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 before scooping to 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 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. Too much liquid can mess with the cookie’s structure, 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 because the butter isn’t chilled properly or there isn’t enough flour. Use a scale and make sure the butter 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 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 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 chill in the fridge, stirring it every 20 minutes, for about 45-60 minutes, until a thermometer reads 75°F-80°F. It should feel cool and remain completely liquid.
- 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 (65-70 grams).2/3 cup (156 g) Libby's Pumpkin Puree
- Preheat the oven to 350°F(180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
- 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. Refrigerate the bowl of dough for 10-15 minutes. 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 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- Meanwhile, combine the cinnamon and the sugar in a small bowl. 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. Sprinkle the tops with extra cinnamon sugar after baking, 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.
Roomie said it was the best baked good they ever bad. Def not ai gen garbage. Love it and will be making more this year. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much, Aaron! I’m really glad you both enjoyed them, and so happy you’ll be making it again! 💛
This is easily one of the best cookies I’ve ever made. It is worth every bit of effort in browning the butter, cooling it, and frying the pumpkin. I can’t recommend it more to anyone who loves fall flavors. It is not heavy on the pumpkins flavor, more of an enhancement. I will make these again, and now I need to try the other brown butter snickerdoodle recipe. I’m going to need more salads in my future LOL.
Yay! I’m so happy you loved them, and I hope you love the brown butter snickerdoodles just as much! 💛
Delicious! I made these with non-Libby’s brand pumpkin & they turned out perfectly. You can use the store brand if needed but don’t skip the paper towel part of this. Super important.
I’m so glad they turned out perfectly! Thank you for sharing that the store brand worked well for you 💛
My go to fall recipe! I’ve been making these the past few years and they are always a hit! Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for coming back to make them year after year, Amber! 💛
I wanted to eat all the dough! Amazing Flavor! They came out puffed and soft but your picture shows them flat. Will they flattened over time?and are they supposed to be soft or crunchy?
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you loved them. The cookies do stay slightly domed in the center, but they should be soft and chewy. If they’re too puffy, you may have added a little too much flour to the dough, or the brown butter may have cooked a bit too long.
I don’t ever leave comments on recipes, but I’d like to note that I said “oh my god” as I ate my first bite of these cookies. Such a good cookie! I will be coming back to this one for sure.
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review!
The flavor is outta this world! That is not a debate at all. I had an inappropriate butter temp and well…everything to do with the butter I didn’t do right. But if you have the chops for this sort of technique you will not be disappointed. If this level of labor is not your forte pick another recipe. But, it’s worth a shot at least once to know what it tastes like. 🤌🏻
Damn, I really wanted to make these tonight. Unfortunately Libby’s was sold out and I had to buy the store brand. Now i’m wondering if I have to go hunt down Libby’s before making them.
Question though, have you, or anyone else in the comments tried pumpkin spice + sugar for the rolling? Or is it cinammon that works best? and only that.
Hi Rosalye! I recently had a reader use a non-Libby’s brand, so she cooked the pumpkin down on the stove until it reached the correct gram amount, and it worked well for her. As long as you use a scale and get the pumpkin to the right consistency and weight, you should be fine! I’ve also tried pumpkin spice in the rolling sugar. It gives the cookies a stronger, spicier flavor compared to cinnamon alone, so it really comes down to personal preference. Definitely worth trying! 💛
Mine turned out so amazing! I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin puree since that’s what I had on hand and it was exceptionally watery. I ended up cooking it down on the stove as well as patting it dry from 200g to 69g. I made 19 cookies by dividing them up about 40g each. Will definitely be making these again, although I may only add 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, but that is personal preference.
Just made these cookies – I didn’t have enough vanilla so I ended up doing 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp of maple syrup. My family is gluten free so substituted pilsbury gluten free flour and they turned out absolutely AMAZING. You would NEVER know these were gluten free. One of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you and your family loved them. It’s wonderful to hear that the gluten-free flour worked so well, and I love the little maple syrup addition. Thank you for sharing your substitutions and taking the time to leave such a sweet review!
Recipe was easy to follow and DELICIOUS. I will definitely be making again and exploring your other recipes!
Thank you so much, Juliana! I’m so happy you found the recipe easy to follow and loved how it turned out! I hope you find lots more recipes to enjoy.
Words cannot describe how fantastic these cookies are. The cinnamon and pumpkin flavors mesh so well! Def making these again 🙂
Thank you so much, Grace! I’m so happy you loved them 💛
I am obsessed with these cookies as well as your detail in the recipe. The one thing I would like to enhance is the chewiness of them…. Thing like molasses cookie. Would you add more cream of tar tar? Or do cornstarch at that point? Please advise
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you love them! 😊 I actually wouldn’t add more cream of tartar or cornstarch to make them chewier. More cream of tartar will mainly affect the flavor/leavening, while cornstarch tends to make cookies softer and more tender rather than giving them that dense, chewy texture you’re describing. I haven’t tested altering this recipe specifically for an even chewier texture, so I’d hate to recommend an adjustment without knowing how it would affect the rest of the cookie!
I absolutely love these, but I see there’s an update since I made them last fall. What changed? Also, do you think this would work as a base for browned butter pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
Hi Lisa! There have not been any updates to the recipe, just minor grammatical updates to the post itself 😊 And yes, it would! I have a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies if you want to check it out. The recipe is exactly the same, just with added chocolate.