Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

These Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are the perfect soft and chewy fall treat, blending warm spices with classic snickerdoodle charm. They are surprisingly easy to make and bring a little bit of autumn magic right into your kitchen.

My sister Jennifer first baked these on a crisp autumn day. The whole house filled with the scent of cinnamon and pumpkin, a smell that felt like a warm hug. That simple, joyful memory of us laughing in the kitchen is what I taste in every single bite.

Why This Recipe Feels Like a Hug in a Cookie

• The Perfect Fall Dessert: This recipe perfectly combines the classic tangy flavor of a snickerdoodle with the warm, earthy notes of pumpkin.
• Incredibly Soft and Chewy: The pumpkin purée ensures these cookies stay moist and chewy for days.
• Easy and Quick: With no dough chilling required, you can have these homemade cookies ready in under 30 minutes.
• Versatile Treat: These cookies are perfect for everything from a cozy afternoon snack to a star on your Thanksgiving dessert table.

The Heart of These Autumn Cookies

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For That Sparkly Cinnamon Coat:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

My Kitchen Helpers for This Recipe

My Go-To Baking Sheets

A sturdy, light-colored baking sheet is my secret to evenly baked cookies that never burn on the bottom.

A Trusty Cookie Scoop

This little tool makes sure every cookie is the same size, so they all bake to chewy perfection.

Let’s Bake Some Memories, Step by Step

First, We Warm the Kitchen

First things first, let’s get the oven nice and warm. Go ahead and preheat it to 350°F (175°C) and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. This little step prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.

Next, The Aromatic Spice Blend

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all those lovely warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I love this part; the smell is just pure comfort. Set that bowl aside for now.

Now, The Sweet and Creamy Foundation

In your large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with both the granulated and brown sugars until it’s light and fluffy. Then, it’s time to add the heart of our cookies: the pumpkin purée, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix it all together until it’s wonderfully smooth.

Then, We Fold It All Together

Now, gradually add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Be gentle here and stir just until everything is combined. Over-mixing can make cookies tough, and we want these to be perfectly soft. The dough will be soft, and that’s exactly what we want!

A Sweet, Sparkly Finish

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon for that classic snickerdoodle coating. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and roll them generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. It’s a fun, slightly messy step that’s perfect for little helping hands.

Giving Them Room to Shine

Place the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them so they have room to spread. I like to gently flatten the tops just a bit with my palm or the bottom of a glass; this helps them get those beautiful crinkles as they bake.

Finally, The Golden, Chewy Finish

Bake for 10–12 minutes. The secret to a chewy cookie is to pull them out when the edges are set, but the centers still look a little soft. They’ll continue to bake on the hot pan. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Note on Nutrition

Please note that the nutritional information provided is an estimate and can vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. The values are calculated for one cookie, assuming the recipe yields about two dozen.

For a Lighter Cookie Jar

• Whole Wheat Flour: For a nuttier flavor and a bit of extra fiber, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour.
• Reduce the Sugar: While it will change the texture slightly, you can reduce the granulated and brown sugar by about a quarter cup without a huge impact on the final cookie.
• Coconut Oil: In place of butter, you can use an equal amount of melted and slightly cooled virgin coconut oil for a different kind of richness.

Ways to Share the Warmth

• With a Warm Drink: These cookies are just heavenly alongside a cup of hot apple cider, a chai latte, or a simple cup of coffee on a crisp fall afternoon.
• Ice Cream Sandwiches: For a truly decadent dessert, place a scoop of vanilla bean or salted caramel ice cream between two of these chewy cookies.
• Thanksgiving Dessert Platter: Arrange these pumpkin snickerdoodles on a platter with other fall desserts like mini apple tarts and pecan pie bars for a beautiful and delicious Thanksgiving spread.

My Secrets to a Perfect Batch

• Using Pumpkin Pie Filling: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the flavor and texture of your cookies.
• Overbaking: It’s so tempting to wait until the cookies look fully done in the oven, but that’s the fastest way to a crunchy cookie. Pull them out when the centers are still soft for that perfect chewy texture.
• Not Spacing the Dough: These cookies will spread a bit. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between each ball of dough on the baking sheet to prevent them from baking into one giant cookie.

How to Savor Them Longer

To keep your Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay soft and chewy for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

From My Kitchen to Yours

There’s something so special about the way a simple recipe can hold a memory. I hope these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies bring as much warmth and joy to your kitchen as they do to mine. May they be a part of your fall traditions and help you create sweet memories with the ones you love. Happy baking!

Just in Case You’re Wondering…

Is the dough supposed to feel this sticky?

While this recipe is designed to be a no-chill recipe, if your kitchen is particularly warm and the dough feels too sticky to roll, you can chill it for about 20-30 minutes to make it easier to handle.

Can I add a little something extra?

Absolutely! White chocolate chips or chopped pecans would be delicious additions. I would recommend folding in about a cup of your chosen mix-in after you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients.

Is it possible to make these gluten-free?

Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Just be sure the blend contains xanthan gum for the best texture.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

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• Author: Sarah
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x

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Description

Soft, chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies that blend the cozy warmth of cinnamon and pumpkin with classic snickerdoodle charm—an easy fall treat filled with nostalgia and comfort.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• For Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add pumpkin purée, egg yolk, and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
5. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
7. Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
8. Gently flatten tops with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
9. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
10. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pull cookies from the oven while centers are still soft for the perfect chewy texture. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 120
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 90mg
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 20mg

Keywords: pumpkin, snickerdoodle, cookies, fall dessert, chewy cookies