These soft and chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are made with real pumpkin puree and are flavored with warming spices for a comforting fall treat. They're perfect for a party or Thanksgiving dessert table, or just to have around for snacking on during chilly autumn days.
Fall is in the air, and that means it's time to start baking delicious pumpkin recipes! Pumpkin is a great ingredient to add to baked goods because it keeps them moist and adds a lovely flavor.
These Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are no exception.
The cookies are flavored with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice which give them a warm and comforting flavor. And of course, they're rolled in cinnamon sugar, which makes them extra delicious.
This recipe is very easy to make and includes simple ingredients you may already have in your baking pantry!
Enjoy them as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea, or serve them as dessert at your next party. They'll be a hit with both kids and adults!
For more tasty pumpkin recipes, be sure to try: Pumpkin Bars, Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Scones and Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Ginger Frosting! I also have a great list of The Best Vegetarian Pumpkin Recipes.
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What are snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are a type of cookie typically made with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. They are super popular in America, for their great taste and unusual texture.
They are crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, and are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. Once baked, they collapse a little in the middle to get that classic texture.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
The pumpkin creates a soft and chewy cookie, while the spices give them a warm and comforting flavor.
This pumpkin snickerdoodles recipe is very easy to make and includes simple ingredients you may already have in your baking pantry!
These cookies are perfect for a party or Thanksgiving dessert table, or just to have around for snacking or dessert!
They can easily be made ahead of time and frozen for later baking to save you time.
Ingredients
- Butter - Gives the cookies a soft texture and buttery taste.
- Sugar - A white and brown sugar mix helps sweeten the cookies' base.
- Pumpkin Puree - Adds fresh pumpkin flavor along with softness.
- Vanilla - Gives these cookies a light vanilla flavor throughout.
- All Purpose Flour (plain flour) - Creates the cookies main structure while holding all of the ingredients together.
- Cinnamon - Adds classic warming flavor in snickerdoodle cookies.
- Cream of Tartar - Adds a tangy flavor and a chewy texture.
- Baking Soda & Salt - Helps the cookies rise properly so they become fluffy.
- Rolling Sugar - The cookies get rolled in a mix of cinnamon and sugar to create a sweet and warm texture on the outside. You can also use pumpkin pie spice for even more flavor.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Combine dry ingredients: Add the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients with sugar: Add the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar to a large mixing bowl and cream together with an electric mixture for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
Add the pumpkin: Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat to combine.
Assemble the cookie dough: Add ⅓ of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat on low, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly with a spatula, until combined. Repeat with the next ⅓ of the flour and then the final ⅓ of the mixture.
Chill the cookie dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). This ensures the cookies are chewy and don’t spread out while baking.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Line cookie sheets with baking parchment paper.
Create the rolling sugar: Add the rolling sugar and cinnamon to a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
Shape the cookies: Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar and place it onto the baking sheet 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining snickerdoodle cookie dough.
Bake and cool: Bake for 12 minutes or until risen, golden, and the top starts to crack. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Top tips
When mixing the dry ingredients into the wet, be sure not to overwork the dough. This will result in tough and dry cookies.
Chilling the dough is very important as it helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
Use room temperature ingredients to ensure everything mixes together evenly.
For extra flavor, you can add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the cookie dough or use it instead of cinnamon in the rolling sugar.
Don't overbake the cookies! They may look undercooked but will continue to cook as they cool on the baking sheet.
Variations
Instead of using pumpkin puree, try making these cookies with sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree.
Change up the flavor extracts and use almond extract or lemon extract instead of vanilla.
Add chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped nuts to the cookie dough before baking.
To make this recipe dairy free, use vegan butter or margarine instead of regular butter.
For a gluten-free version, try using gluten-free all-purpose flour.
If you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with baking powder. However, this will result in a slightly different flavor and texture.
Instead of cinnamon, swap to Chai Spice Mix, Speculoos (Biscoff)spice blend, Pumpkin Spice.
Storage
Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. Form the cookie dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and form into balls, roll them in cinnamon sugar and bake as directed.
FAQs
To make soft and chewy snickerdoodles, use room temperature ingredients and mix them until just combined. Do not overmix the dough, as this will result in tough cookies. Also, be sure to chill the cookie dough before baking, as this helps to prevent spreading. Finally, don't overbake the cookies!
There are a few theories about how snickerdoodles got their name. One theory is that it's a corruption of the German word "schneckennudeln" which means "snail dumplings." Another theory is that it comes from the Dutch word "snickerdoodles" which means "cinnamon noodles."
Cream of tartar is an acidic powder that's made from the residue of wine barrels. It's often used in baking as it helps to stabilize egg whites and prevents sugar from crystallizing. It also gives the cookies a chewy texture.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter ( 115g) at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar packed (85g)
- ¼ cup white sugar 50g
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree 75g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (plain flour) 215g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For rolling the snickerdoodles
- ¼ cup white sugar 50g
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (or Pumpkin Pie Spice)
Instructions
- Add the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
- Add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar to a large mixing bowl and cream together with an electric mixture for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
- Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat on low, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly with a spatula, until combined. Repeat with next ⅓ of the flour, and then the final ⅓.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). This is to make sure the cookies are chewy and don’t spread out too much.
- Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Line cookie sheets with baking parchment paper.
- Add the rolling sugar and cinnamon to a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
- Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar and place onto the baking sheet 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining snickerdoodle cookie dough.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until risen, golden and the top starts to crack.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
SK
I did some serious damage to a batch of these! So delightfully scrumptious! The whole family really loved them.
Rachna
These cookies were just perfect for Fall. They were so comforting and tasty. Will definitely make again soon!
Juliane
My whole family loved it!! SO good!
Beth
I have a can of pumpkin puree that needs to be used. I'm going to give these cookies a go! They sound delicious.
Mahy
This is one of those recipes that I've always known of but never tried at home. Definitely time to fix that! 😉