These Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are our new favorite fall treat! They’re delicious cookies infused with real pumpkin and our favorite fall spices then rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture then baked until warm and fluffy.
Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes to try? These pumpkin pancakes are a must and pumpkin oatmeal cookies are always a hit!
Table of contents
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
I’m a firm believer that every time the season changes, it’s an occasion worth celebrating. And what better way to say hello to crisp air and falling leaves than a new fall cookie recipe?! These are soft and chewy cookies made with real pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice loading them with cozy goodness.
Each dough ball is rolled in sugar and pumpkin spice and then baked until fluffy and warm. If you are a classic snickerdoodles lover, you will absolutely love the hint of pumpkin flavor in every scrumptious bite of these cookies. I can safely say these won’t last long!
I’ve taken the original snickerdoodle and turned the classic cookie up a notch! You might think the pumpkin purée makes these cookies too soft, but ours turn out just perfect every time. Light crispy edges included!
Ingredients/shopping list
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. I prefer unsalted that way I can control the amount of added salt, but if you use salted, just reduce the amount of added salt (or omit it completely). Make sure the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to cream.
- Brown & white sugar: I use both for sweetness, but the brown sugar adds a deeper caramel flavor and adds moisture to the cookie.
- Pumpkin purée: Canned or homemade, it’s up to you. Just as long as it’s real pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie filling.
- Vanilla extract: A warm flavor enhancer that makes most baked goods taste even better.
- All-purpose flour: A great flour choice for this pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies recipe. It’s not too dense when measured properly and is mild tasting so it won’t alter any flavors.
- Pumpkin spice: Also known as pumpkin pie spice, this blend can be found in-store or you can make homemade pumpkin spice easily too. If you don’t have either version, replace it with cinnamon instead.
- Cream of tartar & baking soda: When reacting with one another, it’s a dream team combination that makes these cookies super fluffy! Always make sure your baking soda is fresh. If it’s not, discard and get some more.
- Salt: Helps to bring out all of the other flavors. As mentioned above, this can be omitted or reduced based on whether you’re using salted butter or unsalted.
- Pumpkin pie spice and sugar: A little extra for the outside! Rolling the dough in this mix before baking adds a tasty crystalized element to each bite.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. You’ll notice this pumpkin snicker doodle cookies recipe requires no eggs. You can add an egg if you want, just to test the different textures. Some people even use just the egg white or just the egg yolk.
2. For gluten-free cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour or oat flour. I wouldn’t use anything else, as various types of gluten-free flour can be finicky.
3. Add a bit of nutmeg with the cinnamon if you’re not using pumpkin pie spice.
4. Add a ½ cup of white chocolate chips if your’d like to kick them up a notch.
How to Make these easy Pumpkin Cookies
The best things come to those who wait and the chill time in this recipe is worth it! Other than that, these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are made simple with just a few easy steps.
Step 1: Make the cookie dough in a large bowl by combining the butter and sugars and beating on medium speed until fluffy. I use an electric hand mixer, but this can also be done in a stand mixer.
Step 2: Then, add the pumpkin puree and vanilla while continuing to blend and scraping down the sides along the way.
Step 3: In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, pumpkin spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches, about ½ cup at a time. Blend and scrap the sides as you go.
Step 5: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill. Keep it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. This is important as it helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much as they bake.
Step 6: When ready to bake, mix the pumpkin pie spice and sugar in a small bowl. Use a small cookie scoop, about 1-1.5 tablespoons, scoop dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Roll each one into the sugar mixture then place them all onto a parchment-lined prepared baking sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 11-12 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven and once they’re done, allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be soft, but will also continue to bake on the hot baking sheet, so don’t overbake them!
Tips
- Making sure your butter is soft is a small (yet not so small) thing you can do to be prepared ahead of time. Taking it out of the fridge in advance can save you time in the long run.
- Measure your flour correctly. Do not use the measuring cup to scoop it out of the bag. Use a spoon to fill your measuring cup. Once it’s above the rim, use the back of a knife to level it off.
- Do not overdo it on the pumpkin purée. You want the ratio of dry to wet ingredients to be just right so that way your pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies aren’t too soft and too moist.
- If you’re making the dough ahead of time and not quite ready to bake yet, store the cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to 3 months! Flash freeze them first so that they don’t freeze in a big lump.
- Leave about 2 inches of space in between each ball before baking. They will spread a bit, so you want to allow for enough room so they don’t attach.
- Use actual pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie filling.
FAQ’s
No need to refrigerate these! If you have any left keep them fresh by covering them in an airtight container. Leave them on the counter for up to 1 week.
Once pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies have completely cooled, transfer them to a freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw them on the counter and enjoy!
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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For rolling the cookie dough in
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Make the cookie dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat together until fluffy on medium speed using an electric mixer.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and beat on medium until blended completely. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times while mixing.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, pumpkin spice, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in batches of ½ cup at a time, blending and scraping down the sides of the bowl between adding.
Chill the dough:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to chill.
Bake the cookies:
- Preheat the oven 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, add the sugar and pumpkin pie spice and mix together.
- With a 1 – 1/12 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll it into a ball with your hands.
- Roll each ball in the sugar mixture, coating completely and place them on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
BP
Everyone loves these but the dough is extremely sticky to work with (like biscotti dough) even when I butter my hands and the cookie scoop. They are worth it however if you like to get your hands dirty. I added an egg and flatten them with the bottom of a drinking glass after I take them out of the oven so they have that store bought appearance. Even pumpkin haters love them!
Jessica Aleman Pasta
Can you make it without the cream of tartar? Mine’s expired!
Sherri
You can use a teaspoon of baking powder instead. They won’t have the tang of a classic snickerdoodle but they are still yummy!
Diane D.
Hi Jessica, I just made these but they didn’t spread out much. Tasted very good though.
Jen
Is there really NO eggs ?
Kathy
Oh my goodness these are soooo good! I never know about trying out new cookie recipes so i wasnt going to get too excited until i tried them. They are perfect.
Kampus Terbaik
Is it to use a whole pumpkin?