A simple sugar cookie dough is rolled in sugar and pumpkin pie spice to make these soft and chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. They require just 10 minutes of chill time and 5 minutes in the oven!
The Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
These pumpkin snickerdoodles were inspired by my Skinny Snickerdoodles. I wanted to see what would happen if I coated them with pumpkin spice instead and the results were pumpkin spice heaven!
These have that same great snickerdoodle texture and flavor, just with the addition of other pumpkin spice flavors too. They’re also lighter than the traditional snickerdoodles and made with white whole wheat flour instead for added fiber.
They should really come with a warning label, because they are so good and it’s hard to stop at just one!
More of my favorite pumpkin recipes are Skinny Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Banana Bread, Pumpkin Roll and Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe
These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies have become one of our favorite fall desserts.
- Soft and chewy. One of the best parts of any snickerdoodle recipe is the soft, chewy texture and these are no exceptions.
- Lovely pumpkin spice flavor. Pumpkin spice mixed with sugar on the outside of these cookies adds just the right amount of pumpkin flavor – though feel free to add more if desired!
- Quick and easy. The dough needs to chill for just 10 minutes, since we’re using softened and not melted butter, and these cookies need just 5 to 7 minutes in the oven.
What You’ll Need
This pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe uses the same ingredients as classic snickerdoodles, with the addition of pumpkin spice.
- Flour – I used King Arthur white whole wheat flour but all purpose flour works too.
- Cream of tartar – A key ingredient in these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, as it creates a chewy texture and adds a bit of a tangy flavor.
- Baking soda – Helps the cookies rise.
- Sugar
- Butter – Softened but not melted.
- Honey – You can also use agave as the sweetener.
- Vanilla
- Egg – Helps to give the cookies structure.
- Pumpkin spice – Grab some at the store or make your own as directed.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice
If you don’t have any pumpkin spice on hand, you can make your own using common spices. This will make more than needed for this recipe, so you can add it to your morning coffee or your favorite pumpkin recipes too.
Combine 4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon with 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Mix all the ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
How to Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
One thing I love about these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies is that they require just 5 to 7 minutes in the oven.
- Make the dough. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter until blended then add the honey, vanilla, and egg. Slowly add in the flour mixture.
- Chill. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough in sugar. Combine the remaining sugar with the pumpkin pie spice. Use wet hands to shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each dough ball in the pumpkin pie spice mixture.
- Bake. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Slightly flatten with a fork. Bake for 5-7 minutes, cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then cool completely on the wire racks.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making these pumpkin snickerdoodles.
- Use wet hands when rolling the dough. The snickerdoodle dough is quite dry so it’s important to wet your hands first when forming the dough balls. This moistens the dough and allows the sugar to stick more easily.
- Add some pumpkin puree. If desired, a bit of pumpkin puree can be mixed in along with the butter.
- Add more pumpkin flavor. For a stronger pumpkin flavor, add some pumpkin pie spice to the batter.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. These pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies bake very quickly, so keep an eye on them. They should still appear slightly underbaked in the center when you remove them from the oven.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. Store your pumpkin snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. Once cooled, you can also freeze for pumpkin snickerdoodles in a ziploc bag or other freezer-safe container.
- Can I freeze the dough? Yes! Pumpkin snickerdoodle dough freezes well. It’s best to freeze once is already formed into balls. Flash freeze on a baking sheet then transfer the frozen dough balls to a ziploc container. You can bake directly from frozen.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Try
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Banana Pecan Bread
- No Bake Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars
- Skinny Pumpkin Pie
Skinny Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour, or all purpose white
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 tbsp honey or agave
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp sugar*
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice*
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpat mats and spray with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.
- Combine 1 cup of sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add the agave, vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating just until combined. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine 3 tbsp sugar with pumpkin pie spice, stirring with a whisk to combine. With wet hands (you can keep a cup of water close), shape dough into 42 (1-inch) balls. Roll balls in sugar/pumpkin pie spice mixture.
- Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets and slightly flatten with a fork.
- Bake 375°F for 5-7 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft). Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Enjoy!
