Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (soft cookies)
Easy cookies that are soft, chewy, and delicious. Pumpkin snickerdoodles have a unique flavor, a cinnamon sugar coating, and fall spices that make them irresistible.
Servings 18 cookies
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree at room temperature
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the sugar coating:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugars.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth.
- Add in the egg yolk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Integrate well until a sticky dough forms but don't overmix.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the dough firms up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Take 2 tablespoons of dough and form it into a ball with your hands. It will get messy.
- Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar, fully coating it.
- Place on the prepared baking cookie sheet leaving 1½ inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set around the edges and soft in the center.
- Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container or cookie jar.
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Pumpkin puree: use canned from the store (NOT pumpkin pie filling) or make homemade pumpkin puree. Make sure it's drained to remove excess liquid.
Cream of tartar: the ingredient that makes snickerdoodles what they are. There's no substitution. You can buy it in supermarkets and online.
Make ahead: these cookies keep well for several days, so you can make them a few days in advance from when you plan to eat or gift them.
Large batch: you can double the recipe (a good idea if making lots of these cookies for the holidays) and use the stand mixer to make the dough.
