Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe

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These Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are a classic snickerdoodle with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice baked right in, rolled in cinnamon sugar. This pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe uses melted butter and no eggs, with cream of tartar for that classic snickerdoodle tang, and they’re even better with a mug of my Rich and Creamy Hot Chocolate.

Pumpkin snickerdoodles cookies stacked on a baking sheet.

A lot of pumpkin cookies turn out cakey because pumpkin adds so much moisture. These stay soft and chewy, with crinkly cinnamon-sugar tops. One batch makes 14 big cookies, which is just right for a fall party or a cookie tray. Set them out with a pot of Slow Cooker Apple Cider or next to a Pumpkin Sheet Cake for a full fall dessert table.

Quick Look: Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour to chill
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Servings: 14 cookies
📊 Calories: 172 kcal per serving
🥣 Ingredients: Butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, flour, pumpkin pie spice, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
⭐ Difficulty: Easy — whisk two bowls together, chill, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

No Mixer Needed. Melted butter means the dough comes together by hand in one bowl.

No Eggs. The pumpkin does the work an egg normally would.

Soft and Chewy, Not Cakey. Just enough pumpkin for flavor without turning them into little cakes.

Ingredients Needed

Butter: Melted, so you can whisk the dough by hand.
Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
Brown sugar: It's part of what keeps these soft and chewy, so don't swap it all for white sugar.
Cream of tartar: It’s what gives snickerdoodles their tang and chew, so don’t leave it out.

How to Make Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Wet batter mixed in a bowl. Dry batter mixed in another bowl. Wet and dry mixed together.

Step 1: Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until combined.
Step 2: Stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Mix until a soft dough forms, then cover and chill.

Sugar coating mixed in a small bowl. Dough rolled into balled and the coating and placed on the baking sheet.

Step 5: Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a small bowl.
Step 6: Scoop the chilled dough.
Step 7: Roll each scoop into a smooth ball and coat it in cinnamon sugar.
Step 8: Set the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake, and let the cookies cool on the pan.

Pumpkin snickerdoodles cookies on a baking sheet.

Recipe Tips

Don't skip the chill. Melted butter and pumpkin make a soft dough. An hour in the fridge makes it easy to roll and keeps the cookies from spreading too thin.
Roll the balls smooth before coating. Smooth balls bake up into rounder cookies with an even layer of cinnamon sugar.
Let them cool on the pan. They're soft right out of the oven and set up as they cool on the baking sheet.

Recipe FAQ's

Do pumpkin snickerdoodles need cream of tartar?

Not this recipe. Classic snickerdoodles use cream of tartar for their tang and chew, but these use baking powder and baking soda instead, so you can make them with what's already in the pantry.

Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey?

Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture, and too much of it gives you a cake-like cookie. This recipe uses just 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree with melted butter and brown sugar, which keeps them soft and chewy.

Do I really have to chill the dough?

Yes. The dough is very soft right after mixing. Chilling it for an hour makes it easy to roll into balls and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.

What's the difference between a snickerdoodle and a sugar cookie?

A snickerdoodle is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. That cinnamon-sugar coating is what makes it a snickerdoodle, and it's what gives these pumpkin snickerdoodles their crinkly tops.

Why do snickerdoodles have cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their slight tang and soft, chewy texture. It works with the baking soda to help the cookies rise, so don’t skip it. If you want the original, my Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies are the ones to make.