Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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Snickerdoodle cookies get even better with the addition of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. These soft pumpkin snickerdoodles are a perfect excuse to make a Christmas classic in the fall too!

Plate of pumpkin snickerdoodles with pumpkin spice and sugar coating on the outside.

Jazz up your classic snickerdoodles with pumpkin puree and extra spice. This recipe is a fabulous way to put an autumnal spin on dessert, but feel free to make them all year long.

Snickerdoodles are a cult favorite with a lot of people. They go nuts over the soft tangy interior and the sweet spicy cinnamon coating.

They are a staple on Christmas cookie trays and to many people it is just not the holiday season without them. But there is no reason to have to wait until November or December to bake them.

Ingredients ready to be made into pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.

Stir in some pumpkin puree and roll them in pumpkin pie spice to make them a favorite in the fall too. Go ahead and make a batch now, another on October and yet another as the date on the calendar gets a little closer to Thanksgiving.

Luckily, these pumpkin snickerdoodles are easy to make. So making multiple batches throughout the season won’t be hard!

Tips and tricks

These cookies are best stored in a sealed container in the pantry, where it’s cool and dry. They will last for about a week.

Cookies do not store well in the refrigerator, they tend to actually go stale quicker. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.

Balls of pumpkin snickerdoodle dough on pan ready to go in the oven.

Alternatively, you can do 2 sticks of unsalted butter and only 1 egg if you want a butterier taste. Either way they will be delicious.

You can skip the flattening stage of the cookies, if you don’t mind them being those smaller, pudgy style cookies. They taste delicious and will have extra soft middles, bake them the same amount of time either way.

If you want them to fall a little more and be a little less puffy, you can reduce the baking soda to half the amount and do all the mixing by hand instead.

Hand holding pumpkin snickerdoodle with bite missing from cookie.

If you like the classic tart taste of a snickerdoodle, you can up the tartar amount by double as the pumpkin pie spice does drown it out a bit.

If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of baking powder in place of the baking soda and cream of tartar mix. You won’t have the same tangy undertone, but you will still have a soft tasty cookie.

Make sure you are using 100% pumpkin puree in the dough. Don’t accidentally use a can of pumpkin pie filling, they are different and will yield different results.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough up to three days in advance of when you plan to bake it. Just cover it and store it in the refrigerator. Cookie dough also freeze well. I like to scoop the dough into balls and freeze them (without the cinnamon sugar coating) on a cookie sheet for an hour or two. Then transfer them to a freezer bag to freeze for up to three months. Just pull out the frozen dough, roll it in the cinnamon sugar, and bake pumpkin snickerdoodles when you are ready.

How do I store pumpkin snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodles can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

More fall cookie recipes

Cinnamon brown sugar cookies are perfect for rolling out and cutting into shapes. They are based on our favorite sugar cookies, but have the goodness of cinnamon and brown sugar baked right in!

Pumpkin jack-o-lantern cookies have pumpkin, oatmeal and chocolate chips baked inside. You can make them as round drop cookies, but we like to shape them into pumpkins and use candy to make faces.

Stack of pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, ready to eat.

Chewy maple cinnamon cookies taste like autumn. They are nice big chewy cookies with real maple syrup and cinnamon baked inside.

What are your favorite cookies to bake during the fall? Let me know about them in the comments below!

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Take the classic cookie to the next level with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. These soft pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are a perfect excuse to make a Christmas classic in the fall too!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsalted butter
½ cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, pumpkin puree,and 1 ½ cups sugar using a hand mixer. Beat the mixture for at least a minute or until fluffy and pale.
Add the eggs, 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with the hand mixer until incorporated.
Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to the bowl, mix until just combined.
Put plastic over the bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until chilled through.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard cookie sheet with baking or parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar, ½ Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon. Whisk together until fully combined.
Roll the chilled cookie dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar mixture until well-coated.
Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Using a glass, lightly press down the cookies until flat, but not super flat, about ¼ inch thick.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let them sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Add a slice of sandwich bread to the container to help keep the cookies soft.

For longer storage, freeze extra cookies for up to 3 months.