Go Back

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin snickerdoodles are soft, pillowy cookies with crinkled cinnamon-sugar coating and golden caramelized edges. This method pre-blots the pumpkin to prevent excess moisture and bakes until the centers stay soft.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 2.75 cup all-purpose flour
cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
cinnamon
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp cinnamon for rolling
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
allspice
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
unsalted butter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
granulated sugar
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar for rolling
egg
  • 1 egg
pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree blotted very dry
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.25 tsp pumpkin pie spice for rolling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets. Arrange one rack in the middle so the cookies bake evenly.
  2. Blot pumpkin puree very dry with paper towels. Press firmly until the towels stop picking up excess moisture for crinkled tops.
Make the cookie dough
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk until evenly speckled.
  2. Beat softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until very fluffy. The mixture should lighten in color and look airy.
  3. Add egg, then mix in blotted pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Stop as soon as everything looks combined with a smooth orange tone.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix just until no dry streaks remain.
Roll and bake
  1. Mix rolling spices in a shallow bowl: granulated sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until the color is uniform.
  2. Scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon dough balls, then roll generously in the cinnamon spice sugar. Coat thickly so it clings and crinkles during baking.
  3. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. Look for a crinkled surface with golden caramelized edges.

Notes

For the signature crinkle, blot the pumpkin until very dry and avoid overmixing the dough after adding the flour. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant butter stick (solid, for baking) in place of the unsalted butter.