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Introducing the dreamiest fall cookie to pair with your pumpkin spice latte: pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies! These soft baked cookies are irresistibly chewy with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. The secret? Melted brown butter – it adds rich, nutty flavor that perfectly complements the pumpkin pie spice. Recipe yields 26 cookies.
Made with real pumpkin and filled with cozy spice flavor, this seasonal twist on classic snickerdoodle cookies is for the soft, pillowy cookie lover.
Similar in texture to my molasses spice cookies, these pumpkin snickerdoodles are seriously soft and chewy and one of my favorite homemade cookie recipes!
Pro tip: This recipe uses 1/2 cup pure pumpkin and is the perfect way to use up some leftover pumpkin puree. Find more ideas in my collection of pumpkin dessert recipes.
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Brown (half of) the butter — Browning one stick of butter gives the cookies toasty, caramelized notes. The other stick is used at room temperature and provides the necessary water content to bring the dough together.
Blot the pumpkin — Pure pumpkin puree contains lots of natural moisture that tends to give pumpkin cookies a cakey texture.
For better-textured cookies, measure out the pumpkin puree onto a plate lined with paper towel. Top with another paper towel, and let stand for at least 10 minutes to absorb excess moisture before using in the cookie dough.
Chill the dough — The dough is incredibly soft, so be sure to chill it for at least 1 hour before baking. I also like to pop the dough back into the fridge to stay cool in between batches.
How to Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Cook 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan until browned. Pour into a bowl and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, until cool to the touch and still mostly liquid.
While the brown butter chills, blot pumpkin puree between two layers of paper towel.
Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, spices, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Add 1/2 cup room temperature butter, cooled brown butter, and granulated sugar to a large mixer bowl. Beat together on medium speed until creamy.
Beat in pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until combined.
Gradually mix in dry ingredients on low speed just until a soft dough comes together.
Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Use a medium cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough. Roll the cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press the tops to flatten slightly.
For soft baked cookies, bake for about 11 minutes, just until the cookies are puffed and crackly, with the edges set. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Get ready to bake these brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodles all season long!
More favorite soft baked cookies:
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Soft Baked Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
- Yield: 26 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Spiced pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies with soft baked centers! Made with real pumpkin and brown butter, these are the perfect fall cookie! Recipe yields 26 cookies.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup (122 g) pure pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (8 g) cream of tartar
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
- 3/4 tsp (4.5 g) salt
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (18 g)
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown butter: Cook 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan until browned (full tutorial here). Pour brown butter into a ramekin or glass bowl and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, until cool to the touch and still mostly liquid.
- Pumpkin puree: Measure out pumpkin puree onto a plate lined with paper towel. Top with another piece of paper towel, gently pressing puree into an even layer. Let stand for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Make dough: Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, spices, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup (112 g) room temperature butter, cooled brown butter, and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes); beat in pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; beat just until incorporated.
- Chill dough: The dough will be soft – press a piece of plastic directly across the surface and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to scoop 1 1/2-inch balls of dough (approximately 32 to 34 grams each). Roll the balls of dough generously in cinnamon-sugar and place two inches apart, 9 balls of dough per baking sheet. Press the tops to flatten slightly.
- Bake cookies for 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and crackly, with edges set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar.
Spices: For ease, you can also use 3 teaspoons (6 grams) pumpkin pie spice.
Make ahead: Roll the dough into balls (without the cinnamon-sugar coating) and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in cinnamon-sugar and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Freeze cookies: Pumpkin snickerdoodles freeze well for up to 2 months. After they have cooled completely, freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature.
So good!! Just made these for Thanksgiving – everyone loved them! They are wonderfully soft and taste like fall.
Baked these snickerdoodles for my coworkers and they were such a hit!! Perfect texture and flavor, highly recommend!
Thanks so much, Michelle! 🙂
Wow! Such a delicious snickerdoodle!!
Thanks so much, Carrie!
Fabulous snickerdoodle recipe, love the texture. I’m making a double batch next time!
Thanks so much, Lisa! I agree that a double batch is a must! 🙂
Excellent pumpkin snickerdooodkes! The soft, chewy texture is my favorite in a cookie.
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, Becca!
I’m a huge snickerdoodle fan and these pumpkin snickerdoodles baked up perfectly! Love the not-cakey texture and all the great spice flavor.
Hi Meg, that’s great to hear. I appreciate your feedback!
So excited to try these! Do you have a preferred brand of flour to use?
Thanks so much, Sheila! I typically bake with King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill unbleached all-purpose flour.