Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

This Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe will become your new favorite. Step-by-step photos show you how to bake these cookies. Brown butter, pumpkin pie spice, and real pumpkin puree are what makes these the best Pumpkin Cookie! 

This recipe is full of pumpkin flavor, it was heavily based on my chocolate chip pumpkin cookie recipe. The perfect warm, spicy cookie this time of year.

Ingredients

For this autumn cookie recipe you will need:

• Unsalted Butter. Half of the butter we will brown and the other half you can chop up and place in a bowl then pour the brown butter on top to melt the cold butter. Check out this post on how to brown butter.
• Sugar. For the best chewy but also spread out cookie we'll use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar.
• Pure Pumpkin Puree. Make sure you do not accidentally buy pumpkin pie filling mix. Also if you are using already opened pumpkin puree make sure you let it sit at room temperature to warm up so it doesn't shock the rest of the ingredients.
• Egg Yolk. This also needs to be at room temperature, place the egg in a bowl of warm water before cracking.
• Vanilla Extract. Use the real stuff, no imitation vanilla, please!
• All-Purpose Flour. Adding too much or too little flour can drastically change the shape and texture of your cookies, make sure you measure correctly. This is why I prefer a digital scale I use the OXO Kitchen Scale it's a great investment.
• Salt. Salt is most often thought of to balance sweetness but salt enhances all the other ingredients flavors.
• Baking Soda. Baking soda helps the cookies rise in the oven.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice. I use premade pumpkin pie spices. You can totally use a blend of spices instead of buying premade pumpkin pie spice. Here's a pumpkin pie spice recipe.
• Cornstarch. This secret ingredient helps tenderize the cookie dough for a soft cookie.
• Cream of Tartar. This key ingredient is what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle. When combined with baking soda cream of tartar helps make a chewy cookie with a slight tang.

Instructions

For the start of this recipe we will brown part of the butter. You can check out this post for step-by-step photos and instructions on how to brown butter.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter, watch carefully, and mix constantly. DO NOT WALK AWAY! The butter will begin to turn more of a golden color with brown flecks and become foamy, you will smell a nutty aroma. This is browned butter, quickly take it off before it becomes burnt butter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer or a large bowl add the brown butter and the regular butter. Let the brown butter melt the other butter for a few minutes.

Once almost completely melted mix together and add the brown sugar and granulated mix and beat for 2 minutes using the paddle attachment or a handheld electric whisk.

Add in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract beat for two minutes on medium-low speed. After the two minutes let the batter rest for 30 seconds and repeat the process 2 more times. You'll see the batter lighten in color quite a bit by the end of the mixing.

In a separate bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients -- the flour, salt, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and cornstarch.

Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over mix, that will create tough cookies!

Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the dough balls then roll into a tall ball of dough. Taller dough balls help bake thicker cookies.

Traditionally snickerdoodles are coated in a cinnamon and sugar mixture but since these are pumpkin snickerdoodles I chose to use pumpkin pie spice.

In a small bowl whisk together the sugar and pumpkin pie spice- you want it evenly combined! Then coat each dough ball thoroughly. Now you'll chill the dough. Place the cookie dough balls in an air-tight container or on a sheet that is covered with plastic wrap the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

You can totally chill the dough for a couple of days but not matter what if you chill the dough for more than an hour let the cookie dough balls sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or parchment paper.

Place the cookies 2 inches apart and if desired sprinkle a little more of the sugar mixture on top and bake for 9-11 minutes, the cookies should be just set and not look "wet" on the tops and lightly browned.

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Store the baked pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies in an airtight container for 5 days.

How to freeze

To freeze unbaked cookie dough: After you have scooped the cookie dough and rolled it in the cinnamon sugar topping place the dough balls on a parchment-lined paper to flash freeze for the first hour then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Flash freezing the dough before placing it in the storage container ensures the dough will not stick together so you can bake off one cookie at a time if you want.

To bake frozen cookie dough: Preheat the oven as normal and place dough balls on a Silpat lined baking sheet and for an additional minute or two to what the recipe calls for.

Freezing baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely then transfer to freezer safe container. Best eaten within one month.

To thaw frozen cookies: Place the cookies in a single layer on a plate on the counter at room temperature for about an hour.

Check out this post on my Cookie Baking Tips

Can you double

You can totally double this recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles. On the recipe card below there is a button just press the 2X for the ingredient quantities to be doubled.

More pumpkin recipes

For a delicious fall-inspired brownie recipe check out my pumpkin cheesecake brownies.

My friend Hayley makes the best Churro Pumpkin Bread!

These individual pumpkin cheesecake cups are the perfect party dessert!!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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