love this unique way to use butternut squash, and these cookies are vegan-friendly as well. I may have even packed ‘em in my hospital bag and devoured them as my first treat post c-section recently – they’re that good!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Dairy-free butter – Since this recipe is vegan-friendly (and this is a dairy-free site!), I’ve used dairy-free stick butter for these cookies. My favorite is Country Crock plant butter sticks; either the Country Crock plant butter sticks with avocado oil or the Country Crock salted plant butter for baking. If you need a soy-free option, Earth Balance soy free sticks are a good choice. Obviously if you are not dairy-free or vegan, you can use regular butter.
- Butternut squash puree – This can be made fresh the day you plan to make these cookies, or can be made from leftover roasted butternut squash that you’ve got on hand.
- Molasses – Use molasses that is labeled “original” or “regular”. This type is less bitter than blackstrap molasses and works best for these cookies.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
If you do not yet have butternut squash puree on hand, you’ll want to start by preparing that. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until the squash is tender. Let it cool a bit, then puree in a mini food processor or mash well by hand. You’ll only need ⅓ cup for this recipe, but the puree can be used in a variety of other ways (like pancakes, waffles, muffins, or other baked goods).
Once that is all set, you can start on the cookies themselves. Cream together the sugar and dairy-free butter in a mixing bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, until light and fluffy.
Add the squash puree, molasses, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. It might look a little weird at this point, almost like grainy mustard, haha – this is normal. It can happen because the fat in the butter separates out a bit into tiny pieces. Don’t worry!
In another bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Pop those in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
These cookies may retain their shape when baking, or may spread like normal cookies – it really depends on the moisture content of the squash puree. However, either way they will taste delicious. Just don’t worry if they happen to stay a bit fluffier rather than the photographs here; I’ve made them multiple times and sometimes they spread and other times they stay rounded.
Once cooked, let ‘em cool on the pan then enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 4 days. If you don’t plan to eat them all within that time, freeze the cookies for later.
- To freeze, let cool fully and place in a ziptop bag or airtight container. Use within 3 months of freezing for best quality. When ready to enjoy, defrost at room temperature.
- You can also freeze the dough if you want to bake these later. Follow the recipe as directed through the step for portioning out the dough onto the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours to flash freeze, then transfer the dough balls into a ziptop bag or airtight container to store in the freezer. You can bake from frozen but just keep in mind you may need a few extra minutes of baking time.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this recipe is dairy free and egg free. As long as you choose a dairy-free butter that is nut free, this recipe would also be peanut and tree nut free.
This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the flour) and could also contain soy (depending on the dairy-free butter used). These are easily modified if needed. To make wheat/gluten free, choose a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour to use in place of the all-purpose flour. To make soy-free, choose a soy-free dairy-free butter (like Earth Balance soy-free sticks).
More Fall Cookie Recipes
If you’re looking for more tasty fall cookie recipes, you’ll definitely want to try these chocolate pumpkin crinkle cookies. They’re another soft cookie recipe that blends cocoa and pumpkin flavors together in the just the right proportions. If you love a good spiced cookie, these dairy free chai cookies are another great option – featuring all your favorite tea flavors baked in a cashew butter cookie. Or, if you want a Halloween option, try these “witch finger” cookies for a fun and festive spin that will make your kiddos smile.
I hope you enjoy these butternut squash cookies! If you get a chance to try them, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Butternut Squash Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (vegan if needed; see notes)
- ½ cup dairy-free butter, softened (1 stick; see notes)
- ⅓ cup butternut squash puree (see notes)
- ¼ cup molasses (vegan if needed; see notes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and dairy-free butter using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
-
Add the butternut squash puree, molasses, and vanilla extract, and mix together again until all ingredients are well combined.
-
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Stir well.
-
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
-
Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop (or a regular heaping tablespoon), portion out the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes, or until cookies are turning a light golden brown at the edges. Let cool on the pan, then enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- I recommend Country Crock plant butter sticks for this recipe (either the ones with avocado oil or the salted baking sticks). The dairy-free butter should be softened but not melted. If you are not dairy-free or vegan, you can use regular butter.
- If you are strictly vegan, please note you’ll want to choose organic sugar and organic molasses to ensure the sugar production did not use any bone char filtering.
- If you do not yet have butternut squash puree on hand, this can be made by roasting the butternut squash halves and then pureeing in the food processor or mashing well by hand. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until the squash is tender. Puree once it has cooled a bit.
- The spread of these cookies can vary a bit based on the moisture of the squash puree. They may either retain a fluffy circular look, or may spread like normal cookies. Either way they will be delicious.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per cookie): 94 calories, 3 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 120 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g fiber, 7.5 g sugar, 1 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 1%, Iron: 4%, Potassium: 2%
Feel free to pin this post to save for later!
