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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies with a chewy center and lightly crisp edges, rolled in a sparkly cinnamon-sugar pumpkin spice coating. The dough is chilled for thick, bakery-style cookies that bake up set around the edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 16 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree blotted with paper towels
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Rolling coating
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and chill
  1. Blot the pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Beat the unsalted butter with the packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the pumpkin puree, large egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
  5. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined, with no floury streaks left.
  6. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.
Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice for rolling.
  3. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls, coat them in the cinnamon sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then place them 2 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set, then cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Notes

For the best chewy texture, blotting the pumpkin puree is key—excess moisture can make the cookies spread. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months (thaw at room temperature). For a dietary swap, use plant-based butter in a 1:1 measure for similar texture.