Light Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

A simple sugar-cookie dough is rolled in sugar and pumpkin pie spice to create these soft, chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. They chill for just 10 minutes and bake in only 5–7 minutes—perfect for quick fall baking or an easy holiday treat.

The Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles put a seasonal spin on classic snickerdoodles by coating each cookie in pumpkin pie spice mixed with sugar. The result is a familiar tangy, chewy snickerdoodle texture with warm autumn spices on the outside. Using white whole wheat flour keeps them lighter and adds a bit more fiber than a standard all-purpose version.

They’re dangerously good—soft in the middle, tender around the edges, and richly spiced. Because the recipe uses softened (not melted) butter, the dough only needs a brief chill and they bake quickly, making this a convenient, crowd-pleasing fall cookie.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Recipe

• Soft and chewy: The classic snickerdoodle texture—tender center with slightly crisp edges.
• Pumpkin spice flavor: Rolling the dough in a pumpkin-spice-sugar blend gives a bright, warm spice profile without changing the beloved snickerdoodle base.
• Fast and easy: Minimal chill time and a short bake time makes these cookies ideal for last-minute baking.

What You’ll Need

This recipe uses familiar snickerdoodle ingredients with the addition of pumpkin pie spice for the coating.

• Flour — white whole wheat or all-purpose
• Cream of tartar — helps create snickerdoodle chew and signature tang
• Baking soda — leavening for lightness
• Sugar — used in both dough and coating
• Butter — softened, not melted
• Honey or agave — a small amount for sweetness and moisture
• Vanilla extract
• Egg — adds structure
• Pumpkin pie spice — combined with sugar for rolling

Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, mix your own: 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Stir and store in an airtight container for up to six months.

How to Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

These cookies are quick to make and straightforward. Follow the steps below for best results.

1. Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment and lightly spray or grease if needed.
2. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in a medium bowl.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the sugar and softened butter until blended. Add honey (or agave), vanilla and egg and beat until smooth.
4. Combine: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat just until combined. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.
5. Make coating: In a small bowl, whisk 3 tablespoons sugar with 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.
6. Form and roll: With hands slightly wet (keeps the dry dough from crumbling and helps the coating stick), shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the pumpkin-spice sugar until well coated.
7. Arrange and flatten: Place the coated balls about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and gently flatten each slightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass.
8. Bake: Bake at 375°F for 5–7 minutes. The centers should still look slightly soft when removed. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Tips for Success

• Wet your hands: The dough is a bit dry—damp hands make shaping easier and help the sugar coating adhere.
• Optional pumpkin puree: If you want a hint of real pumpkin, add a tablespoon or two of pumpkin puree, but reduce other liquids slightly to avoid sticky dough.
• Boost pumpkin flavor: Stir a little extra pumpkin pie spice into the batter for a more pronounced spice note.
• Don’t overbake: These cookies bake quickly. Remove them while they still look slightly underbaked in the center for the best chew.

Proper Storage

• Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Once cooled, cookies freeze well in a freezer-safe container or bag.
• Freeze dough: You can freeze the dough balls. Arrange on a baking sheet, flash-freeze, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time if needed.

Recipe Details — Skinny Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Yield: 42 cookies • Prep: 25 minutes total (includes chilling) • Cook: 5–7 minutes • Total: about 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar (for the dough)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons sugar (for coating)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (for coating)
• Cooking spray or parchment for the baking sheets

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar together.
3. Beat 1 cup sugar with softened butter until combined. Add honey (or agave), vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Cover and chill 10 minutes.
4. Mix 3 tablespoons sugar with 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. With wet hands, form dough into forty-two 1-inch balls and roll in the spice-sugar mixture.
5. Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets, slightly flatten with a fork, and bake 5–7 minutes. Cool on sheets 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

There may be a little extra sugar leftover after coating. The recipe is forgiving—feel free to adjust the spice level to taste.

Nutrition (per cookie)

Calories: 51 kcal • Carbohydrates: 9.5 g • Protein: 1 g • Fat: 1 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 6 g

These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are an easy, fast way to enjoy pumpkin spice flavors without a lot of fuss. They’re ideal for cookie exchanges, school lunches, or a cozy afternoon with a warm drink. Enjoy!