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Soft Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies: Easy Fall Recipe

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These soft pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies combine a pillowy center with a cinnamon-sugar shell, delivering a warm, spiced, and tender fall treat without the dry, cakey texture of typical pumpkin cookies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), drained
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 tablespoon 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. Drain the pumpkin puree: Place ½ cup of pumpkin puree in a fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper towel. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Gently press with a spatula to remove excess liquid. You should end up with about ⅓ cup of drained puree.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
  4. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
  5. Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla: Beat in the egg until combined, then add the drained pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix on low until just incorporated. The batter will look slightly curdled—that’s normal. Don’t overmix.
  6. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop as soon as you don’t see any more flour streaks.
  7. Make the cinnamon-sugar coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
  8. Scoop and roll: Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out dough balls. Roll each ball between your palms until smooth, then roll generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes: Bake one sheet at a time. The cookies should look puffy, slightly cracked on top, and the edges should be set but the centers will still look soft and slightly underdone.
  10. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes: Let them rest on the hot pan to set the structure. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Draining the pumpkin puree is crucial to avoid flat, wet cookies. Measure flour by spooning and leveling or using a kitchen scale (315g). Room temperature ingredients ensure proper creaming. Bake one sheet at a time for even results. Underbake slightly for soft centers. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to maintain softness for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, soft pumpkin cookies, fall cookies, easy pumpkin recipe, snickerdoodle recipe

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/soft-pumpkin-snickerdoodle-cookies-easy-fall-recipe/