Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies: Best Fall Recipe
Soft, pillowy snickerdoodle cookies with warm pumpkin spice and a crackly cinnamon-sugar coating. A quick and easy fall treat that’s perfect for weeknight cravings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (blotted to remove excess moisture)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (divided: 1 tsp in dough, ½ tsp in coating)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the coating: ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Prepare the pumpkin puree: Measure ½ cup pumpkin puree, spread on a paper towel-lined plate, cover with another paper towel, and press gently to absorb excess moisture. Let sit.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup packed brown sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed). Scrape down sides.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the prepared pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low or folding with a spatula until just incorporated. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Make coating: In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
- Shape cookies: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop 1.5 tablespoons of dough, roll into a ball, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat generously. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cookies should look puffed and slightly cracked on top with edges just starting to turn golden. Centers will look soft.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Don’t skip blotting the pumpkin puree—excess moisture leads to flat cookies. Cream of tartar is essential for authentic snickerdoodle flavor and texture. For best results, use room temperature ingredients. If cookies aren’t spreading, add 1 teaspoon of milk to the dough. If spreading too much, butter was too soft or pumpkin wasn’t blotted enough.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, fall cookies, easy pumpkin cookies, snickerdoodle recipe, pumpkin dessert