Gluten-Free White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookie Cups

Gluten-Free white chocolate pumpkin cookie cups drizzled with apple cider caramel.

There are several perks to being a food blogger.

I get to meet amazing new foodies on the Interweb. Sure, we don’t get to hangout in the conventional sense, but that doesn’t mean we’re not tight. We sip our coffee from opposite sides of the globe while chatting on Facebook–boom, tight!

Since starting my site in 2011, I’ve received more kitchen swag than I know what to do with. Okay, that’s a lie. I’m like Mr. Scrooge in Mickey’s Christmas Carol doing the back stroke in all of my kitchen gadgets.

I get to work with amazing brands. How they find my little slice of the Interweb, I’ll never know, but you won’t find me complaining. I adore the companies I partner with here on the blog.

There is never a lack of food in this house since I started blogging. If anything, I could use a second refrigerator to store all the goods I’m pumping out of my kitchen on a daily basis. So, if you’re hungry, feel free to stop by and rummage through my fridge. Seriously, let’s have lunch.

As a food blogger’s husband, Squirrel has learned to ask permission before sneaking food. Unfortunately, he had to learn the hard way when he ate a bowl of meatballs that were waiting to have their photos taken. In his defense, he didn’t know any better. I had just started my blog and he was accustomed to eating anything he pleased.

Now that I’m a bit more established, he asks first. Just the other day, these gluten-free white chocolate pumpkin cookie cups were sitting on the counter cooling. “Hmm, what’s this,” Squirrel asked. “They’re my newest gluten-free creation, and they’re bangin’,” I responded. “Can I have one?” he asked.

And they say men can’t be trained.

Helpful cookie tips:

1. You’ll notice that the only binding ingredient in this recipe is pumpkin puree–no egg! After testing this recipe several times, I decided to make the dough without the addition of eggs. Since pumpkin puree is super moist, I let it stand in for the egg. The first two batches of cookies that included the egg were good, but they weren’t good enough to be called a cookie; it was more of a cookie/muffin hybrid.
2. Since this recipe doesn’t call for an egg, which naturally helps cookies plump and rise, I used both baking soda and baking powder for lift and puff purposes.
3. Melted butter=extra chewy cookies. I use melted butter in my The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies…Ever! recipe. If you want an unbelievably gooey, chewy cookie, you have to melt your buttah!
4. Choose a premium gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that includes either guar gum or xanthan gum. I used Pamela’s Products Artisan Flour Blend in this recipe. Guar and xanthan gum are extremely important ingredients when baking gluten-free treats. In this recipe, it strengthens the cookies and prevents them from crumbling.
5. Chill your dough. This step is very important and shouldn’t be skipped. Cover and chill the dough for at least an hour before baking. I prefer to make my cookie dough the night before I’m going to bake them.
6. Spray your muffin tins with non-stick baking spray.
7. When the cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool in the pans completely before removing. To remove, run a small cake spatula or butter knife around the perimeter of each cookie to loosen before you pop them out of the tins.

These cookie cups are made with Pamela’s Products, a gluten-free company that specializes in premium baking mixes, cookies, and snack bars. I used their Artisan Flour Blend in this recipe, along with certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats.

The center is gooey, moist, and studded with white chocolate and cinnamon morsels. And, as if that wasn’t enough, I drizzled each cookie cup with homemade apple cider caramel.

The apple cider caramel is optional, but definitely recommended. It adds a sweet, tangy layer to the outside of the cookie. I recommend adding the caramel right before you’re ready to serve the cookies so they don’t become sticky mess in the storage container.

Print Recipe

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookie Cups

Thick, gooey pumpkin cookie cups loaded with warm spices and sweet white chocolate and cinnamon morsels.

Yield: 14 cookie cups

Total Time: 4 hours 26 minutes

Prep Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend
• 1/2 cup certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Apple Cider Caramel: 

• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Cookies: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the bowl with the pumpkin mixture. Stir until just combined.
3. Fold in the white chocolate and cinnamon chips.
4. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the mixture to a smaller bowl with a lid. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (do not skip this step).
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray two non-stick muffin tins with baking spray.
6. Fill each tin with 2 tablespoons of batter. Gently press down to flatten the batter into the pan. Top with extra white chocolate chips or sprinkles (optional).
7. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the cookie cups are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool the cookie cups in the pan completely before removing. Run a butter knife around each cup to loosen the cookies before removing.
8. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Apple Cider Caramel:

1. Combine the sugar and apple cider in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Using a whisk, stir to combine–this is the only time you can stir the sugar. If you stir it while it’s cooking, it will seize and become rock hard.
2. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and cook until the sugar starts to caramelize, 10-15 minutes. Do not stir while this is happening. Be very careful to watch the caramel; it will go from caramel to burnt in a split second.
3. Once the mixture reaches a medium amber hue, take the pot off the heat and stand back to avoid splattering. Slowly whisk in the cream. Don’t panic, the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify. Give it a few whisks and the mixture will return to a liquified state.
4. Turn the heat down low and simmer, whisking constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, at least 2-4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.
5. Drizzle over cookies before serving.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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Disclosure: This recipe was developed for the amazing folks at Pamela’s Products. All opinions in this here post are my own. Thank you for supporting my recipes and site while I work with brands I adore.