Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe (Soft and Chewy!) – Milk and Pop (2024)

Published: Sep 16, 2020 · Modified: Sep 11, 2023 by Tatiana Kamakura · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

Pumpkin snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, delicious cookies, full of flavors and perfect for any time. Take a bite and be transported to fall!

I always have a problem when baking these cookies: my mouth can only rest when they’re over. Guys, this recipe is dangerous.

What ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

These pumpkin snickerdoodles are made with all ingredients a normal snickerdoodle has, plus pumpkin and pumpkin spice! Let’s see if you have everything:

• All-purpose flour: remember to spoon and measure it right.
• Pumpkin puree: buy pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling has other ingredients added like sugar, that will affect the result.
• Pumpkin spice: if you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, in this recipe I teach you how to make your own!
• Cinnamon: I like to add a bit more cinnamon to the pumpkin spice when rolling my cookies.
• Baking soda: you need this for your cookies to rise.
• Cremor of tartar: don’t skip this ingredient, this is what gives snickerdoodles the tangy taste plus helps it to rise more when reacting with baking soda.
• Salt: always add, even if only a pinch! Salt helps to bring the flavors of your recipe.
• Butter: use room temperature. Find here my trick to get room temperature butter in one minute. Always prefer unsalted to salted, as the salt can vary a lot between brands.
• Granulated white sugar: can be substituted for caster sugar.
• Brown sugar: packed, because it has molasses, it reacts with the baking soda.
• Egg yolks: only use the yolks for this recipe, as the pumpkin puree already add a lot of moisture.

I don’t add vanilla extract in my pumpkin snickerdoodles. This pumpkin cookie has already so many flavors I think this is a totally skippable ingredient. What you aim here is pumpkin spice flavor, not vanilla.

Got everything? Great, let’s start!

How to make this recipe

The secret here is the ingredients order. Follow it and I promise you an amazing pumpkin snickerdoodle!

• Start by preheating your oven. This cookie dough has no chilling time.

• Mix butter, pumpkin puree and sugars. Mix it with a spoon or use your mixer on medium-low until the ingredients are well combined. Remember: room temperature butter!

• Add egg yolks. Mix until they’re incorporated.

• Stir in the pumpkin spice. Mix until incorporated.

• In a separated bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and cremor of tartar. Stir until they’re well combined.

• Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Stir until cookie dough is formed and no dry spots remain.

• In a small bowl, combine the remaining of the granulated sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin spice.

• Now, choose the size you’ll want for your cookies. I usually vary between mini (½ teaspoon), small (1 tablespoon) and medium (2 tablespoons). Shape them into balls, then roll into the sugar-spice mixture.

• Place the cookies onto a lined baking sheet. Always use parchment paper or a silicone mat. That prevents your cookies of getting too brown on bottom.

• Bake until cookies are set. If making mini (½ teaspoon), bake for 7 to 8 minutes. If making small to medium (1 to 2 tablespoons), bake for 10 to 12 minutes. They will come out of the oven still a bit soft, but will set after a couple of minutes.

I can’t find cremor of tartar! What can I use instead of it?

If you can’t find cremor of tartar in your country, you can try adding a full tablespoon of lime juice. It will surely give your cookies the tangy taste!

Add a tablespoon more of all-purpose flour if doing it.

Can I make these cookies without eggs?

I kept the egg yolks in the original recipe because I find these pumpkin cookies overall better with this ingredient, but the recipe is doable without it.

If you’re looking for an eggless variation, replace the egg yolks for more pumpkin puree. When I do it, I use 3 more tablespoons of pumpkin puree.

Tips for making the perfect pumpkin snickerdoodle

• ALWAYS preheat your oven!
• Use pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling (pumpkin puree has pumpkin listed as the only ingredient).
• Your pumpkin puree can’t be too watery! Watch the recipe’s video to see the consistency of the pumpkin puree I use.
• Check your baking soda AND cremor of tartar expiration date before beginning!
• After adding the dry ingredients, do not overmix! Mix just until everything is combined and there are no visible dry spots on the dough.
• If you’re wondering about which brown sugar you should use: both dark and light work fine. The only difference is if you’re using dark brown sugar, your cookies will have a stronger molasses taste.
• Have you accidently melted the butter? Chill this pumpkin cookie dough for 1 hour if you did so.
• You can try adding white chocolate chunks for a delicious twist!

Quick note: I never ever had problems with this dough spreading too much in the oven, not even when I bake them in the middle of a scorching summer. But in case you’re having this problem, refrigerate for half an hour your dough, after shaped.

Storing and freezing

These pumpkin cookies are good for up to 1 week if stored correctly. Store them into an airtight container on your counter, away from sunlight.

You can also freeze them. If freezing cookie dough, shape them but only coat on sugar before baking. If freezing baked cookies, place them in freezer safe bags after cooled. Wait for them to thaw before serving. Both ways last in the freezer up to 3 months.

Watch how to make these cookies

Did you know I have a Youtube channel? I take you through this recipe step by step, showing you exactly how to make it. Watch my pumpkin snickerdoodles video here.

More Fall Baked Goods

Apple BreadApple CrispPumpkin Spice GranolaPumpkin Bagels

📖 Recipe