Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
These pumpkin spice snickerdoodles have all the delicious characteristics of snickerdoodles with a pumpkin flare. Soft and chewy with the warm flavors of fall; they really are the best.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
- 1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (5.65 ounces) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ cup (6.75 ounces) canned pumpkin puree see note
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cup (16.25 ounces) all purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cloves
Topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice see note
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated and brown sugar together for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
-
Add egg yolk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and mix 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
-
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients, pulsing a few times until no dry streaks remain.
-
For the topping, in a small bowl stir together the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
-
Scoop the soft dough with a spoon in balls (I use a #20 cookie scoop for larger cookies and a #40 scoop for smaller cookies). Roll each ball into the sugar topping mixture and place on prepared cookie sheets leaving 1 1/2 inches between (4 rows of 3 cookies across for each baking sheet is perfect).
-
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until top is lightly browned and crackly and edges are set. In my oven, 14 minutes is perfect for the #40-sized cookies and 16 minutes for the #20-sized cookies.
-
Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
1. Pumpkin can be a tricky ingredient to use in recipes because there is such a different consistency brand to brand. I use Libby's brand of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) in this recipe. I haven't tried the recipe with homemade pumpkin puree, but I think the texture might be a bit different since homemade pumpkin puree is runnier than canned.
2. You can substitute cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice in the topping.
3. As a variation, press 5 or 6 dark chocolate chips into the top of these cookies before baking. Yum!