There’s a certain magic that happens when the first crisp autumn breeze blows in. For me, that magic smells a lot like cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin. It’s the season of cozy sweaters, warm drinks, and, of course, baking. And if there’s one recipe that truly captures the heart of fall, it’s these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies. This isn’t just a pumpkin cookie, and it’s more than a classic snickerdoodle—it’s the absolute best of both worlds, rolled into one perfectly soft, chewy, and spiced bite. Imagine the tangy, crinkly, cinnamon-sugar crust of your favorite snickerdoodle giving way to a pillowy, pumpkin-spiced center. It’s pure comfort, and I can’t wait to share with you how to bring this little piece of autumn heaven into your own kitchen.
Why This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe Is the Ultimate Autumn Treat
I’ve tested my fair share of fall cookie recipes, and this one consistently comes out on top. What makes it so special? It strikes the perfect balance. The pumpkin puree adds incredible moisture, creating a cookie that stays soft for days, while the cream of tartar provides that signature snickerdoodle tang and chew. The spice blend is warm and inviting without being overwhelming—it tastes like a hug. You’ll notice the aroma instantly as they bake, a mix of sweet cinnamon and earthy pumpkin spice that will fill your entire home. These cookies are a joy to make and even more of a joy to share, making them perfect for everything from a quiet afternoon treat to a festive holiday gathering.
Everything You’ll Need for Soft and Spiced Cookies
Before we dive in, let’s get all our ingredients in order. I always find that gathering everything on the counter first—a little mise en place—makes the whole baking process so much smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s what you’ll need.
For the Pumpkin Cookie Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch: This is my secret weapon for extra soft, tender cookies.
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar: The key ingredient for that classic snickerdoodle chewiness and slight tang.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt: Don’t skip it! It balances all the sweetness.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar: The molasses in brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper flavor.
- 12 tablespoons (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s properly softened to room temperature, not melted!
- 1 large egg yolk: Using just the yolk adds richness and chew without making the cookies too cakey.
- ½ cup pumpkin puree: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crafting Your Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Step by Step
Alright, now for the fun part! Let’s turn those ingredients into incredible cookies. I’ll walk you through every step of the process.
- Prepare Oven and Pans: First things first, get your oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). This ensures it’s nice and hot when your cookies are ready to bake. Go ahead and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This little step makes cleanup a breeze and prevents the cookies from sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all of those lovely spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice). Whisking them together now ensures they get evenly distributed throughout the dough, so every single cookie is perfectly spiced.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), it’s time to cream the butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes. You’re looking for it to become light in color and fluffy in texture. This step whips air into the dough, which is crucial for a great cookie. Next, beat in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until everything is just combined.
- Mix Dough: Now, we’ll bring it all together. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture. I like to do this in about three additions, mixing on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix here! Overmixing develops gluten and can lead to tough cookies, and we are aiming for soft and tender.
- Chill Dough: This step is so important! Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The dough will be quite soft and sticky at first, and chilling will make it firm and much easier to handle.
- Prepare Coating: While the dough is chilling, you can prepare the irresistible coating. In a small, shallow bowl, just stir together the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Easy!
- Form Cookies: Once the dough is chilled and firm, scoop it into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each. I use a cookie scoop for this to keep them all uniform. Roll each ball between your palms until it’s smooth, then drop it into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll it around until it’s generously coated on all sides. Place the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between them to allow for a little spreading.
- Bake: Pop the baking sheets into your preheated oven and bake for 10-13 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set and the tops are puffy and have those beautiful signature snickerdoodle cracks. They might look slightly underdone in the very center, but that’s perfect—it means they’ll be wonderfully soft and chewy once they cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This allows them to set up a bit so they don’t fall apart when you move them. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Or, you know, enjoy one while it’s still warm and gooey. I won’t tell!
Secrets to Achieving the Perfect Chewy Texture
The difference between a good pumpkin snickerdoodle and a great one often comes down to texture. We want soft and chewy, not dry and cakey. After making these countless times, I’ve learned a few things that guarantee that perfect, crave-worthy chew.
Why Chilling the Dough Is a Non-Negotiable Step
I know, I know—waiting is the hardest part of baking! But please, trust me on this: do not skip chilling the dough. Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture, which can make cookie dough very soft and prone to spreading into thin, sad pancakes in the oven. Chilling does two critical things. First, it solidifies the fat (the butter) in the dough. Cold fat takes longer to melt in the oven, meaning the cookies spread more slowly and develop a thicker, chewier texture. Second, it allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld together, resulting in a more delicious and complex cookie. A mere 30 minutes in the fridge makes a world of difference.
Creative Twists and Flavor Variations
While this recipe is fantastic as is, it’s also a wonderful canvas for a little creativity. Here are a few of my favorite ways to mix things up:
- White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: Fold in about 1 cup of white chocolate chips into the dough before chilling. The creamy sweetness is a perfect complement to the warm spices.
- Maple Glaze: Once the cookies are completely cool, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup and a splash of milk. Drizzle this glorious glaze over the top.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: For an even more decadent treat, sandwich two cookies together with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It’s like a pumpkin whoopie pie!
- Add Toasted Pecans: For a bit of crunch, fold ½ cup of chopped, toasted pecans into the dough. The nutty flavor is a natural fit with pumpkin and cinnamon.
How to Keep Your Cookies Fresh and Delicious
One of the best things about these cookies is that they stay remarkably soft for days, thanks to the pumpkin puree. To store them, wait until they are completely cool, then place them in an airtight container at room temperature. They should stay fresh and delicious for up to 4-5 days.
If you want to keep them extra soft, you can try the old baker’s trick: place a slice of plain bread in the container with the cookies. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, helping them stay chewy.
For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully. You can freeze the fully baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze the unbaked, cinnamon-sugar-coated dough balls. Just place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen; just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Your Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Questions, Answered
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices?
Absolutely! It’s a great shortcut. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for every 1 teaspoon of cinnamon called for in a recipe, then adjust. For this recipe, I’d recommend using a total of 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice in the dough. You’ll still need the extra cinnamon for the coating.
My cookies spread too much and came out flat. What went wrong?
This is a common issue, and it almost always comes down to one of two things. First, your butter may have been too soft or even melted. It should be at room temperature but still hold its shape. Second, and most likely, the dough wasn’t chilled for long enough. Chilling is essential to prevent the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven.
Can I make this cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can! You can prepare the dough, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before you plan to bake. When you’re ready, just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften just enough to scoop, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar and bake as directed.
What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
This is a really important distinction! Make sure you grab a can of 100% pure pumpkin puree. It contains only cooked, pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced for making a pie. Using it in this recipe would make the cookies overly sweet and the spice balance would be off. Always check the label!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all spices (1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice).
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, ¾ cup of granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Prepare Coating: In a small, shallow bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Form Cookies: Scoop the chilled dough into 1.5-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
- Bake: Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are slightly cracked.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
