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Easy Soft-Baked Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

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These soft-baked pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are tender, cake-like, and bursting with warm pumpkin spice. Quick to make with simple ingredients, they’re the perfect fall treat that stays soft for days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  3. Add the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until just combined. The mixture may look curdled—this is normal.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and all the spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves).
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Add about a third at a time, mixing just until the flour disappears before adding more. Stop mixing as soon as the last streak of flour is incorporated.
  6. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. If too sticky, refrigerate for 15 minutes. If too dry, add a teaspoon of milk.
  7. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Use a fork to break up any clumps.
  8. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and roll them into balls. Drop each ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture and roll to coat completely. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look puffed and set around the edges but still soft in the center. They will not look fully baked.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This step is crucial. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t skip the cream of tartar—it reacts with baking soda for the soft texture and adds the signature tang. Room temperature ingredients are key for proper creaming. The ‘underbake and rest’ method ensures soft cookies; they continue cooking on the hot sheet after removal. For consistent sizing, use a cookie scoop. Let baking sheets cool between batches to prevent spreading.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, soft-baked cookies, fall cookies, pumpkin spice cookies, easy cookie recipe

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