Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

By Spruce Eats Staff
Updated on 10/18/21
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 14 mins
Chill: 45 mins
Total: 74 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 16 cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
155 Calories
6g Fat
23g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 155
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Sodium 80mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 43mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

When fall arrives and the leaves begin to change colors, spiced flavors reign supreme. Celebrate the season with these easy pumpkin snickerdoodles—they're a classic, chewy snickerdoodle cookie with the addition of pumpkin spice.

The dough is quick and easy to mix up, just allow some time for chilling to ensure tender cookies. For lots of flavor and a soft texture, the recipe incorporates real pumpkin purée as well as pumpkin spice. Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of warm spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg—it's easy to mix up if you don't have any on hand.

Bake up a batch for your next fall or winter gathering. The cookies have a classic crackle-topped spice and sugar surface that gives way to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior for a memorable treat that everyone will love.

"Looking for a recipe to bring in the fall season? Look no further—this is it. The pumpkin and spices really elevate the standard snickerdoodle into a fall delight. The addition of the pumpkin puree also kept these cookies soft after baking which was an added bonus!" —Tracy Wilk

Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup pumpkin purée

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Rolling:

  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until well-combined.

    butter, sugar, and brown sugar beat together with a hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Add the pumpkin purée and stir until combined.

    pumpkin puree mixed with butter mixture

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir together.

    egg yolk added to pumpkin mixture

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until well-combined.

    purpose flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed until ingredients are well-combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are well incorporated.

    pumpkin spicce snickerdoodle cookie dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Cover the cookie dough with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 45 minutes.

    pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie dough in a bowl covered in plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Once the dough is nearly finished chilling, preheat the oven to 375 F and prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

    parchment paper on top of a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Prepare your sugar and spice mixture by whisking together the 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.

    cinnamon and sugar in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and create 16 (1 1/2 tablespoon-sized) balls. Roll in the cinnamon sugar and transfer to the prepared cookie sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart.

    roll cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar mixture

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes until fragrant and a light touch springs back on the cookie. Allow baked cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet before enjoying.

    Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles on a cookie sheet

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Keep remaining cookie dough refrigerated while cookies are baking to make for easy rolling and even bake times.
  • This recipe uses canned pumpkin, but just make sure not to confuse it with pumpkin pie filling, which is usually sold right beside the pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling tends to have lots of add-ins that you don't need, nor want, for this recipe. Just make sure when you are picking up your pumpkin purée that the label reads "100% pure pumpkin."
  • If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, make your own by combining 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Store any excess in an airtight container.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Store the baked, cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
  • To freeze, separate the baked cookies using waxed or parchment paper in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Store for up to a month and defrost in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying.
  • The cookie dough can also be frozen for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge, form into balls and roll in the sugar mixture, then bake.

How Do You Make Snickerdoodles Soft and Chewy?

The correct proportions of ingredients help keep snickerdoodles nice and soft as does chilling the dough and avoiding over-baking. Take them out of the oven as soon as they're cooked through but not browning or becoming dry on top.

What Is the Difference Between a Sugar Cookie and a Snickerdoodle?

Snickerdoodles contain a small amount of cream of tartar—giving them a very slightly tangy flavor and soft texture—as well as a coating of cinnamon sugar, differentiating them from classic sugar cookies.