This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe brings cozy fall vibes in every bite with soft centers, crisp edges, and a pumpkin-spiced sugar crust.
On a pumpkin kick? Try Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, Pumpkin Bread, or Pumpkin Bars next.
author’s note
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles That Vanish Off the Plate in Minutes!
I love snickerdoodles. I’ve shared the classics, caramel snickerdoodles, and even snickerdoodle blondies. But as soon as the first crisp morning rolled in this fall, I couldn’t stop thinking about making a pumpkin version.
I tested and tweaked this recipe more times than I’d like to admit, softening the pumpkin flavor without making the cookies cakey, balancing the warm spices, and getting that perfect sugar crust. When I finally nailed it, I couldn’t stop eating them (and neither could my kids). These have quickly climbed the list of my all-time favorite fall cookies, and I think they’ll win you over too.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Swaps/Tips |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin Puree | Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Dab pumpkin with paper towels to remove extra moisture. |
| Unsalted Butter | Salted butter works, just reduce added salt. Higher quality butter gives richer flavor. |
| Sugar (White & Brown) | Use light brown for mild flavor or dark brown for deeper molasses notes. |
| Cream of Tartar | No real substitute if you want authentic snickerdoodle texture. |
| Pumpkin Pie Spice + Cinnamon | Adjust spices to taste, or make your own mix with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. |
How To Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
- Wet Ingredients: Melt and cool butter, then whisk with both sugars until smooth. Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Chill: Scoop dough into tall balls, roll in cinnamon-pumpkin sugar, and chill until firm.
- Bake: Bake until edges are set and tops look slightly crackly. Cool on wire racks.
Featured Comment
“They really are THE BEST. I’ve made them 6 times this holiday season.”
– Al
No Eggs?
Yes, that’s right! This Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipe contains no eggs. The pumpkin replaces the need for eggs.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Tips
- Pumpkin: Use a dense, non-watery pumpkin like Libby’s® for a better pumpkin flavor.
- Flour: Weigh your flour to get 390 grams for perfect pumpkin cookies every time.
- Dough Shape: Shape dough into tall, thin balls for chewy middles and crunchy edges.
- Chilling: So important for the right texture and to prevent spreading, especially with melted butter.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes:
Desserts
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Desserts
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Desserts
Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies
Breakfast
Pumpkin Scones Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10") lined
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 6 tablespoons pumpkin
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-3/4 cups flour see note 1
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- 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.
- Once butter is cooled, add to a large bowl. Add in both sugars; whisk until smooth. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to combine.
- Combine dry ingredients with wet, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Portion the dough into 45-gram, or roughly 2-tablespoon, balls. Combine granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice for the spiced sugar coating. Roll the dough balls generously in the spiced sugar mixture. Add the shaped and rolled dough balls to a plate and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- While the dough chills, preheat oven to 350°F. Place 6 dough balls on a lined sheet with ample space between each. Bake for 9–12 minutes, aiming for slight underbaking. Let them sit on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- Remove and let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe FAQs
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles might turn out flat and crispy if there’s too much butter, not enough flour, or if the dough isn’t chilled enough. Measure ingredients carefully and chill the dough well for the best results.
Cream of tartar gives Pumpkin Snickerdoodles their classic tangy flavor and helps them stay soft and chewy.
Yes, freeze the uncooked dough by shaping it into balls, rolling them in cinnamon sugar, and freezing them on a sheet pan. Then, store the frozen dough balls in an airtight container or bag.
Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
Variations
- Stir in white chocolate chips for creamy sweetness.
- Mix in dark chocolate chips for rich contrast.
- Add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) for crunch.
- Press a Rolo® in the center for gooey caramel-filled cpumpkin snickerdoodle cookie recipe.
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes before baking for a sweet-salty combo.
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??
Pumpkin pie spice and sugar 🙂 (Pumpkin pie spice is mainly cinnamon, so you get a pretty cinnamon-y flavor! :))
no scale..what does 1.7 oz equal in tsp/tbs..chilling fridge now..Help…
About 2 and 1/2 tablespoons
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!!
So happy to hear these were a hit! Thanks for the comment 🙂
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!
Yay!! So happy these were a hit 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment and review Faith!
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!
Yay! So happy these were a hit! And thanks for sharing your gluten free modifications 🙂
Delicious! Other than the cloves, followed the exact recipe. Even my picky kid loved them!
So happy to hear it! Thanks Natalie! 🙂
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!
Yay!! So happy to hear it! Thanks so much for the comment and review Julie 🙂
I’m making these cookies right now and weighing out 1.7 oz makes a huger cookie ball – this is right?
Just made these cookies and wish I would’ve doubled or tripled the recipe. So delicious. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed!! Thanks for the comment Cheryl!
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.
Ahh I am sooo happy you enjoyed these! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂