Home > Desserts > Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Pumpkin Snickerdoodles October 2, 2023 | 50 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles blend fall spices and canned pumpkin, resulting in buttery cookies with soft interiors, crisp edges, and a pumpkin-spiced sugar crust. On a pumpkin kick like us? Try our Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, Pumpkin Bread, or these Pumpkin Bars. The BEST Pumpkin Snickerdoodles As fall approaches, our cookie cravings take a seasonal turn. It’s time to swap out the classic Snickerdoodles for their autumn-inspired counterpart – Pumpkin Snickerdoodles! And after lots of rigorous testing, this Pumpkin Snickerdoodle recipe has proven to be the very best we’ve ever tasted! These delicious cookies combine the beloved flavors of the original with the warmth of pumpkin and fall spices. Soft in the center with a spiced exterior, they perfectly capture the comforting vibes of the season. Ingredients In Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and moisture. White Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and adds chewiness. Solid-pack Pumpkin: Imparts moisture and pumpkin flavor. Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor. Flour: Forms the cookie structure. Cream of Tartar: Adds a tangy flavor and controls cookie texture. Fine Sea Salt: Enhances flavor. Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise. Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ground Cloves, Allspice, Pumpkin Pie Spice: Contributes the warm fall flavors. How To Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Butter & Sugars: Whisk melted, cooled butter with sugars to prevent greasy, spread-out cookies. Pumpkin & Vanilla: Add dabbed pumpkin to avoid cakey texture. Dry Ingredients: Combine standard snickerdoodle components like flour, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, and spices. Adjust spices as desired. Combine: Mix wet and dry ingredients just until blended. Shape & Chill: Form tall cylindrical dough balls, roll in spiced sugar, and refrigerate. It’s easier to shape before chilling. No Eggs? Yes, that’s right! There are no eggs in this Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe. The pumpkin actually replaces the need for eggs in this recipe. Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Tips Pumpkin: Opt for a dense, non-watery pumpkin, such as Libby’s®, to ensure robust flavor. Flour Measurement: Weigh your flour to precisely get 390g for best results. Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar, with its higher molasses content, offers a deeper, richer flavor compared to light brown sugar, though both are suitable. Dough Shape: Shape dough into tall, thin shapes for cookies with chewy middles and crunchy edges. Chilling: Crucial for achieving the right texture and taste, especially since we utilize melted butter. Helps avoid cookies spreading too much. Read more about the importance of chilling your dough here. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles FAQs Why Are My Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Flat And Crispy? Pumpkin Snickerdoodles may turn out flat and crispy due to excess butter, inadequate flour, or not chilling enough before baking. Measure ingredients accurately and chill properly for the right texture. Why Is Cream Of Tartar Used In Snickerdoodles? Cream of tartar is used in Pumpkin Snickerdoodles to give them their classic tangy flavor and to promote a soft, chewy texture. Can You Freeze Pumpkin Snickerdoodles? Yes, freeze the uncooked dough as follows: Shape into balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and freeze on a sheet pan. Store the frozen dough balls in an airtight container or bag. To bake, place the frozen dough directly in the oven, extending the baking time until the edges are set and the center is soft. How To Store Baked Snickerdoodles? Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. VARIATIONS Fun Flavor Variations Add 1 cup of white chocolate chips for a creamy contrast. Consider 1 cup of dark chocolate chips for a richer taste. Stir in 1 cup of chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, for added crunch. Insert an unwrapped Rolo® chocolate-covered caramel into the center for a gooey surprise, similar to these Caramel Snickerdoodles. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes before baking for a sweet-salty combo. More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes Healthy Pumpkin Bread with chocolate chips Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins flourless and low sugar Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a streusel topping Frozen Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake no baking required! Pumpkin Coffee Cake with a simple sweet glaze FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles 4.89 from 18 votes - Review this recipe These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles blend fall spices and canned pumpkin, resulting in buttery cookies with soft interiors, crisp edges, and a pumpkin-spiced sugar crust. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Pumpkin Snickerdoodles 4.89 from 18 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles blend fall spices and canned pumpkin, resulting in buttery cookies with soft interiors, crisp edges, and a pumpkin-spiced sugar crust. Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 9 minutes minutes Chill the dough 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 24 minutes minutes Servings 22 cookies Chelsea Lords Calories 294kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.51 Ingredients▢ 16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter melted▢ 2/3 cup white sugar▢ 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed▢ 6 tablespoons solid-pack pumpkin (I recommend Libby's)▢ 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract▢ 2 and 3/4 cup all-purpose white flour (See Note 1)▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/4 teaspoon EACH: nutmeg, ground cloves▢ 1/2 teaspoon allspice▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spiceCinnamon Sugar Coating▢ 1/4 cup white sugar▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spiceUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsMELT BUTTER: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, then set it aside to cool to room temperature. Ensure the butter is not hot to prevent greasy cookies.WET INGREDIENTS: Once butter is cooled, add to a large bowl. Add in white and brown sugar; whisk until smooth. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla extract until combined. DRY INGREDIENTS:In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to combine. COMBINE: Combine dry ingredients with wet, mixing until just combined. Avoid over-mixing. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.Combine white sugar and pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon-sugar coating.FORM COOKIE BALLS: Portion the dough into 45-gram balls (~2 packed tablespoons) and shape them into tall balls. Roll the dough balls generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add the shaped dough balls to a plate and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. OVEN: As they near the end of chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.BAKE: Place dough balls on a lined sheet, spacing about 6 apart with ample spacing between each. Bake for 9-12 minutes, aiming for slight underbaking. After baking, if cookies have uneven edges, press them inwards with a metal spatula. Let them sit on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.COOL: Remove and let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.STORAGE: Enjoy cookies within 1-2 days; we like these even better day 2! Store extras in an airtight container at room temperature. See Note 2 for Freezing. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Flour: Using the correct amount of flour is crucial. Too much can result in dry cookies, while too little can cause spreading. Consider switching to 'metric' on this recipe card and using a kitchen food scale. We're aiming for 395 grams of flour for this recipe. Note 2: Freezing Dough: Shape dough into balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and freeze on a sheet pan. Transfer frozen dough balls to an airtight container or bag. Baking from Frozen: No need to thaw; bake frozen dough, adding extra minutes as needed. Bake until edges set and center is soft. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1038IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I want to thank you for always giving extra “tips”, this time explaining about the effects of melted butter, and the need for chilling the dough. If I understand the reasons for instructions, I will follow them so much better, and I will have the knowledge to apply to other recipes. Your experience is so valuable ! Looking forward to making these cookies, sound wonderful ! Reply
These cookies are amazing!!! Where I live, there is no Libby’s solid pumpkin available. So, I have to replace it. I’ve picked a squash about 1-kilo weight, cut it into 2-inch chunks and microwaved it on 800w for 10 min. Then scooped out 6tbl spoons for the recipe. My cookies weren’t as pretty as yours, but tasted delicious! Thank you, Chelsea! Reply
Ahh i’m SO glad you were able to make these work! And that you enjoyed them! I’m sure they looked amazing! Thanks Natali!! 🙂 Reply
I knew I would love these because I love your original snickerdoodles! Shaping the dough into tall balls is GENIUS! They bake up perfectly, with that extra soft middle which is to die for! I love the little extra spice in these–perfect for a fall cookie! And if you don’t know Chelsea personally, she really is as nice as she seems! We live in the same city, and when I told her I was making a bunch of her pumpkin recipes for a bridal shower, she offered to make the snickerdoodles for me! She brought me over 2 plates of fresh-baked cookies that truly looked and tasted as good as they do in her pictures! What a sweetheart, and an incredible cook! Reply
So I am OCD about following a recipe. The flour was spooned in, and well, they dont bake well. (And I made dough for 6, Yes, SIX batches. So even is off again took out of the fridge and need to warm up to add a little flour, just so it will cook. But for flavor. I gave it 4 stars, Reply
Not sure if you know but most canned pumpkin is not actually pumpkin at all but usually butternut squash. I wanted to make the tastiest pumpkin pies so bought multiple types of pie pumpkins and other squashes and got baking and tasting. HoneyNut squash is the hands down winner (it has to be ripe minimal green or else it is too watery). They are very easy to bake and small so you can bake a few at once. They have a rich orange color, dense yet smooth consistency and rich “pumpkin” nut flavor. Actual pumpkin is kind of yellow and bland not the traditional “pumpkin” color or flavor you think of. Long story short it made the most wonderful cookies so I highly recommend you give it a try sometime. Reply
I usually make my snickerdoodles with shortening rather than butter. Any reason why that wouldn’t work here? Reply
I don’t bake a whole ton with shortening so I really don’t know how these cookies would end up with it; sorry to not be of more help. Reply
I have never made such perfect cookies! The tip about making tall dough balls changed my culinary life. So soft and chewy. My coworkers inhaled them! Reply
Absolutely fantastic cookies! One note, if you use softened butter instead of mostly melted butter, there is no need to refrigerate dough before shaping and baking. Made these today using the softened butter, and they came out perfectly. Reply
Wow. These were my first Pumpkin snickerdoodles and they will be my only recipe. So good! And thank you for explaining tips for baking. It was so helpful. Reply
Just made these cookies and wish I would’ve doubled or tripled the recipe. So delicious. Thanks for sharing. Reply
I’m making these cookies right now and weighing out 1.7 oz makes a huger cookie ball – this is right? Reply
These are simply AMAZING. I made them for work – and my coworkers raved that they are the best cookies they have ever eaten – I had to give the recipe out so many times. One co-worker described them as “sinful” – and I had a student want the recipe too – to make for company. Snickerdoodles are my favorite – but this just elevates them to the BEST level!!!! Perfection! Reply
These were fantastic especially when chilled overnight! I cooked one tray after a couple hours of chilling but the ones I cooked the next day came out better. I replaced the flour with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour with great results. Even the non-GF peeps raved about them and have been asking for more! I also doubled the recipe 🙂 Thanks for the tip about rolling into cylinders, the engineer in me loved thinking about the science behind the chewy center… OH and giving the ounces per ball was clutch!! Thanks again! Reply
I made these for a work function, and they were a HUGE hit. They were the talk of the office. I used half a cup of homemade pumpkin puree, since I had it on-hand and they turned out PERFECT. They were so good that I might bring these to Thanksgiving. Thank you! Reply
What a fantastic recipe! I actually used half coconut oil and half butter and the results came out so tasty! Added heaping teaspoons of pumpkin spice because I love the fall spices!! Thank you for sharing an easy and delicious recipe!! Reply
For the sugar mixture that you roll the balls in…initially you call for sugar and pumpkin pie spice. But later in the recipe instructions you refer to it as the “cinnamon-sugar mixture”…so which is it?? Reply
Pumpkin pie spice and sugar 🙂 (Pumpkin pie spice is mainly cinnamon, so you get a pretty cinnamon-y flavor! :)) Reply
I’m an experienced baker and I am a very tough critic of all baked goods, let me tell you, these cookies, were out of this world amazing! I put a salted maple frosting on top and they were so hard to stop eating! Thanks for the awesome recipe! Reply
These were outstanding! Half the batch is staying original and the other half I made with a cream cheese filling to make cookie sandwiches. Reply
Sorry Allison, I really don’t know how that would go. Baking can be finicky sometimes so I don’t want to recommend something I haven’t tried. Reply
