Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles Recipe | Valerie's Kitchen (2024)

Classic snickerdoodles are dressed up for fall with the addition of pumpkin pie spice. These delicious Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles are a great way to start off your fall season baking!

These Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles are my newest fall baking obsession! They are the perfect thickness, nicely spiced, and wonderfully chewy.

Classic snickerdoodles rank very high on my list of favorite cookies. They are absolutely perfect in their simplicity. For this reason, I tread lightly when it came to modifying my base recipe to come up with this fall-inspired version.

This is not an in-your-face pumpkin recipe. While I wanted to add a seasonal twist, I didn’t want to mess with the beautiful integrity of this classic. The true snickerdoodle-ness remains, but a little pumpkin pie spice adds an undeniable fall flavor without affecting the soft, tender, chewy texture that is absolutely vital for this cookie.

I take my snickerdoodles very seriously.

Ingredients in Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

• Wet Ingredients – Softened butter, granulated and light brown sugar, eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
• Dry Ingredients– All-purpose flour, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

What is Cream of Tartar?

A true Snickerdoodle recipe will always include cream of tartar. What the heck is cream of tartar? It is an acidic by-product of the wine making process (strange but true!). It’s commonly used as a stabilizer and to add volume when making meringue. It’s also a component of baking powder. In this recipe, it helps to activate the baking soda and lends to the distinctive texture. It’s a vital component to this recipe.

What is in Pumpkin Pie Spice?

All pumpkin pie spice blends should contain a mixture ofcinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and sometimes they’ll also have a little allspice. Any brand of pumpkin pie spice you’ve got on hand will work for this recipe but Penzeys is my favorite.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

1. Use an electric hand or stand mixer to cream together butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until creamy and well combined.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, in increments, beating well after each addition. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least an hour or longer.
3. Combine the sugar and pumpkin spice mixture in a small dish. Roll the cookie dough into small balls with your hands or small cookies scoop and roll each ball in the spice mixture.
4. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined or ungreased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, just until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for only a minute or two and then transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Chilling the dough solidifies the butter a bit and helps ensure the cookies won’t spread too much when baking. Return the bowl of cookie dough to the refrigerator between batches.

Storage Tips

Transfer completely cooled cookies to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles?

It’s best to freeze the cookie dough and then bake up as many as you’d like when you need them. Shape the dough as directed and place them on a baking sheet without coating in the spice mixture. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for an hour or two or until they are frozen solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months.

When ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight then proceed with the recipe, as directed.

The perfect Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles for the fall season!

More Fall Baking Favorites

• Pumpkin Roll Cake
• Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
• Apple Cider Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

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