These pumpkin spice snickerdoodles are a cozy twist on a classic snickerdoodle cookie, with warm pumpkin pie spice and a cinnamon sugar coating. They have a soft, chewy center, lightly crisp edges, and plenty of fall flavor without needing any actual pumpkin.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These cookies have the familiar chewy texture and cinnamon sugar coating of a classic snickerdoodle, with pumpkin pie spice added for extra warmth.
- The centers stay soft and chewy while the edges become lightly crisp as the cookies bake.
- No pumpkin puree is needed. You get plenty of pumpkin spice flavor without adding actual pumpkin to the dough.
- The dough is easy to make! It comes together with simple ingredients and doesn't require chilling before baking.
- These pumpkin spice cookies are an easy fall treat for sharing, gifting, or enjoying as a perfect fall treat.
Other Recipes With Pumpkin Spice
Ingredient Notes
- Butter - Make sure the butter is at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars and eggs.
- Pumpkin pie spice - This is what gives these cookies their pumpkin spice flavor without using pumpkin puree. You can use a store-bought blend or make your own with individual spices if you have them on hand.
- Cream of tartar - A classic snickerdoodle ingredient that gives the cookies their slightly tangy flavor and characteristic soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla extract - Adds another layer of flavor to the cookie dough.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar - Using both gives the cookies a nice balance of sweetness and helps create their soft, chewy centers.
- All-purpose flour - Be sure to measure your flour accurately so the dough doesn't become too dry - don't pack the measuring cups!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this chewy cookie.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars and eggs. You don't want it to be too soft though, or else the cookies will spread.
- Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
- Use a cookie scoop to make evenly sized cookie dough balls so the cookies bake at the same rate.
- Don't skip the cinnamon sugar coating! It gives these cookies their classic snickerdoodle finish.
- Keep a close eye on the baking time. The cookies should look just set around the edges but still be soft in the center when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- For extra cinnamon flavor, add a little more ground cinnamon to the cinnamon sugar mixture.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
Step 2: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined into a soft dough.
Step 5: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
Scoop the dough into 2-ounce balls and roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (it's best to cook 6 cookies per pan to prevent them from running into each other).
Step 6: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just set. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before eating.
Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles FAQs
Store completely cooled pumpkin spice snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For the best texture, make sure the cookies are completely cool before sealing the container.
Yes! Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze the cookie dough balls if you're preparing them ahead. Place the cinnamon sugar-coated cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough balls on prepared cookie sheets and add a few extra minutes to the baking time. There's no need to thaw them first.
Pumpkin spice snickerdoodles get their fall flavor from pumpkin pie spice rather than pumpkin puree. This gives them the warm flavor of pumpkin spice while keeping the classic snickerdoodle texture.
Cookies can spread if the butter is too warm, the flour isn't measured accurately, or the dough is placed on a warm baking sheet. For the best results, use softened room-temperature butter rather than melted butter and bake the cookie dough balls on cool, prepared cookie sheets.
Other Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you make this pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined into a soft dough.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- Scoop the dough into 2-ounce balls and roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (it's best to cook 6 cookies per pan to prevent them from spreading into each other).
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just set. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before eating.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Make the dough ahead. Prepare the cookie dough, roll it into cookie dough balls, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it's too firm to roll or coat.
- Freeze the cookie dough. Roll and coat the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and bake from frozen when you're ready.
- Prep the cinnamon sugar mixture ahead. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and store it covered until you're ready to roll the cookies.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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