These pumpkin snickerdoodles are the greatest fall cookie recipe - ever! Each pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie is super soft and full of real pumpkin. Yes, real pumpkin! Together pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice form a super power of deliciousness in the form of chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles!
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These pumpkin snickerdoodles are super easy to whip up in a stand mixer or hand mixer. Just mix the ingredients together, chill the dough in the refrigerator, roll in pumpkin spice sugar coating, and bake! Fresh out of the oven, these pumpkin snickerdoodles smell incredible, wafting pumpkin spice smells through the air.
My favorite thing about these pumpkin snickerdoodles are their large size. Big cookies mean big bites, which really enhance the soft and chewy cookie texture. Having real pumpkin puree in this recipe also helps keep these snickerdoodle cookies nice and moist, even a few days after baking!
Recipe Tips
Get 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree
- Make sure you get a can of pure pumpkin puree, not the canned pumpkin pie filling! Canned pumpkin pie filling has the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices, too. At the store, the pumpkin pie filling cans are usually right next to the pure pumpkin puree cans, so you have to make sure to read the labels before adding to your cart.
Chilling the Dough
- Refrigerating the dough before shaping into balls helps the dough better solidify and stick together. When you are ready to refrigerate the dough, make sure you spread the dough out as flat as you can on a plate so it can chill evenly through. Your dough should look more like a thick pancake than a mound!
- If you find the dough is still too sticky to roll into balls after refrigerating, pop the dough back into the refrigerator for 30-60 more minutes. Also, wipe your hands after shaping every 2nd or 3rd ball, having residual dough on your hands makes the dough stick to your hands more!
- Don't have a ton of time to wait for your snickerdoodle dough to chill? Put the cookie dough in the freezer and they'll chill in half the time!
DON'T HAVE PUMPKIN SPICE ON HAND?
Swap the pumpkin spice seasoning with cinnamon! Cinnamon in large amounts can be bitter, so if you are swapping cinnamon for the pumpkin spice, add a little less than the recipe calls for.
ARE THESE COOKIES HEALTHY?
While these snickerdoodles do have butter and sugar, I added just enough of each to still give great flavor and texture without going overboard. However, the health highlight of this recipe is with the real pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree is a great way to enjoy all the health benefits of pumpkin without having to wrangle, chop, and cook a real pumpkin.
One cup of pumpkin puree gives you 763% of your daily vitamin A needs, 49% of your daily Vitamin K needs, and 7g of fiber. The pumpkin puree in these pumpkin snickerdoodles give each each cookie 1g of fiber and 39% vitamin A. In your body, vitamin A plays an important role in supporting and protecting your immune system, eyesight, and red blood cells.
WHAT MAKES THESE COOKIES SOFT?
The soft and fluffy snickerdoodle texture comes from the moist pumpkin puree and the action of cream of tartar and baking soda. The acidic action of both cream of tartar and baking soda gives these snickerdoodles volume and a soft, chewy texture.
HOW LONG CAN I REFRIGERATE THE DOUGH BEFORE BAKING?
When properly sealed and stored, the pumpkin snickerdoodle dough can be refrigerated for up to three days.
CAN YOU FREEZE THE COOKIE DOUGH FOR LATER?
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough for up to three months. When you are ready to use your frozen pumpkin snickerdoodle dough, let thaw in the refrigerator before shaping into balls, rolling in the sugar and spice coating, and baking.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
First of all, I doubt you'll have any leftovers! But in the off chance that you do, seal any leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.
COCKTAIL PAIRING RECOMMENDATION
These pumpkin snickerdoodles are best paired with a milk or creamy cocktail, like a spiked eggnog or white Russian.
RECIPES YOU'D ALSO LIKE: Semi-Homemade Pumpkin Pie Trifle / Port Poached Pears / Breakfast Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake
Shop My Exact Recipe Ingredients
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Pumpkin Spice / Unbleached White Flour / Pumpkin Puree / Heavy Duty Foil
If you made these pumpkin snickerdoodles, let me know in the comments section below or tag me on Instagram @mymillennialkitchen. I would love to see your fresh baked cookies, comments, or recipe questions!
PrintPumpkin Snickerdoodles
Pumpkin snickerdoodles are a fall cookie favorite! These soft and chewy pumpkin spice cookies are so easy to make, you'll be whipping them up in no time!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 15 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups white all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup plain pumpkin puree (look for plain pumpkin puree, not the pumpkin pie filling)
For the snickerdoodle coating:
2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium/high speed for about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue mixing for 1 minute.
- Stop the mixer and add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin purée, then continue to mix on medium speed for 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Transfer the pumpkin cookie dough to a plate and loosely shape the dough so it's flat, about 1.5-2 inches thick all around. Cover and chill for one hour in the refrigerator (see note 1).
- While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350ºF and cover a baking sheet with tinfoil. Prepare the pumpkin snickerdoodle coating by mixing the pumpkin spice with the remaining sugar and transfer to a large plate.
- Roll the dough into golf ball sized pieces, then roll each dough ball into the pumpkin spice and sugar mixture until evenly coated on all sides. Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool on the baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
- Note 1: After mixing, the dough can be really sticky. Refrigerating the dough helps the dough solidify so it won't stick to your hands when shaping. If the cookie dough starts to stick to your hands when you are rolling and shaping the dough, rinse your hands between every 2-3 cookie rolls. Don't have an hour to chill your dough? Stick it in the freezer to chill in half the time.
- Right out of the oven, these pumpkin snickerdoodles will have an extra soft and airy texture but as they cool, these cookies will get more sturdy.
- When properly sealed and stored, the pumpkin snickerdoodle dough can be refrigerated for up to three days before baking.
- The pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to use your frozen pumpkin snickerdoodle dough, let thaw in the refrigerator before shaping into balls, rolling in the sugar and spice coating, and baking.
- Seal any leftover baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Pumpkin Snickerdoodle
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 104 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
Keywords: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Kendra S. says
I made these pumpkin spice cookies for the office and everyone loved them! Will make again soon.
★★★★★
Michele says
How lucky are your co-workers?! So nice of you to bring them these delicious treats! Thanks for stopping by, Kendra.