This easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cookie recipe is the perfect seasonal twist on an old classic, with hints of pumpkin spice flavor. They're thick, chewy and delicious.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin French Toast, Pumpkin Dip, or a Classic Pumpkin Roll!
Why I love this recipe:
- Unique – The hint of pumpkin, cinnamon and sugar make this the best cookie for Fall and the holidays.
- Texture– A good snickerdoodle needs to have a slight crisp on the outside, but be soft and chewy, and these have the perfect texture.
- Easy – With just a few steps, this pumpkin cookie recipe is simple, and my kids love helping form the dough balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
How to make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:
Cream Butter and Sugar: Mix together butter and shortening until smooth. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and cream together until light and fluffy.
Finish Cookie Dough: Mix in eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt and stir until combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate dough for 20 minutes.
Roll in Cinnamon Sugar: Scoop refrigerated dough into balls and roll balls in cinnamon sugar. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Press: Using the palm of your hand, slightly press down on each cookie.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (don't over bake!). Remove pumpkin spice snickerdoodles immediately to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Keep these pumpkin spice cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
To Freeze: Let cool completely then place them in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Recipe Variations:
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Cookies: Add some cream cheese frosting on top after they have cooled.
- Classic Snickerdoodles Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Snickerdoodle Muffins
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Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Stand Mixer , optional
- Hand mixer , optional
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter , softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup pumpkin puree canned, or homemade
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar , for rolling the dough balls
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon , for rolling the dough balls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or silpat liner.
- Combine wet ingredients: Mix together butter and shortening until smooth. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and cream together for a few minutes, until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, pumpkin, and vanilla.¾ cup butter, ¼ cup shortening, ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cups light brown sugar, 1 large egg, ½ cup pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients: Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt and stir until combined.3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl mix ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Roll into balls and roll each ball in cinnamon sugar. Place on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Using the palm of your hand or bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each cookie dough ball.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes (don't over bake!) Remove immediately to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe September 2022. Updated September 2023.
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Are you able to sub baking powder for the cream of tartar?
The cream of tartar contributes to that iconic snickerdoodle flavor and the chewy texture, so I wouldn’t suggest substituting it with baking powder for this recipe.
My family and I just made these. We had all ingredients on hand, so no need for a store run! And I will say… we were pleased! We had fresh pumpkin 🎃and made our own brown sugar. We will freeze half of the dough to see how it comes out in a few weeks. But all in, I think this is a good recipe and easy!
I can a lot of pumpkin and always looking for new ways to use it I made these and hubby said they were a keeper love them
I love the idea but too much cream of tartar. They gone rather sour
I like my snickerdoodles sweet(
Wow! These are absolutely scrumptious! My wife and I made a double batch last evening, and I have no Idea how many I ate. We didn’t have cream of tarter so we opted to try baking powder instead, and I don’t know where to find pumpkin here in Guatemala where we live, but we have a squash here that has a very good flavor, and we used that for the pumpkin. Our cookies turned out a bit flat instead of thick. (possibly because of the baking powder substitution?) but they’re a winner and we’ll definitely make them again!