Chewy Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies

Full stack of pumpkin snickerdoodles on a wood table.

Chewy Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies

This is an easy, no mixer required, small batch recipe for chewy pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookies. Adapted from my original small batch snickerdoodles, these pumpkin cookies are soft, chewy, and full of pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and buttery butterscotch chips!

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Chill30

Total Time1 2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cookies

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

Ingredients

5 tablespoons pure canned pumpkin blotted to 3 tablespoons
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
¼ cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butterscotch chips optional
2 tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Blot the pumpkin to remove excess moisture – Fold a half-sheet of paper towel in half and place on a small plate. Add the pumpkin puree to the paper towel. Take another half-sheet of paper towel, fold in half, and press on top of the pumpkin to remove moisture. Repeat 2 to 3 times with another half-sheet of paper towel, until you have 3 tablespoons of pumpkin. The blotted pumpkin will have a thick, clay-like texture.
5 tablespoons pure canned pumpkin
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a medium mixing bowl, add the melted butter, both sugars, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Then add the blotted pumpkin and whisk until smooth.
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark, 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and mix until no dry streaks remain. Stir in the butterscotch chips. Note - You can leave the butterscotch chips whole, or chop them into pieces. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
3 tablespoons butterscotch chips
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add the cinnamon sugar to a shallow dish. To make cinnamon sugar, a good ratio is 1 teaspoon cinnamon to every 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Use a medium cookie scoop to evenly scoop 12 cookies. Roll each into a ball, then roll generously through the cinnamon sugar. Place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets – 6 on each sheet. One baking sheet at a time (refrigerate the other while the first batch bakes), bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set – the centers will still look soft. Note – I recommend baking one cookie sheet at a time to avoid opening the oven and losing heat to rotate the pans..
2 tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer to the rack to cool completely. The cookies can be covered and stored at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.

Notes

Serving Size - This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled. I recommend 2 egg yolks if doubling the recipe.
Yield - The number of cookies you yield from the recipe will depend on the size cookie scoop you use.
Blotting the Pumpkin - It is important to blot the pumpkin; otherwise, the moisture from the pumpkin will change the texture of the cookies. I recommend Libby's pumpkin because it contains less moisture than other brands.
Make Ahead – The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Storage - Store the cookies covered at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
Freezing - Baked cookies can be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. The cookie dough can also be frozen. Chill the dough, scoop, and roll into balls (not through cinnamon sugar), and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator, then roll through cinnamon sugar and bake.

Nutrition