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, 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
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 eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt and stir until combined.
- Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl mix ¼ cup granulated sugar and 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
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I originally shared this recipe September 2022. Updated September 2023.
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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!
Delicious!
Great
CINNAMON ALLERGY CONCERN – HOW MUCH WOULD IT EFFECT THE FLAVOR TO LEAVE THE CINNAMON OUT AND JUST ROLL IN SUGAR?
When adding the sugars it also mentioned cream. The only cream mentioned in the ingredients is cream of tartar. Does it get added twice?
I’m sorry that is a bit confusing! You want to “Cream” the ingredients together or mix them until they are creamy and the sugar is fully incorporated. Hope you love the cookies!
These were absolutely incredible – BUT I found it interesting that a lot of the pumpkin flavor seemed to disappear during baking (tasting the dough, the pumpkin was very prominent. After baking, my friend described it as a snickerdoodle mixed with a ginger snap. A spiced cookie!). I’ve never baked with pumpkin outside of a pumpkin pie so Im not sure if it usually fades much or not, so I found it interesting.
Very soft. Very yummy. Frankly since the pumpkin flavor wasn’t prominent, I think I’ll be enjoying these into the early Christmas season as well!
Hi Lauren! Not many recipes that I use call for “cream of tartar” other than snickerdoodles really. I have always wondered, does cream of tartar affect the flavor or the cookie, or it’s texture. What does it do!?
Thanks!
Cream of tarter gives snickerdoodles that unique tang of flavor that’s their signature.
I made these to put into a goodie box to mail to my daughter in Anchorage. And I kept a few for us to enjoy at home. OMG. These are the best cookies. Soft and spicy. And they freeze really well. By the end of the weekend her box was empty and we had enjoyed all the cookies. So I will be baking another batch this week. Sure hope they make it up there. 😂
Can’t wait to make these next week! Can I omit the shortening and just use butter?
Yes, that’s fine.
Thank you for this recipe, Lauren. My son and I made them today and they are amazing! They are pillowy soft, and melt in your mouth with just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor. Make these today; you won’t regret it!
Thanks Julie! I’m so happy you loved them!
With it being Fall and All…I just needed to try this Pumpkin recipe. It did not disappoint! Wonderful pumpkin pie spices to this classic Snickerdoodle recipe. A keeper for sure. Thank You for publishing on your fantastic recipe site!