Pumpkin snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies with the flavors of cinnamon sugar and pumpkin. This snickerdoodle cookie recipe is a classic, and perfect for fall baking!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles vs Sugar Cookies
If you've never tasted them, traditional snickerdoodle cookies are a distant cousin, of sorts, to sugar cookies. They are both holiday classics, but they differ in ingredients, texture, and flavor.
Unlike sugar cookies, snickerdoodles have a chewy consistency and tangy flavor that comes from cream of tarter.
For this recipe, I turn the flavor up a notch with pumpkin puree and warm fall spices. The result? The best pumpkin snickerdoodles of all time!
This is of my favorite recipes that uses pumpkin puree, and I'm sure you're going to love it too.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Budget-friendly: Most of the baking ingredients are staples that many people keep on hand. Pumpkin puree isn't terribly expensive either, so making this recipe isn't going to break the bank.
- Fall vibes. When you need the perfect fall treat, this is the ultimate recipe!
- Freezer friendly dough. With the ability to freeze the snickerdoodle cookie dough for up to 3 months, you can enjoy a taste of autumn well into the winter months.
Add these sweet treats to a dessert table with other pumpkin desserts like pumpkin bars, Instant Pot pumpkin cheesecake, soft pumpkin cookies, and a coffee drink with pumpkin cream cold foam!
Ingredient Notes
- Baking soda - If you've had it in your pantry for more than 3 months, be sure to test your baking soda to be sure that it's still active.
- Cream of tartar - This ingredient is essential to making snickerdoodles. It stabilizes the ingredients and prevents the sugar from crystalizing.
- Pumpkin puree - This is 100% pureed pumpkin, which is not the same as pumpkin pie filling! Most often, you will find it in the baking aisle, but some stores display it with the canned vegetables.
- Pumpkin pie spice - This premade spice blend includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
- Cornstarch - Because there are no eggs in this recipe, cornstarch is used to create tenderness.
Ingredient Substitutions
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make gluten free pumpkin snickerdoodles, substitute the AP flour with any cup-for-cup brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two reliable brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
- pumpkin pie spice: If you would like to make your own, simply combine 1.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each of ground ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
- cornstarch: Good substitutes for cornstarch in cookie recipes like this one are tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, and rice flour.
- vanilla extract: If you need an alcohol-free alternative, you can use vanilla essence, or just skip the extract altogether.
How to Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugars together with a mixer until it's light and creamy.
- Incorporate the remaining ingredients, then chill the dough for an hour.
- Portion and roll dough in cinnamon sugar before baking.
Liz's Tips for the Best Cookies
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar on high speed, for 2 to 3 minutes. When it's properly creamed, the mixture should have a lighter color, and it should feel somewhat smooth between your fingers. If there's still a lot of graininess from the sugar, continue mixing for another minute.
- Measure the flour correctly. It's important to accurately measure the flour, with either a kitchen scale or the scoop and swipe method. This ensures you are using the proper amount. Using too much or too little flour will affect the texture and consistency of the baked cookies.
- Chilling the dough is necessary. Baking the dough when it's cold will prevent the pumpkin snickerdoodles from spreading too much. Short on time? Portion the cookie dough on the baking sheet, then put it in the freezer for 20 minutes rather than chilling it in the fridge for an hour.
- Flatten the dough balls slightly before baking. This helps to prevent the cookies from puffing up too much in the center.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This allows them to set up a bit, so they don't fall apart.
Storage
Keep the pumpkin snickerdoodles at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To keep them for up to 3 months, freeze them in a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezing Unbaked Cookie Dough
To freeze pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough, use a cookie scoop to portion balls of dough. Do not roll them in cinnamon sugar. Then, place on a parchment lined baking sheet, or use these cookie dough freezing trays.
When you are ready, let the balls thaw at room temperature, then roll in cinnamon sugar and bake them.
For other tips, check out my post on How to Freeze Cookie Dough.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Dry
- 1½ cups all purpose flour use the scoop and swipe method for measuring
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice see Notes for making your own
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch arrowroot flour, rice flour, or tapioca flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Wet
- ½ cup unsalted butter If you need to use salted butter, don't use the additional salt called for in this recipe.
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer), beat the butter and both sugars on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree to the bowl of butter and sugar. Beat on medium high for another 30-60 seconds to incorporate, scraping down the sides as needed.
- With the mixer speed set to low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Cover the bowl of dough and chill in your fridge for at least 1 hour to prevent the cookies from spreading too much. If you're short on time, freeze it for 20 minutes.
- When the dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Mix the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar together in a shallow bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop, measure out 2-tablespoon sized balls. Roll in the sugar mixture, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets 2-3 inches apart from each other.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning a light golden color.
- Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Storage: Baked cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 7 days, or in a freezer for up to 4 months. The unbaked dough may be frozen for up to 3 months.
Elizabeth Taylor
These were so easy to make and delicious!! I loved how subtle the pumpkin was, but still tasted so much like fall due to all the warm spices!
Erin
These are incredible! I made a double batch of the dough planning to freeze some to use during the holidays, but after tasting one from the first batch I knew I had to bake them all lol.
I am new to baking on silicone mats and found I had to flatten the cookie dough balls to achieve the normal shape of a snickerdoodle, but other than that which I'm sure is common knowledge to a seasoned silicone mat baker, this recipe is perfection and I will definitely be making these again!
Eva
These are amazing. The perfect blending of a snickerdoodle with pumpkin spice! They are sweet without being overly so, with a perfect crunchy outside and soft inside. I'm gluten free and made with 1-1 Bob's Red Mill GF flour and they turned out perfectly! Seriously my favorite fall dessert now:)
Erin
Oh this is so good to know! Thanks for sharing that. I didn't share any with my mom because she's gluten free, but now I know I can make my next batch that way so she can enjoy them too 🙂
Kelly
Love, love, love! So easy and my whole family adored these fall cookies that will now be a staple in my home! The best flavors!
Christine M.
This cookie recipe is definitely going into the fall baking rotation! These were quick and easy to throw together and they were delicious. Even my husband who doesn’t like much pumpkin stuff likes them!!