Super chewy and gooey, these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies combine the cozy fall flavors of brown butter, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon sugar. A spin on my viral brown butter snickerdoodles, with no extended chill time or mixer required.
Creating the best chewy pumpkin cookie has been a proud achievement of mine as a former pastry chef— this recipe continues to go viral year after year with over 500 five-star reviews!
They are everything a pumpkin cookie should be: chewy with crispy edges and bursting with the classic snickerdoodle flavors, enhanced with nutty brown butter and warm pumpkin pie spices. They’re a fall twist on a classic, just like my apple snickerdoodles and chocolate chip pumpkin cookies!
Table of Contents
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Cookies
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip. Like all baked goods, this recipe relies on accuracy for the best results.
Follow the instructions carefully. I recommend reading through the recipe at least once before beginning for success.
Let the brown butter cool before using. You want the butter to be cooled to the indicated temperature before using it. This is really important for a chewy texture. I found that butter that was too cold solidified and resulted in cookies that didn’t spread as much, and conversely, butter that was too warm caused the cookies to spread too much.
Use Libby’s Pumpkin Puree. I found that Libby’s Pumpkin is very consistent among cans and has less moisture than other brands. You won’t use all of it, so you can make pumpkin cheesecake cookies or spiced pumpkin cupcakes with the leftovers.
Blot the pumpkin puree. Spread it on a plate and blot it with paper towels until the towels barely have any moisture left. The dried puree should feel like soft play dough, where you can roll it up into a ball cleanly.
Use a large cookie scoop. Preferably, a spring-loaded one. For thick cookies with chewy and gooey centers, the cookie dough balls must be three tablespoons.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Dark brown sugar: The extra molasses in brown sugar gives the cookies a super chewy texture. You can use light brown sugar if you don’t have dark on hand.
Egg yolk: Egg yolks are used instead of whole eggs for rich and gooey centers. This also prevents a cakey texture, as the egg white holds a lot of moisture.
Pumpkin spice: You can make your own blend or buy it at the store. Use it for all of your fall baking needs (like for pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls!)
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Brown the butter. Once browned, chill it in the fridge, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the proper temperature.
This might seem tedious, but with cookie recipes, it’s more important to pay attention to the small details, whereas in other recipes (like my brown butter pumpkin bread), it’s not as important.
Step 2: Squeeze the pumpkin puree dry. Spread the measured puree onto a plate and press paper towels to absorb the excess liquid.
This is how the pumpkin puree should look when properly dried. I was able to roll it up into a ball.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugars together. Once the butter is cool, whisk in the granulated and dark brown sugar until well combined.
Step 4: Mix in the wet ingredients. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla extract until combined.
STEP 5: Mix in the pumpkin. Then, whisk in the dried pumpkin puree.
STEP 6: Fold in the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until combined.
Chill the dough bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes, which will make it easier to scoop.
Step 7: Scoop and roll in cinnamon sugar. Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and return them to the trays, spaced at least 2-3 inches apart.
Step 8: Bake! Bake one tray at a time until the edges are golden brown and the centers are puffy.
While one tray bakes, leave the other tray on the counter at room temperature.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Leftover cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for 2-3 days.
Freezer: Do not roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar if you want to freeze them. Store the scooped cookie dough in an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to bake them, let them come to room temperature, roll them in cinnamon sugar, then bake.
FAQs
YES! This step is critical for achieving extra chewy cookies. If you skip this step, the cookies will be thick and cakey.
This can happen when you absorb too much liquid from the pumpkin puree. Absorbing too much liquid can mess with the structure of the cookie texture, making it fall apart. I would also try baking them 1-2 minutes longer. If cookies aren’t quite baked enough, they will fall apart and crumble.
Make sure you are absorbing the liquid from the pumpkin puree. The second thing is making sure the butter is cool, but still liquid. If it has solidified, the cookies won’t spread as much as they should.
This could be caused by the butter not being chilled properly. Make sure it is within the temperature range indicated in the recipe card.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup Libby's Pumpkin Puree, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, **see notes for measuring**
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for rolling
Instructions
- Brown the butter over medium heat in a large stainless steel pan. While it cooks, it will foam, pop, and crackle. This is normal! Stand nearby, watch, and stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn. When the bottom is covered in brown bits of butter and it smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- You should have just slightly under 1 cup of browned butter (184 grams). Pour it into a glass measuring cup and let it chill in the fridge, stirring it every 20 minutes, for about 45-60 minutes, until a thermometer reads 70–75°F. It should feel cool and remain completely liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F(180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate. Press a stack of paper towels into it and soak up the extra liquid. Then scrape the pumpkin into a pile and re-spread it around the plate. Use a new stack of paper towels to keep absorbing the extra liquid until the pumpkin feels pretty dry, like soft playdough, and now measures roughly 1/3 cup (68-75 grams).2/3 cup (156 g) Libby's Pumpkin Puree
- When the butter is cool, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar for 1 minute. It should look like wet sand.1/2 cup (108 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (128 g) dark brown sugar
- Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and dried pumpkin puree.2 (38 g) large egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fold in the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda until just combined. Set the bowl of dough in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up. If the dough is still soft, you can chill it for longer!1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (208 g) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and the sugar. Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon-sized balls and roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 2-3 inches apart.1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bake the cookies one tray at a time for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the middle is puffy and slightly underbaked. Let the tray cool completely on a wire rack, then enjoy!
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you choose to freeze the cookie dough balls, let them come to room temperature before baking.
I’ve been making this cookie for years and love them so much. Lately they have been coming out flat. I did 12 scoops of 62-64 grams each, could the bigger size be the reason why they’re baking out flat?
Hi Kelly, so glad you’ve been loving the recipe for years! That shouldn’t be the issue, as I always bake mine large and roughly that same weight. I would try chilling the dough longer, it may be from warmer weather, or your oven could even be running a bit cooler than what it’s set to, causing them to spread more. Let me know if this is helpful, I’m always happy to help troubleshoot further!
I love these cookies and get asked to make them often by friends and family. I do leave out the pumpkin pie spice as it was too much “spice” for my taste.
Happy to hear that Amanda!
Can these be made gluten free
I’ve seen some readers use a cup for cup gluten free flour like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill with success!
While I was making them, I told myself I wouldn’t make them again because they took forever, but they were absolutely worth it because they are so delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and swapped for my gluten-free flour. Thanks!
Aw, yay! I’m so happy to hear that. I know they are definitely a labor of love but so worth it 🙂
My favorite cookies are these! Making them is a little difficult, but well worth the effort! So that I can enjoy one with coffee every morning, I keep a bunch in the freezer!!
These are my favorite cookies! A little bit of a pain to make them, but so worth it! I keep a bunch in the freezer, so I can have one with coffee first thing every morning!
Commenting to say I tried a different recipe this year and regretted not using this one! Still thinking about these cookies a year later 😭🎄
My whole family loves these, but in the past year I haven’t been able to get them the same! They spread even after taking the butters temp. and weighing everything to a tea. What else could be causing this?
Hi Kelly, have you checked your oven temp with a thermometer? It could be running a bit cooler than what it’s set to causing them to spread more. If oven isn’t an issue, I would try chilling the dough for 30-45 minutes before baking to see if that helps. Let me know if this is helpful!
I will try this today, thank you so much! Happy Holidays 🎄
Made these and was nervous about browning the butter and squeezing liquid from pumpkin. But I followed the recipe instructions and they came out perfect! They are delicious. Try it, you can do it!
I just made these exactly by the measurements substituted with the King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Baking Flour and they are freaking amazing. Hands down INCREDIBLE recipe. Can’t wait for my family to try them tomorrow at Thanksgiving Dinner!!
puffy but chewy on the inside. these were incredible! I think you have a little bit of wiggle room with the browned butter. It was my first time so I made some errors. It was in the fridge too low so it became a solid then i put it in a warm water bath and it got hot and I did this process twice. By the time I used the browned butter it still wasn’t a total liquid but the cookies turned out great!
Made these cookies as a special thank you treat for a work event. All I can say is wow! My husband said there is no reason to make regular snickerdoodle cookies anymore. Don’t be afraid to really brown the butter. It really makes all the difference in the world. I used a scale to measure the dried pumpkin puree as I think this is an area where the recipe can be inconsistent. I soaked up the excess moisture until the puree was putty in form then weighed it. I also added a small amount of extra flour (1/4 cup for a double batch) and chilled the dough to minimize the spreading. I also think the flavors are better when the dough has a chance to rest in the refrigerator before baking. I did leave the scooped dough out on the counter for 20 minutes before baking them. Otherwise the chilled dough won’t spread enough.
did ALL the multi, fussy steps and while the cookies are very good snickerdoodles, the pumpkin flavor just doesn’t come through. I’m sure the cookie is more moist with the pumpkin, but I was hopeful to have a replacement for pumpkin pie and this just isn’t it. Any suggestions for increasing the pumpkin flavor? I don’t think I’ll be making this again without that.
Hi Bev, you can always increase the amount of pumpkin pie spice!
This is my go-to cookie recipe now when trying to impress anyone! Turns out perfect every time and such crowd-pleaser. Thank you!
Soft and chewy, so good! Not too sweet, just right! I added a sprinkle of the cinny sugar on top right after they came out of the over, was a nice touch! Love the details in the recipe and the breakdown of the ingredients within the step by step instructions (SO HELPFUL!) Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!
I’ve read through the recipe several times. You indicate that it calls for 2/3 c pumpkin puree, yet in the directions, you indicate 1/3 cup pumpkin puree. Which one is correct?
thank you
Kathleen
Yes, the original measured pumpkin will be 2/3 cup. After absorbing the liquid you should have roughly 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree.