Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe (Best Chewy Cookies)
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles is the ultimate fall cookie recipe. Soft baked pumpkin flavored snickerdoodle cookies. Snickerdoodles are cinnamon and sugar-flavored cookies, and this recipe adds in your favorite fall pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree are used to create a real pumpkin flavor.
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Pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are homemade cookie that is really great for bake sales, holiday parties, gifting neighbors, and more. Also, try out my easy pumpkin spice hot chocolate bombs for a refreshing drink to sip on with your cookies.
If you are like me and love a good pumpkin recipe, I have a few more for you to try out. Pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars, pumpkin whoopie pies, or pumpkin chiffon pie.
Table of Contents
What Are Snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are a beloved classic in the world of cookies, appreciated for their simple yet irresistible charm. Originally of German descent, the name “Snickerdoodle” roughly translates to “snail noodles”, a playful nod to their unique shape when baked.
The cookies are characterized by their light, buttery flavor, distinctive tang coming from cream of tartar, and a satisfying crunch followed by a soft interior. What truly sets Snickerdoodles apart, however, is their signature coating of cinnamon and sugar, giving them a delightful sweetness and warm, comforting aroma.
In this Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe, we’ve added a festive twist with a dash of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice, making these cookies an autumn season favorite.
Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Homemade Cookies: There’s something undeniably comforting about homemade cookies, freshly baked from the oven.
- Soft and Chewy Cookie: Our Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are irresistibly soft and chewy, leaving you reaching for more.
- Fall Flavors: Infused with the quintessential flavors of fall – pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these cookies are a seasonal delight.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, these cookies are a breeze to whip up in your kitchen.
- Best Cookies for Fall Entertaining: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles make the perfect treat for your fall gatherings, be it Halloween or Thanksgiving.
- Freezer Friendly: Make a big batch and freeze the extras. These cookies reheat beautifully, ensuring you have a delicious treat on hand anytime.
Ingredients For Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Butter – The recipe calls for butter, which adds a rich, creamy texture. If you’re using salted butter, there’s no need to include additional salt in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar – A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar is used in snickerdoodles, contributing to the unique taste profile this cookie possesses.
- Pumpkin Puree – The incorporation of canned pumpkin is integral to achieving the distinct pumpkin flavor that defines these cookies.
- Vanilla Extract – A touch of vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor complexity.
- All Purpose Flour – The correct method for measuring the all-purpose flour is to scoop it into the cup and level off the excess with a knife.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – It’s the pumpkin pie spice that infuses these soft cookies with that unmistakable fall flavor we all crave.
- Cream of Tartar – This often-overlooked ingredient is what gives Snickerdoodle cookies their characteristic pillowy appearance.
- Baking Soda – An essential leavening agent, baking soda helps the cookies rise and achieve their desirable texture.
- Salt – Just a pinch of salt can balance out the sweet flavors and enhance the overall taste of the cookies. If you’re using salted butter, however, you can omit this ingredient.
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegan Friendly: To make these cookies vegan, replace the butter with a non-dairy butter alternative and use a vegan egg substitute. You could opt for flax eggs or applesauce as an alternative.
- Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend for a gluten-free version of Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. Ensure the blend has xanthan gum, which aids in binding and structure.
- Spice Blend: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can create your own blend using cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Sugar-Free: Substitute the brown and granulated sugar with your preferred sugar substitute. Do note that this might alter the texture and taste of the cookies.
- Add-ins: Feel free to add a handful of your favorite mix-ins to the cookie dough. Chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries would all be delicious additions.
How To Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Step One: Start by using your mixer and cream together a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar, along with the butter. (Photos 1 & 2)
Step Two: Next, add in the pumpkin and vanilla and mix well to combine. (Photos 3 & 4)
Step Three: In a small bowl, add all your dry ingredients together. (Photos 5 & 6)
Step Four: Slowly mix in the flour to the wet. Make sure to scrape the sides. (Photos 7 & 8)
Step Five: Let the dough chill as directed. Then, when ready to bake, preheat the oven.
Step Six: Roll cookies in the pumpkin spice coating and bake as directed. (Photos 9 & 10)
Expert Tips
- Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure the dough is fully incorporated.
- You need to chill the dough, or the baked cookies will fall flat and won’t have a chewy texture.
- Instead of the classic cinnamon sugar mixture, you use pumpkin spice seasoning to give this an actual pumpkin flavor.
- Store cookies in a Ziplock bag in the freezer; it works great and saves room.
- Don’t overmix the cookies or it can make the cookies become dense and not light.
- Use a cookie scoop so you have perfect cookies each and every time that bake up evenly.
Storing Tips
-
You can store these perfect fall cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They will store for 3-4 days and then begin to dry out a bit. We love to keep these fluffy cookie treats on hand.
For freezing, you can freeze any of the cookies you don’t plan to eat right away. Just allow cookies to cool fully. Place in a freezer container or bag. Freeze the soft pumpkin cookies for 4-5 months. Then thaw on the counter at room temperature and eat when you are ready.
One of my favorite pumpkin desserts that you can eat all year round. The chewy center, warm pumpkin spice flavors just win over a crowd every single time.
What To Serve With Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, with their warm, spiced flavor, pair wonderfully with a variety of beverages and complement various desserts. For a comforting beverage pairing, serve these cookies alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea or a glass of cold milk.
If you’re hosting a fall-themed gathering, offering a rich, hot cup of spiced apple cider or a pumpkin-spiced latte would accentuate the flavors of the cookies. For dessert pairings, the cookies work well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a slice of apple pie, or even a pumpkin spice cheesecake.
Recipe FAQs
For this cookie recipe, I find regular or light work best. But if you only have dark, it can be used; it will just give this snickerdoodle recipe a bit more caramel flavor.
Yes, these are similar to other Snickerdoodle recipes. It is just that you have warm spice flavors that offer fall flavors. It is the best fall cookie to whip up if you are a fan of warm spices.
Yes, the dough for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles can be made in advance and frozen. Make sure to seal it tightly in a plastic wrap and then place it in a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding with the recipe.
While the cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their traditional tangy taste and chewy texture, you can substitute it with baking powder if unavailable. For this recipe, replace both the cream of tartar and the baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
The pumpkin puree provides moisture and a subtle pumpkin flavor to these snickerdoodles, making them a perfect fall treat. If you don’t have it or don’t prefer its flavor, you can leave it out, but this will slightly alter the texture and taste of the cookies.
Need More Fall Recipes? Try These:
- Fall Chex Mix
- Apple Shine Sangria
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Chocolate Coffee Mocha Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Frosting
- Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Portobello-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Mulled Apple Cider
- Also, try all my favorite dessert recipes.
Or any other delicious recipes on my site? If so, please leave a ★★★★★ star rating below and a 📝 comment sharing your thoughts!
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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop (1 TBSP #60)
Ingredients
- ½ Cup (113 ½ g) Butter – softened
- ½ Cup (110 g) Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup (50 g) White Sugar
- ⅓ Cup (81 ⅔ g) Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 ½ Cup (187 ½ g) Flour
- 1 ½ tsp Pumpkin Spice
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
For Rolling Cookies
- ¼ Cup (50 g) Sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer cream together butter, ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup white sugar until well mixed.½ Cup Butter – softened,½ Cup Brown Sugar,¼ Cup White Sugar
- Add in pumpkin and vanilla, continue mixing until well blended.1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree,1 tsp Vanilla
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, 1 ½ tsp pumpkin spice, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.1 ½ Cup Flour,1 ½ tsp Pumpkin Spice,1 tsp Cream of Tartar,½ tsp Baking Soda,¼ tsp Salt
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture gradually, mixing between each addition until all the flour has been incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to bake
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir together the ¼ cup sugar and 2 tsp pumpkin spice in a small bowl or shallow dish¼ Cup Sugar,2 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning
- Scoop dough out 1 tbsp at a time and roll into a ball. Place ball in the sugar and pumpkin spice mixture and roll around to cover. Place on your prepared baking sheet.
- Continue rolling the dough into balls and coating with the sugar mixture, placing them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the top begins to crack.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then move to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure the dough is fully incorporated.
- You need to chill the dough, or the baked cookies will fall flat and won’t have a chewy texture.
- Instead of the classic cinnamon sugar mixture, you use pumpkin spice seasoning to give this an actual pumpkin flavor.
- Store cookies in a Ziplock bag in the freezer, it works great and saves room.
- Don’t overmix the cookies or it can make the cookies become dense and not light.
- Use a cookie scoop so you have perfect cookies each and every time that bake up evenly.
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