These chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles are a delightful fall twist on the classic snickerdoodle cookie. Made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, they’re soft, chewy, and flavorful enough to bake year-round.
I’m excited to share this pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe. I love pumpkin cookies, but many are soft and cakey when what I often want is a chewy snickerdoodle with clear pumpkin flavor. My aim was to keep the classic chewy snickerdoodle texture while adding real pumpkin taste, and these cookies deliver on both counts.
WHAT ARE SNICKERDOODLES?
When I think of childhood cookies I remember chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles. What sets snickerdoodles apart from ordinary sugar cookies is a few key traits:
- A crackled exterior
- A slight tang in flavor
- A cinnamon-sugar coating
The cinnamon-sugar coating complements the tangy dough and helps form the signature crackled top. The ingredient that truly defines a snickerdoodle is cream of tartar. It prevents sugar crystallization, helps keep cookies soft and chewy, and contributes that subtle tang. While you can use vinegar or lemon juice for acidity, they won’t replicate cream of tartar’s effect on texture.
My chewy pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe
I adapted a classic snickerdoodle to highlight pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice while maintaining the chewy texture and crackled tops. These cookies are tender, chewy, warmly spiced, and tangy in the way snickerdoodles should be. The dough yields cookies that actually taste like pumpkin—not just spice—thanks to a generous addition of pumpkin puree.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES
If you’ve baked classic snickerdoodles, this process will feel familiar.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the cookie dough:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the spiced sugar coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Helpful tips
- Measure flour properly—scooping and leveling can add too much flour and dry the dough.
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Softened butter gives the best texture; if it’s not softened, use gentle methods to soften it without melting.
- If your brown sugar is hard, soften it before using for easier creaming.
- Understand the creaming method: beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy for best results.
Making the dough
I prefer a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but a hand mixer works fine. Cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla and mix until combined.
Whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. The dough will be soft—cover and chill for 12–24 hours to firm it up and develop better flavor.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the spiced sugar together in a shallow bowl. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.25–1.5 tablespoons) to portion the dough, then roll each ball in the spiced sugar until fully coated. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake 12–13 minutes until the cookies are puffed and just barely golden. They’ll deflate slightly and develop characteristic crackles as they cool. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
FAQS
I don’t have cream of tartar. Is there a replacement?
Cream of tartar is important for snickerdoodles’ texture and tang. Lemon juice or vinegar can supply acidity, but they won’t give the same soft, chewy texture. Cream of tartar is inexpensive and worth using for authentic snickerdoodles.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes. Homemade pumpkin puree works well, though it may be less vibrant in color than canned pumpkin (which often contains a mix of squash). The cookies will still taste great.
Do I need to chill the dough for 12 hours?
You only need to chill until the dough is firm enough to scoop and roll. Resting the dough for at least 12 hours, however, improves both flavor and texture.
What makes the cookies crack on top?
Cracking happens when the cookie exterior sets before the interior fully expands. Chilling the dough and rolling the balls in spiced sugar help create that crackled appearance as the cookies bake and then settle.
Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
Yes. Roll the dough into coated balls and freeze for later baking, or freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to a month.
How do I get perfectly round cookies?
Use a cookie scoop to portion dough for uniform rounds. If a finished cookie isn’t perfectly round, gently spinning a glass or mug over it while still warm can help even the shape.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Cookie scoop
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the spiced sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Mix in egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until combined.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Cover and chill 12–24 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Mix the spiced sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Scoop dough (about 1.25–1.5 tablespoons) into balls and roll each in the spiced sugar to coat.
- Place balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake 12–13 minutes until barely golden and puffed. They will deflate and develop crinkles as they cool.
- Let cool on the baking sheet 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Cookies can be baked before the full 12-hour chill, but resting the dough improves flavor and texture. Use pure pumpkin puree, measure flour correctly, and be sure to use cream of tartar for authentic snickerdoodle texture.
Nutrition (per cookie)
Calories: 141 kcal; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 5 g; Sugar: 14 g. Nutrition is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.