Soft Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Add another delicious Fall cookie recipe to your list of seasonal treats by baking up a batch of these Big Pumpkin Snickerdoodles! These soft, tender cookies boast a sweetly spiced brown sugar flavor that pairs perfectly with canned pumpkin.
Pumpkin Spice Meets Snickerdoodle
This recipe for Big Pumpkin Snickerdoodles bakes the flavor of autumn right into a batch of cookies! These pillowy soft cookies are deliciously tender with a cinnamon sugar coating that gives these treats a satisfying crunch.
These pumpkin snickerdoodles are similar to my recipe for Snickerdoodle Cookies, with the same great tang from the cream of tartar and cinnamon sugar coating. We also stuck closely to a foundation of pantry staples and then gave them their pumpkin glow-up with ingredients such as 100% canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon.
The result is the perfect autumn cookie, loaded with sweet pumpkin flavor and seasonal spices. Make a batch to enjoy after a trip to the pumpkin patch or stash a batch in the freezer to get ahead of your Thanksgiving dessert prep!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Sweet brown sugar and pumpkin laced with seasonal spices.
Texture: Soft and tender cookies with a crunchy sugar coating.
Ease: 4/10
Pros: Incredible autumn flavor packed into a simple no-chill dough.
Cons: You’ll have leftover pumpkin puree in the can… I guess you’ll just have to use it to make another pumpkin recipe!
Would I Make This Again? Yes, a classic fall treat to be enjoyed year after year for any occasion!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- 100% Canned Pumpkin Puree
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla Bean Paste (or extract)
- All-Purpose Flour
- Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Powdered Milk
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Ground Cinnamon
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda
Ingredient Notes For Drying Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin comes with lots of moisture! This cookie recipe isn’t built for added moisture; therefore, it needs to be dried before incorporating the canned pumpkin. Doing so is crucial to the outcome of these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, so do not skip this!
I found that the best way to do this is to measure out the pumpkin and then spread it out onto multiple layers of paper towels. I then place additional paper towels on top of the pumpkin and press down for the paper towels to absorb the moisture.
Then, I toss the used top layer of paper towels and replace them with fresh ones. Next, I flip the pumpkin over so that the new paper towels are now on the bottom. Then, I discard the original bottom layer of paper towels and press the dry paper towels onto the pumpkin to remove any remaining excess moisture.
Once the canned pumpkin has been dried, you should have 100 to 115 grams of dried pumpkin to add to this cookie recipe.
How To Make Big Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Preheat the oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Then set the prepared pans aside.
- Cream the unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed using a stand mixer that’s fitted with a paddle attachment. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down as you go!
- Measure and spread the canned pumpkin out on paper towels. Press the pumpkin with another set of paper towels on top. Replace the top paper towel and flip the pumpkin so the new top towels are now on the bottom of the pumpkin. Discard the original bottom paper towels and replace them with two new ones. Press to remove any excess moisture in the pumpkin.
- Add the dried pumpkin to the mixing bowl with the creamed sugars and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then mix in the vanilla bean paste until just combined.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, box of instant vanilla pudding mix, powdered milk, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, salt, ground cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet with the mixer beating at low speed.
- Mix granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Portion out the cookie dough and roll each dough ball between the palms of your hands. Then roll each cookie dough ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
- Place the sugar-coated cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each.
- Bake the cookies one baking sheet at a time.
- Whisk granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a clean, small bowl.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool before dipping each one in the freshly prepared cinnamon sugar mixture. Once dipped, transfer the finished cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Rebecca’s Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Tips
- For an added boost of pumpkin flavor, you can use Pumpkin Pudding Mix instead of vanilla if you’re able to find it.
- Powdered milk adds so much in terms of flavor, even though it seems like such a small amount. Since this ingredient doesn’t impact the texture or structure of the cookie, it can be left out if you prefer.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for two minutes is crucial to the final structure of the cookies; therefore, do not shortcut this step!
- Be sure to properly measure your flour and other dry ingredients to ensure the cookies don’t come out dry and crumbly. On the recipe card, I’ve included measurements in grams so you can weigh them using a kitchen scale.
- Some of the dry ingredients may settle to the bottom of the bowl during the mixing process, so it’s essential to double-check and incorporate any unmixed ingredients. To do this, use a rubber spatula or your hands to work the drier bits into the dough. Do not keep mixing with a mixer, as the dough will become overworked.
- Portioning out the cookie dough can be done with a large #16 cookie scoop, using a kitchen scale to divide the dough into 2.5-ounce dough balls, or by using a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
- The cookies will have a slightly gooey center. If you prefer cookies that are slightly more chewy throughout, I recommend using the palm of your hand to gently press the cookie dough mounds down so they’re about 3/4 inch thick before baking.
Storage Instructions For Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Transfer the completely cooled cookies into an airtight container or a gallon-size Ziploc bag with parchment paper to separate the layers. Store the cookies at room temperature to enjoy for up to 3 days!
How To Freeze Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Get ahead of your holiday baking to bring a batch of these pumpkin cookies to Thanksgiving! To do so, wrap the completely cooled cookies individually in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil.
Transfer the double-wrapped cookies into a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag and store them in the freezer. Enjoy the cookies within 1 to 2 months.
More Pumpkin Cookie Recipes:
- 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Simple cookies that pack a ton of flavor!
- Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling – Made with cheesecake-like centers!
- Oreo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – A loaded fall treat that everyone will love!
- Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, chewy cookies studded with sweet chocolate!
- Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies – The classic fall treat with a tasty spin!
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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer recommended, not required
- Paddle attachment recommended, not required
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen Scale recommended, not required
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, softened
- 1¼ cup dark brown sugar 250g, packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup 100% pumpkin puree 175-200g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 520g, spooned and leveled
- 1 (3.4oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix 96g, unprepared, see notes
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk 10g
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer (I highly recommend a stand mixer for this recipe) fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together 1 cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cup dark brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar on medium speed (speed 4 on a stand mixer) for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Measure and spread the ¾ cup 100% pumpkin puree out on paper towels. I usually start with four of the select-a-size sheets on the bottom or two regular folded over, then press the pumpkin with another set of paper towels on top. Replace the top paper towel with two select-a-size sheets and flip the pumpkin so the new top towels are now on the bottom of the pumpkin. Discard the original bottom towels and replace them with two more, pressing to remove the excess moisture. You should have about 100-115g of pumpkin after squeezing.
- Add the pumpkin to the mixing bowl, it should peel off the towel easily, but you can use a rubber spatula to assist. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each one just until the yolk is streaky throughout the dough. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste and mix just until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 (3.4oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix, 2 tablespoons powdered milk, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon baking soda. With the mixing beating at low (stir) speed, slowly add the flour mixture a cup at a time. If you have a flour shield for your mixer, I recommend using it as this recipe creates a lot of dough. Increase the speed to medium and mix just until combined, then remove from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to mix up any loose flour from the bottom of the bowl into the dough.
- Mix together ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl and set aside.
- Use a large #16 cookie scoop to portion out the dough into 2.5-ounce portions. Roll the balls of dough between your palms, then roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Discard the cinnamon sugar mixture after all cookie dough balls have been rolled in it.
- Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each (8 cookies will fit in offset pairs on a 13×18-inch cookie sheet). The cookies will have a slightly gooey center. If you prefer cookies that are slightly more chewy throughout, use the palm of your hand to gently press the cookies down so they are about ¾-inch thick.
- Bake the cookies one cookie sheet at a time for 11 to 13 minutes.
- While the cookies bake, add ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before dipping each one in the freshly prepared cinnamon sugar mixture and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you can find Pumpkin Pudding Mix, you can use that instead of vanilla for an added boost of pumpkin flavor.
- The powdered milk can be left out as it won’t impact the texture. However, it adds so much in terms of flavor, even though it seems like a small amount.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for 2 minutes is important to the final structure of the cookie; do not shortcut this.
- There will likely be some flour that settles in the bottom of the bowl; make sure you get this all mixed in. Do not just start cooking off the dough from the top, or you’ll end up with a couple of dry cookies near the end. So, use a rubber spatula or your hands to work the drier bits into the dough. Do not just keep mixing in the mixer; this will overwork the dough and won’t be as effective. This was my experience with a stand Artisan 4.5 qt mixer; it may come together just fine with a larger size.
- A ¼ cup measuring cup can also be used to portion out the dough.
Nutrition
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