Our Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are the ultimate fall cookie. They're soft and chewy and filled with the warm flavors of pumpkin and spice. Whether you bake a batch for a fall gathering or enjoy one with your coffee, these cookies are amazing.
Jump to:
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
It's finally fall, so it's time to add pumpkin to everything! I can't wait to make pumpkin chowder, pumpkin cheesecake, and, of course, more cookies.
My husband loves soft, chewy cookies; his favorite is the classic Snickerdoodle. So, I added some pumpkin to make the perfect fall treat.
These chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles have a soft, chewy texture, warm spices, and a hint of pumpkin flavor. A cinnamon sugar coating gives them a sweet taste, and each bite has a slight crunch.
Plus, your kitchen will smell warm and cozy as they bake!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fall Vibes: Pumpkin and cinnamon make a fabulous pair. These cookies are a delightful dessert filled with rich autumn flavors.
- No Need to Chill the Dough: As soon as you prepare the batter, you can roll it in the spiced sugar and then bake it.
- Soft and Chewy Texture: Adding pumpkin puree to classic snickerdoodles makes soft and chewy cookies. They have a fluffy texture that melts in your mouth.
- Great for Any Time: These treats are perfect for dessert, an afternoon snack, or a sweet addition to a fall-themed dessert charcuterie board.
Main Ingredients
You need simple ingredients from your pantry plus a can of pumpkin to make this pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie recipe.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter in our recipes to control the amount of salt.
- Sugar: A mix of white sugar and brown sugar sweetens the dough.
- Large Egg: Binds the ingredients together.
- Pumpkin Purée: Buy a can of pure pumpkin from the store. Pumpkin pie mix has added sugars and spices that can affect your dough. I prefer Libby's canned pumpkin.
- All Purpose Flour: Holds and gives structure to cookies. Too little flour and they will not hold a shape, and too much flour makes cookies puffy and dry.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice gives baked goods a delicious fall taste.
- Cream of Tartar: This gives snickerdoodles a distinctive flavor and soft, chewy texture. It prevents the sugars from crystallizing and keeps the cookies soft rather than crunchy.
- Baking Soda: It helps the cookies rise during baking and creates a chewier texture.
- Cinnamon Sugar: You can buy this in grocery stores or make our cinnamon sugar ratio.
BruCrew Tip: Make pumpkin cheesecake bites and a pumpkin cream cold brew with leftover puree.
How To Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
This seasonal snickerdoodle cookie recipe is easy to make with a mixing bowl and an electric mixer. Mix, scoop, and bake the perfect fall cookie in minutes.
- Beat the softened butter and sugars in a large bowl until creamy. Add the blotted pumpkin and egg, and then mix again.
- Stir together the flour, pumpkin spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to make 20 dough balls. Roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place ten cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches around each one. Bake until the edges are set, and the tops are slightly firm. Remove and cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
Storage Recommendations
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To keep them for longer, freeze them for up to 3 months. Just let them completely cool before freezing to maintain that perfect texture.
Tips and Tricks
- Use real pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has added sugar and spices that can mess with the cookie's texture and flavor.
- Blot the puree with paper towels. Removing the excess moisture can prevent puffy baked goods.
- Measure your ingredients carefully. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour first. Then, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. This will help you avoid dry treats.
- Watch your cookies as they bake. They're done when the edges are set, and the centers are slightly underdone. They'll firm up more as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar twice. This gives them a little more flavor and crunch.
FAQs
Pumpkin puree is very moist, making baked goods cakey. Blot the puree with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Also, avoid adding too much flour, which can cause a cakey pumpkin cookie.
Yes, you can! Roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they're solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Feel free to add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even dried cranberries to the dough for extra flavor and texture. Just fold them in gently before forming the dough into balls.
You can use two teaspoons of cinnamon and one teaspoon of nutmeg instead of the pumpkin pie spice.
More Pumpkin Cookies
- Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.
Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon + ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Spoon the pumpkin puree onto a paper towel-lined plate and spread it out evenly. Wait 2 minutes, then place another paper towel on top and flip it over. Repeat 4-5 times until the excess moisture has been removed. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the blotted pumpkin and egg and mix until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, one tablespoon of pumpkin spice, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture, careful not to overmix.
- Combine the cinnamon sugar and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice for the topping in a small bowl.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough into 20 balls. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture twice.
- Place ten coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake 11-12 minutes until the edges are set, and the cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove the pan from the oven, drop it on the counter, and let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 5 minutes.
- Gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack or sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 170Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 175mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Susie Culwell
Can you replace 3 cups of chopped apples with applesauce?
If so how much applesauce per cup?
Thanks 🙂
Jocelyn
Honestly, that is really going to depend on the recipe that you are making. If you let me know what it is you are trying to make, I can tell if that would be a good sub or not.