Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Soft and chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles with a cinnamon nutmeg sugar crust that crinkles perfectly in the oven. Made with blotted pumpkin puree and only an egg yolk for maximum chew with zero cakey texture. Three intentional techniques make these the best pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe you will ever make. Ready in thirty minutes and stays soft for days.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups 345g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup 170g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup 200g brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup 80g pumpkin puree (dab with a paper towel to remove excess moisture)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar coating:
- ¼ cup 50g sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Prep the pumpkin:
- Place pumpkin puree on a few layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, gently blotting to remove excess water.
Dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
Wet ingredients:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add in blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
Combine:
- Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Dough will be slightly sticky—chill for 30–45 minutes if too soft to scoop.
Coat:
- Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into balls, then coat generously in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake:
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone.
Cool:
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They’ll firm up as they cool so be patient!
Notes
Tips to Keep Them Chewy & Soft
- Blot the pumpkin puree to avoid excess moisture that leads to cakey cookies.
- Use only the egg yolk instead of the whole egg—it reduces cakey structure and keeps richness.
- Pull them out slightly underbaked so they finish setting on the pan.
- Store with a slice of bread in the container; this keeps cookies soft for days.