Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Pillowy soft with lightly crackly tops and a pumpkin spice sugar coating, this recipe is based on my Grandma Dorothy's classic snickerdoodles, with a fall twist.
The sun has started setting at 4:30 p.m. here in Milwaukee, and let’s be real: it’s pretty depressing (which may also explain why the alcohol consumption in Wisconsin is so high). One antidote I can count on in our post-Daylight Savings era is baking. If it perks you up too, here’s a recipe for Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies that is sure to bring you sunshine, even after dark.
I’m no stranger to pumpkin cookies (as witnessed by Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies), but most of the ones I’ve tried have a cakey, muffin-like texture.
A cakey cookie is not a bad cookie by any means! But, I’ve just always considered them their own genre.
They’re simply not the chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie experience I need when 5:15 p.m. feels more like the middle of the night.
The reason most pumpkin cookie recipes turn out cakey is the pumpkin itself.
Pumpkin purée is mostly water and has natural pectin and fiber, which turn the cookies into more of a batter. In the oven, the extra water creates steam and lift, while the starches set into a soft, cake-like crumb.
Since we can’t cut out the pumpkin and have a real pumpkin cookie, I experimented with removing the other big source of moisture and lift: the egg.
It worked! Skipping the egg lets the pumpkin act as the binder on its own, reduces total moisture, and limits rise, so the cookies spread more and set chewier, instead of fluffy.
As far as the snickerdoodle inspiration, that’s personal nostalgia, and I thank you for indulging me.
Snickerdoodles have long held a place in my heart. My Grandma Dorothy (of homemade cinnamon roll fame) used to make tins and tins of them every Christmas.
I once asked my grandma the difference between a snickerdoodle cookie and a regular sugar cookie. She explained that snickerdoodles contain cream of tartar, which makes them taste special, and they are always rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
I can still feel the excitement of opening the green lid of her cookie tin to reveal the homemade snickerdoodles within.
For this pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe, I stayed true to my grandma’s directives—cream of tartar and plenty of cinnamon sugar—then added additional warm spices like ginger and nutmeg to up the “pumpkin” factor.
Grandma always made her snickerdoodles small (all the better for pressing into her grandchildren’s palms when our parents weren’t watching), and since I learned from the best, I did the same with these.
I find their mini sizes makes them even more fun to pop into your mouth every time you pass through the kitchen.
How do you keep spirits up when the weather turns cold and dark? I’d love to hear what helps you through in the comments below!
And if you try these cookies, please let me know!
If you enjoyed reading this, give this post a quick ❤️
Leave a comment! Tell me one thing you liked (or didn’t!) about this post👇🏼
If you know someone who would enjoy this article, go ahead and forward it to them 💌
Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
A word on the chilling situation: The dough needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge before you can bake it. I know. I KNOW. When you want cookies, you want them now, not in 30 minutes.
But here’s the thing: you can make this dough up to 3 days ahead, and it actually gets BETTER as it sits. The spices bloom, the flavors deepen, and the dough becomes easier to work with. So if you’re a planner, you’ll be rewarded (and if you’re not, set a timer for 30 minutes and go do something productive like scroll Instagram or reorganize your spice drawer instead of answering that email you’ve been dreading).
These cookies will look underdone when you pull them from the oven. Trust the process. Remove the sheet pan from the oven when the edges are just barely golden. The fabulous, chewy texture doesn’t happen right away, so give them time to cool. I promise the delayed gratification is worth it!
Tools
Precut Parchment Paper Sheets. I use these more than regular parchment paper! Such a time saver, and your paper won’t curl up on you.
Cookie Scoop. Perfectly portion your cookies for even baking.
Cookie Sheet. This is my favorite bakeware brand. No warping, no over-browned cookie bottoms. If it’s time for an upgrade, I highly recommend these.
Yield: about 21 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
1/4 cup light brown sugar (50g)
7 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree (100g; that’s 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons — perfect for using up leftover pumpkin from any of these recipes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
For Rolling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
