Pumpkin Snickerdoodles combine the delicious tang and chewy texture of a classic snickerdoodle cookie with the warm spices of pumpkin pie. This easy recipe is egg-free, includes real pumpkin puree, and creates the most amazing pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.
If it’s fall outside, it’s finally time for baking pumpkin cookies!
I wait all year for the cooler weather, the cozy nights, and the familiar warm flavors of autumn. These tasty pumpkin snickerdoodles, infused with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, are just perfect.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are my new favorite of all the pumpkin cookie recipes, but honestly, I love them all!
If you’re looking for a more traditional pumpkin cookie recipe, check out this one for Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting. You might also enjoy Pumpkin cookies made with pudding mix.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- A Pumpkin spiced Spin on a Classic – Snickerdoodles are a favorite around Christmastime, but this version, with real pumpkin and pumpkin spice, is perfect for fall snacks and gifting.
- Make them with Kids – Even the littlest helpers can assist you with this recipe! Kids love rolling the dough in the cinnamon sugar.
- Egg-Free Pumpkin Cookie Recipe – Pumpkin puree adds moisture to these cookies, so no eggs are needed!
- Chewy, crisp texture – Typical pumpkin cookies are often fluffy and cakey, which is delicious, but not always what you want. Pumpkin snickerdoodles have a much different texture; still dense, but chewy and airy with a slight crisp on the edges.
- Step-by-Step Instructions – This recipe is fun and easy! Read through the instructions, ingredients, and tips before you get started so that you’re ready to go.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- Butter – Make sure that you let your butter soften to room temperature before starting.
- Sugar – Two types of sugar are needed for this recipe. Granulated sugar is in the dough and on the outside of the cookies. Brown sugar is also in the cookie dough, and it adds a warm, rich flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
- Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt – The dry ingredients in this cookie recipe are similar to most other recipes, but we’ll add a few extras to make it even better.
- Cream of Tartar – This acidic ingredient gives snickerdoodles their tangy flavor.
- Corn Starch – Corn starch in cookie recipes changes the texture a bit to make them chewy and soft.
- Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice – while pumpkin pie spice does have cinnamon in it, I like to add extra cinnamon to this recipe, because that’s the spice that makes snickerdoodles so delicious.
How To Make The Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, corn starch, and salt) together. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy and well mixed. This should take 2-3 minutes. Remember to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the Rest of the Wet Ingredients: Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree to the butter mixture. Beat for another minute until well mixed.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined into cookie dough. Cover the bowl and chill in your fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- Get Ready to Bake: When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll: Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Then, with a cookie scoop, portion the chilled cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll them with your hands to smooth, and then roll each ball through the cinnamon sugar mixture before placing them on the cookie sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the pumpkin snickerdoodles in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning a light golden color. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tips
- Substitutions: You can substitute vegan butter for the butter in this recipe. We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but I expect that it will work well with your favorite all-purpose gluten-free baking flour blend.
- Make sure to use fresh baking soda and cream of tartar. If either of these ingredients is old and ineffective, your snickerdoodles will not have the right texture.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating: feel free to add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the mixture for an extra warm, spicy flavor. If you’d like to make your own pumpkin spice blend, grab my easy recipe!
- Chilling is Important: Snickerdoodles will spread too much if the dough isn’t cold when you put it in the oven.
- For even chewier pumpkin snickerdoodles, consider removing some of the water from your pumpkin puree. Just blot it between paper towels before adding it in. If you’re using homemade pumpkin puree, you should definitely do this, since it normally contains more moisture than the canned version does.
- Don’t overbake: Overbaked pumpkin snickerdoodles will be dry. Pull your cookies out of the oven just as they start to get brown. They will continue to cook a bit as they cool.
- To Store: Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Store Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Keep your cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
FAQs
Dry snickerdoodle cookies are generally a result of overbaking. Keep an eye on your cookies in the oven, and pull them out as soon as they start to brown.
Snickerdoodles aren’t snickerdoodles without cream of tartar. It adds a very specific flavor that you won’t get without it.
With the cookie dough portioned into 2-tablespoon-sized balls, you will get larger cookies. If you’d prefer to make them smaller, go right ahead! The baking time should stay the same.
Other Fall Desserts You Should Try
These Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cookies are different from the typical pumpkin cookie recipes, and just as delicious! Save this recipe for the next time you’re craving a pumpkin-spiced treat.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Large cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick/113g) butter softened
- ½ cup (115g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (53g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80g) pumpkin puree
For the Topping:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, corn starch, and salt) together. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy and well mixed. This should take 2-3 minutes. Remember to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree to the butter mixter. Beat for another minute until well mixed.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined into cookie dough. Cover the bowl and chill in your fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
- Then, with a cookie scoop, portion the chilled cookie dough into 2-tablespoon sized balls. Roll them with your hands to smooth, and then roll each ball through the cinnamon sugar mixture before placing them on the cookie sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning a light golden color. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Substitutions: You can substitute vegan butter for the butter in this recipe. We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but I expect that it will work well with your favorite all-purpose gluten-free baking flour blend.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating: feel free to add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the mixture for an extra warm, spicy flavor.
- Chilling is Important: Snickerdoodles will spread too much if the dough isn’t cold when you put it in the oven.
- For even chewier pumpkin snickerdoodles, consider removing some of the water from your pumpkin puree. Just blot it between paper towels before adding it in. If you’re using homemade pumpkin puree, you should definitely do this, since it normally contains more moisture than the canned version does.
- Don’t overbake: Overbaked pumpkin snickerdoodles will be dry. Pull your cookies out of the oven just as they start to get brown. They will continue to cook a bit as they cool.
- To Store: Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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