Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe

There are plenty of different cookies to make to satisfy your craving for sweets, and we're not going to lie — we don't think we've ever met a cookie that we didn't like. While chocolate chip cookies may be the most popular kind of cookie that you can buy or make, there are many other options that are just as good and highly underrated. 

These snickerdoodle cookies not only have the perfect doughy makeup and a nice dusting of cinnamon and sugar on the top, which adds that little extra something that chocolate chip cookies just don't have. This particular spin on the traditional snickerdoodle also comes complete with a wonderful pumpkin flavor that you seriously don't want to miss out.

Recipe developer Kristen Carli has come up with plenty of great recipes for this beautiful, crisp time of year, and this one is no exception. "I love snickerdoodle cookies! The addition of pumpkin makes this perfect for fall," Carli shares. "The flavors complement each other well." Keep reading to find out how to make these fall-inspired snickerdoodle cookies right in your own kitchen.

As with any other recipe, the first thing you need to do is sit down and take inventory of what you have at home versus what you need to pick up at the store. For starters, you will need a lot of commonly used baking items, so if you're a baker, you may have quite a few ingredients at home.

Kick off your list with flour and ground cinnamon. Then, add ground cloves, nutmeg, ground ginger, baking powder, and baking soda. The recipe also calls for some salt and unsalted butter that's been softened. In addition, you will need some sugar, brown sugar, and an egg. To complete your list, add vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Once your ingredients are all set, it's time to begin.

Before you get your hands dirty with the nitty-gritty and mixing, it's a good idea to preheat the oven. For these cookies, you'll need the temperature to be at 350 F. So, take a walk over to your range, turn the dial, and let the oven work its magic in preheating. This ensures that your cookies will cook properly. 

Next, take out two large baking sheets, and spray them down with cooking spray. This will help prevent the cookies from sticking. If you don't have cooking spray, you can use a silicone baking mat instead.

Now, take out a medium-sized bowl to mix your dry ingredients. Start with the flour, which is used in pretty much every cookie recipe. Then, add in some of your wonderful spices that you picked up from the store. These spices include: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. At this time, you can also toss in the baking soda and the baking powder. Sprinkle some salt over the top, and then use a whisk to combine the ingredients well. "Whisking ensures that the small amounts of spices and baking powder get thoroughly incorporated," Carli says. 

Now, take out your trusty stand mixer, and start adding in the wet ingredients. The first thing you need to put in is the butter. Remember, you should have left it out of the fridge so that it softened already, which will make mixing easier. Then, toss in the regular sugar and the brown sugar. Mix those three ingredients well, and then toss in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Mix everything again to combine the ingredients well.

Then, add the wet and dry ingredients together. Mix one more time, and then store the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes. "Storing the batter in the fridge allows the batter to be super cold before baking," Carli shares. "This ensures that the cookies do not become too flat and melted during baking."

While the dough cools in the fridge, grab a small bowl, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and then the cinnamon for the cookie topping. Mix everything to combine.

Once the 30-minute timer goes off, take the dough out of the fridge, scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter, and roll it into a ball. Coat the ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and then place it onto your baking sheet. Repeat the process until you use up all the dough. This recipe should make about 16 cookies.

Pop the cookies in the oven, and bake them for 10 to 13 minutes. Remember to check the cookies as they bake, as each oven varies slightly. These would be great at room temperature, or they would be great warmed up as a post-dinner treat. Of course, the cookies are great on their own, but they would also be wonderful served with a scoop of ice cream or with a cold glass of milk.

As for leftovers? "I recommend storing [the cookies] in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days," Carli shares. We hope that you love this twist on a cookie classic as much as we do!