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These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies turn the classic favorite even better. No need to chill the dough, and they bake up soft and chewy.
Snickerdoodles already taste like fall with their cinnamon sugar coating. Add pumpkin, and they’re even more ready for the cozy baking season!
They come out perfect in looks, taste, and texture, and you can chill the cookie dough or skip it depending on how much time you’ve got.
Don’t be shocked if people think you picked these delicious pumpkin desserts up from a bakery, wink.
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Fall is made for baking cookies that smell as good as they taste. Have everyone rushing to the kitchen with fall cookie recipes like apple butter cookies and vanilla chai spiced sugar cookies!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- These easy pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies bake up soft and chewy with those classic crinkly tops you see at the bakery.
- The pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough holds up great if you make it ahead, and it even helps keep the pumpkin cookies from spreading too much!
- Pumpkin and warm spices make these pumpkin snickerdoodles smell and taste like everything you love about fall, perfect for easy holiday baking.
Ingredients
Melted butter – Melted butter is key for soft and chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles!
Brown sugar – For moist and tender fall cookies with caramel-like notes.
Granulated sugar – For sweetness. We’ll use two types of sugars for the best flavor and texture.
Canned pumpkin puree – Just like in most pumpkin recipes, make sure to blot the pumpkin puree to remove the excess moisture.
Egg – To bring the dough together.
All-purpose flour – Use a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method for accurate flour measurement! Too much flour can make the cookies cakey.
Cornstarch – Keeps the pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies from spreading too much. Cornstarch is also important for soft, thick cookies.
Cream of tartar – Gives these chewy pumpkin cookies their signature snickerdoodle tanginess.
Baking soda – Make sure it’s still fresh! Baking soda is what helps our soft pumpkin cookies puff up.
Pumpkin pie spice – Warm spices make the pumpkin flavor of these yummy cookies even better.
Ground cinnamon – A favorite in fall recipes, we’ll add extra cinnamon to the dough.
Salt and vanilla extract – To give these fall treats depth of flavor.
Sugar and cinnamon – Are they really snickerdoodles without cinnamon sugar?
Ingredient Substitutions
Gluten-Free Flour
You can make this pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie recipe gluten-free! Just use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Brown sugar
For chewy cookies with a deeper molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar!
Custom spices
Make your soft pumpkin snickerdoodles your own by adjusting the pumpkin spice blend! Add more or less cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, or cloves.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Blot Your Pumpkin Puree
For the best flavor and texture, make sure to remove the excess moisture from the pumpkin puree. This helps keep the cookies from turning cakey or spreading too much.
Delicious Add-Ins to Try
These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are also great with dried cranberries, pecans, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips!
Do Not Overbake
Overbaking leads to dry pumpkin snickerdoodles! You don’t need to wait for them to get crispy. Pull them out once the edges are set so they can firm up and finish cooking on the baking sheet.
Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Cookie Recipe FAQs
Can I make pumpkin snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?
No, I recommend not removing or replacing the cream of tartar as it’s what gives these snickerdoodles their classic tangy flavor and chewy texture.
Why are my pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies not cracking?
If you didn’t achieve that signature snickerdoodle cracked appearance in your cookies, check the freshness of your baking soda. Additionally, the dough should not get too warm, and the dough balls should be coated evenly in cinnamon sugar.
Why are my snickerdoodles going flat?
The pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies will end up flat if your baking soda and cream of tartar are no longer fresh, or if there isn’t enough flour. To avoid flat snickerdoodles, you can also chill the dough for 1 hour before baking.
Why didn’t my pumpkin cookies spread?
If your pumpkin snickerdoodles didn’t spread, you might’ve used too much flour, the baking soda might not be fresh, or the butter you used could still be in solid form.
Can this pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe be made ahead of time?
You can make the pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough up to 3 days in advance. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Once ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it’s easier to scoop and roll into balls.
More Delicious Fall Baking Recipes
I found this recipe for Pumpkin Cake that I HAVE to try!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 4 tbsp sugar for coating
- 1 tsp cinnamon for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the sugars and melted butter until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Portion and roll the dough into small balls.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft.
Notes
- For the best flavor and texture, make sure to remove the excess moisture from the pumpkin puree. This helps keep the cookies from turning cakey or spreading too much.
- These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are also great with dried cranberries, pecans, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips!
- Overbaking leads to dry pumpkin snickerdoodles! You don’t need to wait for them to get crispy. Pull them out once the edges are set so they can firm up and finish cooking on the baking sheet.
Nutrition
PIN FOR LATER!
