Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Your favorite fluffy snickerdoodle cookie transformed for Fall with a delightful spiced pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Every December I make snickerdoodles. They’re one of my absolute favorite cookies. But for some reason I forget about them the rest of the year. Just like that once favorite toy, shoved in a corner or the back of the closet, only brought out when everything else bores you. Oh hey, I remember you – kind of thing. It’s the sad reality. We should celebrate snickerdoodles year round. Not just one month out of the year. Every single month out of the year. Am I going overboard?

Last month I topped off an already amazing apple crisp, minus the crisp, with snickerdoodle cookie dough, creating the most incredible apple snickerdoodle cobbler . Because you know, improving upon something already amazing is just silly but in this case it was incredible. Over the top perfection.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Adding to the, don’t mess with perfection is the ever basic and already amazing fluffy snickerdoodle cookie. Yup, fluffy. I like mine to have a delightful airiness about them with a slight crisp exterior from the cinnamon-sugar mixture. I messed with perfection… again. But it was totally worth it.

In comes Libby. That beautiful orange pumpkin can from the cabinet. Which was stock piled and hidden away for a later day, that just happens to be now. This is the absolutely only exception to the snickerdoodle rule of don’t mess with the flavor. I mean it. You can top off a delicious apple mixture with traditional snickerdoodle dough but don’t ever change the flavor of the dough, unless it’s pumpkin.

These have everything going for them from the fluffiness to their slight crispness, to their spice and of course pumpkin flavor. It’s a win-win all around.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Your favorite fluffy snickerdoodle cookie transformed for Fall with a delightful spiced pumpkin flavor.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time1 hr 17 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cookie
Servings: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 C unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 C pumpkin puree
  • 2 3/4 C all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping ingredients:

  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin. Mix until barely combined.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the batter, continuing to mix until there are no streaks.
  • If your dough is overly sticky, dough may be chilled at this point for an hour or longer until ready to proceed. Chilled dough can often be much easier to work with.
  • Preheat oven to 350F°. Prepare a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Shape slightly larger than tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll in topping mixture. Space cookies 2" apart on cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • Remaining dough can be chilled for up to a week or frozen for several months. Always remember to label remaining dough well with name and instructions.

Notes

Recipe yields roughly 4 dozen cookies.
An original recipe from Baked by Rachel

Items used in this recipe:

This post contains affiliate links.

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38 Responses to “Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies”

  1. #
    1
    Lauren at Keep It Sweet — October 26, 2012 at 6:09 am

    These look super addicting and delicious!

  2. #
    2
    amanda @ fake ginger — October 26, 2012 at 7:41 am

    Mmm, I love pumpkin snickerdoodles! These look delicious!

  3. #
    3
    Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray — October 26, 2012 at 9:22 am

    Totally on the snickerdoodle love train! :)

  4. #
    4
    Erin — October 26, 2012 at 9:41 am

    Someone got new cookies sheets!

  5. #
    5
    Tracey — October 26, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Mmmm, soft and cakey cookies – you are totally speaking my language with these!

  6. #
    6
    Gina @ Running to the Kitchen — October 26, 2012 at 11:02 am

    I’ve never made snickerdoodles and only just tasted them for the first time this year (I feel like you and the cherries). I’m thinking I’ll de-virginize myself with these pumpkin ones. :)

    • #
      6.1
      Rachel — October 26, 2012 at 11:54 am

      I’m in shock! Yes… run to the kitchen and make these.

  7. #
    7
    Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama — October 26, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Between this post and your guest post I really need to make some pumpkin cookies. I love the snickerdoodle idea!

  8. #
    8
    Kelly Senyei (Just a Taste) — October 26, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    What a fun twist on a classic! I am obsessed with Snickerdoodles, and this seasonal version looks right up my alley!

  9. #
    9
    Stephanie — October 26, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    Snickerdoodles always remind me of Veronica Mars. These look great! =)

  10. #
    10
    Cassie | Bake Your Day — October 26, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    These are so perfectly fluffy! Great idea.

  11. #
    11
    Jessica@AKitchenAddiction — October 27, 2012 at 1:47 pm

    I love how soft and fluffy these look! Adding pumpkin sounds amazing!

  12. #
    12
    Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen — October 27, 2012 at 9:52 pm

    Must make these! !

  13. #
    13
    Julie @ Table for Two — October 28, 2012 at 12:00 am

    i made these last year and i love how puffy they get and snickerdoodles in general are just delicious! cinnamon, sugar..what more could ya ask for? i love the seasonal spin on this!

  14. #
    14
    Rachael {SimplyFreshCooking} — October 28, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Great recipe! I already adore snickerdoodles… so I’m pretty sure I’d totally want to eat all of these right up!

  15. #
    15
    Erica (@Cannella_Vita) — October 28, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    What a wonderful twist on the classic cookie!

  16. #
    16
    Maria @ Box of Stolen Socks — October 29, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    Can you believe that I have never had one of these in my life???? I have a lot of catching up to do!!!

  17. #
    17
    Erin@theLawStudentsWife — November 1, 2012 at 9:04 am

    Yes, yes, yes!
    I have been scouring for pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies that actually use cream of tartar, because I am a purest and don’t believe it can be a snickerdoodle without it. YUM! Can’t wait to try these.
    Also, totally agree with you on the texture. Sounds exactly like how my Grandma makes hers, and you can’t mess with Grandma.

    PS. Have seen your site on a few other cooking blogs. So happy I did!

    • #
      17.1
      Rachel — November 1, 2012 at 11:48 am

      Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy the cookies as much as we have.

  18. #
    18
    Shannon — November 6, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    I made this recipe today and they were wonderful! I read the reviews and made two adjustments. Snickerdoodles can get dry with too much flour so I thought the amount in this recipe was great so in order to make them less tacky and more “rollable”, I “dried” the pumpkin by spreading it between paper towels to take a lot of the moisture out first. Still a little sticky but definitely rollable. I also added ginger to the batter and to the coating mixture to put a little more “pumpkin” friendly flavor. I loved them!

  19. #
    19
    Sandie@afoodieaffair.com — November 8, 2012 at 9:42 am

    Wow, these look delicious! I make them and freeze right before baking. That way you just pop in the oven and viola, cookies! I love the addition of pumpkin!

  20. #
    20
    Mike — November 13, 2012 at 9:30 pm

    These are awesome. Thank you ma’am!!!

  21. #
    21
    Elizabeth — November 21, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    Going to guess it’s 2teaspoons baking soda not tablespoons?

  22. #
    22
    Elizabeth — November 21, 2012 at 10:03 pm

    I meant powder. Typos abound…

    These look awesome though. Am trying them right now.

    • #
      22.1
      Rachel — November 21, 2012 at 10:34 pm

      Yes, sorry about that. Typos sometimes happen! It is teaspoons, not tablespoons and has been corrected.

  23. #
    23
    Elisabeth Cococcia — December 16, 2012 at 2:18 pm

    These are so delicious I can’t get enough of them. I froze some dough and am adding them to my cookie plates this year.

  24. #
    24
    Gail — October 10, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    My new favorite cookie! They turn out great every time…

    • #
      24.1
      Rachel — October 10, 2013 at 5:44 pm

      So glad to hear it! :)

  25. #
    25
    The Hungry Mum — October 18, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    OK, these should have come with a warning – dangerously addictive. #soDelish

    • #
      25.1
      Rachel — October 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm

      Haha! I’m glad to hear it ;)

  26. #
    26
    Taylour — November 8, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    I love snickerdoodles and I love pumpkin! I made these cookies for my husbands office party and he came home with several requests for the recipe. Everyone loved them! They are so light and soft and are perfect for autumn.

    • #
      26.1
      Rachel — November 9, 2013 at 7:10 am

      So glad everyone enjoyed them! :) Thanks for sharing.

  27. #
    27
    Mari-Ann — September 22, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    Love Love snickerdoodles and pumpkin almost anything! Making these after the heat goes down later in my day!

    My 27yr old son and I bonding over cookies! As Martha would say “it’s a good thing!”

    Thank you Rachael,

    Waiting for the heat of the day to go down,
    Mari-Ann

    • #
      27.1
      Rachel — September 23, 2015 at 6:53 am

      I hope you both enjoyed the cookies!

  28. #
    28
    Donna — October 19, 2015 at 11:16 pm

    Do I need to sift flour?

    • #
      28.1
      Rachel — October 20, 2015 at 7:19 am

      That shouldn’t be necessary unless your flour is well packed down.

  29. #
    29
    carolyn burkhalter — November 6, 2016 at 1:32 pm

    have made these 4x and I subbed pumpkin pie spice for the spices and put a dab in the sugar and cinnamon -also I use half white sugar and half brown sugar-tit works great

    • #
      29.1
      Rachel — November 7, 2016 at 7:15 am

      So glad you enjoyed them, Carolyn! Thanks for sharing! :)

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