Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

After releasing my second cookbook on COOKIES back in September (and it selling out in 29 hours!!) you would think I’d be totally sick of cookies.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

They’re still my favorite thing to bake!! Especially now that we’ve officially entered the holiday baking season. My favorite time of year!

These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are a must-bake for fall. And if you love cookies like I do, or want to perfect your cookie baking, click here to order my new cookbook.

We’ve already pre-sold 20% of our second printing of books which will begin shipping out soon!! Clearly the Handle the Heat community is full of cookie lovers which makes me so happy.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:

• Flour: All-purpose flour is the base ingredient for these cookies.
• Cornstarch: One of my favorite ingredients to use for perfectly soft and thick cookies.
• Cream of Tartar: Key ingredient for that tangy taste and chewy texture. More details on this science are include in the pink box below.
• Spices: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves give these cookies their cozy fall flavor.
• Salt: Helps to balance out the sweetness and enhance the pumpkin spice flavor.
• Baking Soda: Helps our cookies to puff up beautifully without being cakey.
• Butter: Be sure to use cool room temperature butter for this recipe.
• Coconut Oil: Creates a thick, chewy texture instead of using the traditional shortening. More details below.
• Sugar: Use both granulated and brown sugar for the best of both worlds.
• Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. You can also make your own pumpkin puree if your store is out of stock.
• Egg Yolk: The extra fat in the yolk creates a moist and chewy texture.
• Vanilla: Vanilla helps flavor our snickerdoodles.
• Cinnamon & Sugar: Just like classic snickerdoodles, these pumpkin cookies are rolled in cinnamon and sugar just before baking.

How to make snickerdoodles:

1. Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Next, beat together the wet ingredients in a separate large bowl. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until combined.
2. Chill the snickerdoodle dough: Chilling is essential for getting perfectly thick, chewy cookies. Chill the bowl of dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
3. Roll in cinnamon sugar: Combine cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish. Then, take a spring-loaded cookie scoop to your chilled cookie dough and form into 3-tablespoon sized balls. Roll in the sugar, coating evenly, then place the dough balls on prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Why use a cookie scoop?

Using a stainless steel spring-loaded cookie scoop when portioning out cookie dough is one of the KEYS to beautiful, uniform, evenly-shaped and evenly-baked cookies. My cookie scoop is one of my most frequently used kitchen gadgets. A spring-loaded scoop saves you *so much time* in forming the balls of dough. When using a scoop, you ensure each ball is evenly sized so the cookies bake evenly, meaning you don’t have any small overbaked cookies or large underbaked cookies. Learn more about Cookie Scoops and how to use them here!

What is cream of tartar? Can you make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

This is the key ingredient to developing that tangy taste, chewy texture, and distinct craggly surface of the classic snickerdoodle. You can omit it if you must, but the final taste and texture won’t quite be the same. The combination of the cream of tartar and baking soda helps leaven the cookies so they’re nice and thick and fluffy.

Why is there coconut oil in this snickerdoodle recipe?

This recipe uses part butter and part coconut oil as a replacement for the traditional choice of shortening. The oil helps create a thick chewy cookie since, unlike butter, it contains no water. It also allows the pumpkin spice flavors to shine. Choose refined coconut oil which is neutral in flavor (unlike virgin coconut oil which has the coconut flavor and aroma). Measure coconut oil when it’s solid yet creamy and scoopable or better yet, just weigh it to be accurate. It should not be melted nor so cold that it’s hard and brittle.

What if I don’t have refined coconut oil? What can I use instead?

Simply use 2 sticks (227 grams) of unsalted butter total in this recipe if you don’t have coconut oil.

Why does this recipe only call for an egg yolk?

This helps prevent the cookies from becoming too cakey. The pumpkin puree is already adding in so much moisture, the egg yolk is the perfect thing to help bind the dough together and add richness and a little bit of chewiness. The result are ultra soft and fluffy cookies that don’t just taste like dense cake!

How to store snickerdoodles so they stay soft:

Place the baked cookies in an airtight container with an apple wedge, slice of sandwich bread, or tortilla to keep them softer for longer.

How to freeze snickerdoodles cookie dough:

Shape the dough into balls, coat in the cinnamon sugar, and flatten as the recipe directs. Place the disks of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until firmed. Remove to an airtight container. Bake directly from the freezer at 325°F for about 15 minutes.

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try:

• Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
• Easy Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Cookie Butter Truffles

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.

5 from 6 votes

How to make

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Yield: 18 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Chilling time 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are ultra thick and soft and loaded with classic pumpkin spice flavors. The perfect easy fall recipe that everyone loves!

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups (318 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (99 grams) refined coconut oil, solid but creamy (about 70°F)
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (183 grams) puree pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar:

• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to combine.
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, coconut oil, and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and beat to combine. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to scoop. You can also refrigerate for up to 24 hours, just let sit at room temperature until malleable enough to scoop.
5. Combine the 1/4 cup of sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow dish. Using a spring-loaded scoop, divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls then roll in sugar to coat evenly. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart, and flatten with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Sprinkle lightly with additional cinnamon sugar, if desired.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and begin to brown. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Course : Dessert

Cuisine : American

Keyword : pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, pumpkin snickerdoodles, snickerdoodles

Recipe by Tessa Arias

Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)