Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and cream of tartar for the characteristic tang of a classic snickerdoodle. They bake up puffy, then settle into soft, crinkled cookies as they cool.

I love snickerdoodle cookies, but I never liked the weird metallic tang of cream of tartar (so it’s probably no surprise I have a recipe for snickerdoodles without cream of tartar).

As I get older, I notice something strange happening. Not only do I no longer detest cream of tartar, I actually kind of like it? Who knew?

I use canned pumpkin purée in this recipe. It’s not the same thing as pumpkin pie filling, so be sure to choose the right one. You can also make homemade pumpkin purée, which is a recipe featured on my collaborative blog, The Baked Collective.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredient Notes

• Baking Soda: Make sure it’s fresh, especially if the box has been open for a long time.
• Butter (Salted): I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
• Cream of Tartar: Look for cream of tartar in the baking aisle with the spices and leavening agents.
• Egg (Large): I use large eggs for all of my recipes.
• Flour (All-Purpose): I use unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Look for it in the baking aisle of the grocery store. You can also make your own homemade pumpkin spice.
• Pumpkin Purée: Use plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Salt (Table): I use table salt for all of my recipes.
• Sugar (Brown): I always use dark brown sugar, sometimes labelled Old-Fashioned brown sugar. It isn’t the same as Demerara sugar or raw sugar.
• Sugar (Granulated): Use regular granulated sugar for both the dough and the pumpkin spice coating.
• Vanilla Extract: Use any vanilla you like or have on hand.

It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Butter: Replace the butter with an equal amount of unsalted butter or stick margarine.
• Pumpkin Purée: Swap the canned pumpkin purée for an equal amount of homemade pumpkin purée.
• Salt: Use fine sea salt in the same amount as the table salt.
• Sugar (Brown): Light brown sugar is a good substitute for dark brown sugar. It has a lower molasses content but can be used in the same amount. You can also replace the brown sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: Substitute an equal amount of vanilla bean paste.

Recipe Variations for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Try any of the following for a twist on these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies:

• Candied Ginger: ⅓ cup, finely chopped. Fold into the dough with the flour
• Chocolate Chips: ½ cup, semisweet, regular size or mini. Fold into the dough with the dry ingredients
• Espresso Powder: 1 teaspoon. Stir into the flour mixture before adding it to the dough
• Maple Extract: ½ teaspoon. Mix in with the egg and pumpkin purée
• Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon, finely grated. Beat into the butter and sugars before adding the pumpkin
• Pecans: ½ cup, toasted, cooled, and chopped. Fold into the dough with the flour
• Toffee Bits: ½ cup. Fold into the dough when the dry ingredients are about halfway mixed in
• White Chocolate Drizzle: ½ cup, melted white chocolate. Drizzle over the fully cooled cookies

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

How To Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

STEP 1. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy, then add the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla.

STEP 2. Mix until the pumpkin mixture is smooth and well combined.

STEP 3. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

STEP 4. Stir by hand just until no dry streaks of flour remain.

STEP 5. Scoop the dough into evenly sized portions.

STEP 6. Roll the dough between your hands into smooth balls, then coat them in the pumpkin spice sugar.

STEP 7. Arrange the coated dough balls on a lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one.

STEP 8. Bake until the bottoms are lightly golden, then let the cookies cool and wrinkle as they settle.

Recipe Notes

• For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
• Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
• To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
• You can test softened butter by pressing it gently with your fingertip. It should leave an indentation without your finger sinking deeply into the butter.
• I like to stir the dry ingredients in by hand so I’m less likely to overmix the dough, which can make the cookies tough.
• If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can weigh the dough into approximately 30 g portions. You should get between 34 and 36 dough portions.
• The dough may feel sticky when portioning, but it should roll into balls easily between your hands.

Storage for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature before serving.