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.
Is it 1/3 cup of pumpkin or 2/3? It says 2/3 in the recipe and 1/3 in the instructions.
The pumpkin puree should first be measured to 2/3 cup. After blotting and absorbing the excess liquid, it should be half the original amount, 1/3 cup. Hope that makes sense!
Thank you!!
Perfection! I’ve made these twice! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions and ingredients listed at the end of each step. Very helpful!
SO GOOD!! These cookies are so beautiful and taste unreal I’m not joking! Perfect for fall! Love them thank youu
I tried a different pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe a couple weeks ago. They just weren’t very good. I had to keep looking. I made your recipe tonight and they’re SO good! They are very pumpkin-y, soft, moist and delicious! I’m excited to start going through your other recipes.
I am not a baker at all. Honestly, I’ve never made homemade cookies and had them turn out better than store bought dough but these are amazing and if you follow the recipe exactly (I didn’t even use a scale) it should work out great. These are the best cookies I’ve ever had and are definitely what I will be serving to guests for the season!
I am tempted to try every cookie recipe on this site just because these are so amazing!
I made these cookies with my kids and took them to work. People went CRAZY over them! Everyone said they thought they were crumbl cookies and asked me to make them again and what other cookies I can make. I’ve never made such delicious cookies! Perfect recipe! It felt like a fun science project!
so delicious! i followed the recipe exactly and they turned out amazing! i love the deep nutty flavour from the browned butter. i made 18, instead of 13 and they took 12-15 minutes to bake.
These cookies have an AMAZING flavor—the browned butter combined with the spices, YUM! Can’t wait to serve to guests this weekend!
Omg wow so soft and chewy and kind of have a similar taste to gingerbread. Was worried I didn’t have the Libby’s brand of purée but squeezing my local stores brand out with a cheesecloth was just as good and I definitely appreciated the measurements in grams for certain ingredients. Amazing cookie recipe for fall!!
I made these last night for my canasta gals and mine also came out flat as pancakes and easily fell apart. I always use a scale and I used your metric tab– I only bake using grams. I also doubled the recipe (I love that your sight allows the use of the metric conversion and to double and triple a recipe). Is your flour measurement correct when you double the recipe? Also, I went through 10+ paper towels drying out the Libby’s pumpkin puree. Did I dry it too much? The last paper towel still had a bit of moisture in it and the pumpkin felt like playdoh. At 12 minutes in the oven the cookies were still a bit raw in the middle. But that could be the difference in our ovens. I love to bake and bake all of the time… not sure where I went wrong.
Hi Becca, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe! It could have been that the pumpkin was dried a little too much if they were falling apart. If the cookies were still raw at 12 minutes in, it’s likely your oven could run cooler than 350 F, I would try bumping up the temperature a bit to see if that helps. Did the dough seem overly soft? You could also try adding an extra tablespoon of flour. There are so many variations of troubleshooting; humidity, elevation, and the brand of ingredients used can also influence baking. Let me know if this is helpful!
I think I’ll try that next time, since even after chilling for the noted time, the dough was a bit sticky to work with. Thankfully, dipping the cookie dough balls into the cinnamon sugar mix fixed that problem right away.
Great taste, pretty unique in that you can’t quite categorize it; it’s somewhere between cookie, brownie, and muffin. Yum!
i made this recipe twice in one day, that’s how good they are! so yummy and chewy and the process is so fun!
My husband ate one of these fresh out of the oven and said he thinks it’s the best cookie he’s ever eaten (and I make a lot of cookies!). These are DELICIOUS and I probably shouldn’t make them too often because I can’t stop eating them! The extra steps are worth the results!
Mine turned out VERY flat and VERY greasy 🙁 I followed the recipe exactly and I was very careful with my measurements. The first batch I did yesterday with just the 5 mins of chilling, super flat and greasy. The second batch I did was today, I had let the dough chill overnight & then I rolled out and chilled AGAIN before baking. Still just as flat and just as greasy. Super duper bummed! They get 3 stars though because they do taste good. My kiddo loves them & thinks they’re good too. I just wish they turned out better
Hi Alyssa, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe. Did you use a scale to measure your ingredients? It sounds like you may have needed more flour in the dough, or had too much butter, which is why they spread a lot and were greasy. Let me know if that helps!
Hello,
I would prefer to use a kitchen scale to measure the flour. But I do not see the grams conversion. Please help.
Zack
Hi Zach, there is a “Metric” button on the recipe card next to the “Ingredients” title that will convert the recipe to grams!