Pumpkin snickerdoodles are deliciously soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies filled with pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavor. This recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles is easy to make and requires no chilling time. These pumpkin snickerdoodles cookies are a fun fall twist on the classic cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love a wonderfully delicious snickerdoodle cookie. My Snickerdoodle Bars, Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar and Chai Snickerdoodle Skillet Cookie are just a few of my favorite snickerdoodle recipes from the blog. This chewy pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe is a fantastic addition to my growing collection of snickerdoodle cookie recipes. I know you’ll love too it because:
- They are quick, easy and no chill. All you need to do is prep the ingredients, make the pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough, roll the pumpkin spice dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and bake!
- You love a twist on a classic cookie. This recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles uses all the same ingredients as a classic snickerdoodle cookie recipe with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.
Ingredients
These pumpkin pie snickerdoodles require only a handful of pantry basics to make. Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy pumpkin doodle cookies.
Dry ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt
Wet Ingredients: Gather canned pumpkin puree, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, an egg yolk, vanilla extract and cinnamon sugar.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these soft, buttery and chewy pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies
- All Purpose Flour: Make these soft pumpkin snickerdoodles gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure by weight versus cups.
- Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda: These act as leaveners, as well as give these pumpkin spice snickerdoodles their signature chewiness and background tanginess. If you do not have cream of tartar and baking soda, I recommend substituting both with 2 teaspoons baking powder. Keep in mind that the bars will taste more like pumpkin cinnamon sugar cookies rather than snickerdoodles.
- Ground Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice: I love using ground cinnamon as a nod to the classic snickerdoodle flavor profile. Feel free to substitute pumpkin spice with apple pie spice or chai spice blends.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt.
- Granulated and Light Brown Sugars: This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars such as maple or coconut. To make this recipe without brown sugar, simply substitute the brown sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding vanilla to any cookie instantly makes it taste more complex and flavorful. Omit if you don’t have this already.
- Cinnamon Sugar: This is a classic ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies. Therefore, it’s the perfect way to top these cinnamon sugar pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies. Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice in place of the ground cinnamon for even more pumpkin flavor.
Variations
- Pumpkin White Chocolate Snickerdoodles: Prepare the recipe as written. After mixing the dry ingredients into the wet, fold in ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate chips. Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar and top with a few more white chocolate chips right before baking. Follow the baking directions as written.
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: In a sauce pan or pot, melt (1 ¼ cup, 20 tablespoons, 283 g) butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer the butter to the fridge to cool an additional 15 - 20 minutes. Prepare the rest of the recipe as written.
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar: Replace the cream of tartar and baking soda with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
How To Make
Learn how to make pumpkin snickerdoodles in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, melt the butter and cool in the fridge for about 10 -15 minutes. Place a layer of paper towels on a large plate. Spread a full 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree on the paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels. After 15 minutes, gather the paper towels and squeeze as much of the liquid as possible from the pumpkin puree. There should be about ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree that will feel like the texture of play-doh.
- In mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter and sugars together for one minute. Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together until well combined. Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough. Roll into a ball and roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the cinnamon sugar coated balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Gently press the cookie down with the palm of your hand.
- Bake the pumpkin spice snickerdoodles for about 8 -10 minutes. The edges will be set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly puffed with cracks across the top. Cool the pumpkin doodle cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
How To Make Ahead, Freeze, Thaw and Store
- Make Ahead: Although this easy snickerdoodle with pumpkin recipe comes together quickly, the cookie dough can easily be made ahead of time. To do this simply prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions up to mixing the dry ingredients into the wet and decide which storage method meets your needs.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Place the cookie dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until the cookie dough is frozen. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place the frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls into a ziplock bag. These spiced pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw Cookie Dough: Transfer your desired amount of frozen cookie dough balls into an airtight container. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring the cookie dough balls to room temperature before rolling in the cinnamon sugar and baking.
- Store Cookie Dough: Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Store Baked Cookies: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze the cookies.
M's Expert Tips
- Remove excess water from the pumpkin puree: These pumpkin snickerdoodles will puff up a bit because of the cream of tartar and baking soda. To keep these cookies chewy and not overly cakey, it is important to remove as much of the water from the pumpkin puree as possible.
- Melt and cool the butter: Using melted butter increases the chewiness of the cookie. It also can cause the cookies to spread more. To prevent this, melt the butter and cool the butter in the fridge for about 15 - 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the cookies to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in a soft, chewy and delicious cookie.
- Measure the flour properly: I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured dry ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough: Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Slightly under-bake the cookies: For cookies that are soft and chewy for days, the secret is to bake them until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly underbaked, but the cookies will continue to “bake” while on the hot cookie sheet.
FAQs
The name “snickerdoodle cookie” is believed to be a derivation of a German word for “crinkly noodle” or “snail.” Although the name has roots in the German language, this beloved American cookie is believed to have originated in New England.
This can happen when the oven isn’t hot enough. I recommend preheating the oven for at least 30 minutes before baking.
This can happen from overbaking the cookies. To prevent overbaking, look for the signs the cookie is done. Signs the snickerdoodle cookie is done are set edges that are lightly golden brown, puffed centers and cracks across the cookie. Keep in mind that the cookie will continue to “bake” and set up on the hot baking sheet once it is pulled out of the oven.
Other Pumpkin Recipes To Try
- Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Pumpkin Donuts
If you try this Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large plate lined with paper towels
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, melt the butter and cool in the fridge for about 15 - 20 minutes.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Place a layer of paper towels on a large plate. Spread a full 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree on the paper towels. Top the pumpkin with another layer of paper towels. After 15 minutes, gather the paper towels and squeeze as much of the liquid as possible from the pumpkin puree. There should be about ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree remaining that will feel like the texture of play-doh.15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- In mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt together until well combined.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter and sugars together for one minute. Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together until well combined.½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough. Roll into a ball and roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the cinnamon sugar coated balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Gently press the cookie down with the palm of your hand.
- Bake the pumpkin spice snickerdoodles for about 8 -10 minutes. The edges will be set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly puffed with cracks across the top.
- Cool the pumpkin doodle cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Mac says
Just made these and they turned out great! The pumpkin straining was a little messier than anticipated but the result was a nice pumpkin flavor without adding too much moisture—nice trick! I think they’re a little sweet for my palate so I will likely reduce the granulated sugar next time, but definitely a repeat!
One question—the recipe as written doesn’t include any salt. Is this intentional? I need some salt in my baked goods so added about 3/4 tsp and it turned out well (I think the cookies needed the salt), but wanted to ask in case it’s an oversight.
Thanks for a great addition to my fall baking repertoire!
Megan says
Hi Mac, I am so happy to know how much you enjoyed these cookies. Please let me know how the recipe turns out with the reduced amount of sugar. I would love to include that as a recipe note. Thanks!