Pumpkin Snickerdoodles! These soft and chewy cookies are healthy and easy to make! Made with real pumpkin, spices, and white whole wheat flour, they're sure to be a hit with the whole family.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I don't think I either ate or made a snickerdoodle until well into my thirties.
My family is a chocolate chip / oatmeal raisin cookie family, so the soft, cakey, sugar-coated snickerdoodle was elusive to me. But no more! I've taken the bull by the horns (or the snicker by the doodle? Is that a thing?) and started making snickerdoodles a thing for my family.
Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone, so this isn't a traditional snickerdoodle recipe. These are pumpkin snickerdoodles. Some might even say that the presence of white whole wheat flour means these are healthy snickerdoodles, though I'd argue that they're still very much a cookie through and through.
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft and cakey on the inside with a perfectly-spiced crunchy sugar crust on the outside. They come together in one bowl and are made with ingredients you've probably already got on hand. Shall we make some?
What do I need to make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles?
- Pumpkin! Homemade pumpkin purée or canned are both fine.
- Flour. I used white whole wheat flour in this recipe.
- An egg. To bind this shizz together.
- Butter. Because we're worth it.
- Sugar. We're doubling down with both brown and white.
- Spices. It's a cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg situation.
- Baking powder and salt. As one does.
How do I make these pumpkin snickerdoodles?
Simple, friends!
We're going to start with a classic butter / sugar / egg situation. I like to use my stand mixer to get this classic ménage à trois all worked up, but you can also use an electric hand mixer, or, worst case, a whole lotta elbow grease.
Then the pumpkin purée goes in. The mixture will look pretty funky at this point, but don't worry, once the flour goes in it'll straighten things out.
As I've said many times before, I'm lazy AF and do not care for washing extra dishes. My solution to this when I'm baking is to sift my dry ingredients over the wet, rather than into a separate bowl. That is if I can even be bothered to sift in the first place. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
Anyhoo, the dry ingredients go in, and then everything gets mixed but not over-mixed. You know? Of course you do.
Now it's time to snicker your doodles. Or is it doodle your snickers? Whatever it is, here's what you're going to do:
Whisk up a little bowl of spiced sugar and set aside. Then roll generous tablespoons of dough into your hands to make little balls (<-- hee hee). It doesn't matter if the balls are perfect, because we're going to smush them anyways (<-- hee hee).
I tend to roll up 3-4 balls at a time and then toss them into the sugar to coat. Place the sugared balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and then repeat with the remaining dough.
Once your balls are all done, we're going to flatten 'em out. The best way to do this is with a flat-bottomed glass that you've coated in sugar (you do this by dipping the glass into water and then into the sugar bowl). This step may not seem necessary, but it prevents the glass from sticking to the cookies as you flatten them.
Bake those cookies up, and then just try to resist them as they cool. So good and pumpkiney and spicey!
How long will pumpkin snickerdoodles last?
A few days at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to three months in the freezer if you're a literal psychopath who keeps baked goods for that long.
Can I use canned pumpkin purée?
You may! But homemade is totes fine too.
Can I freeze the dough before baking?
You may! Do everything right up to and including flattening the cookies, and then freeze them unbaked in a single layer. Once they're frozen just pop them into a freezer bag, and you'll have pumpkin snickerdoodles ready to bake on a moment's notice!
I can't find white whole wheat flour
Bummer, man. But worry not, you can substitute it with a) whole wheat pastry flour, b) half all purpose and half regular whole wheat flour, or c) just all purpose flour.
Hey Nutrition Lady, what's the deal with white whole wheat flour?
Here’s the deal: regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour are typically milled from hard red wheat berries. Whole wheat flour contains the entire berry (bran, germ, and endosperm) while all-purpose flour has had the bran and germ removed and contains the endosperm only.
White whole wheat flour is milled from hard white wheat berries, and much like regular whole wheat flour, contains all three components of the wheat berry. The bran of the hard white wheat berry yields a lighter coloured, more tender, and sweeter-tasting flour, which is perfect for making baked goods that you want to be on the healthier side without tasting like a brick of bran.
Whole wheat pastry flour is made from soft white wheat berries, and is more tender with a lower gluten content than the hard wheat varietals.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Healthy Pumpkin Granola
Pumpkin Chai Latte
Homemade Pumpkin Purée
Instant Pot Pumpkin
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chickpea Blondies
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- ¾ cup 6 oz / 170g room temperature butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the cinnamon sugar:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or an electric hand mixer, combine butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and pumpkin and mix until well blended.
- Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt over the wet mixture.
- Mix until just combined, then place the snickerdoodle dough into the fridge for at least one hour.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F, 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Scoop out about 2 Tbsps of chilled snickerdoodle dough and roll in a ball in the palms of your hands.
- Toss with cinnamon sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until sheet is full, giving cookies some space for spreading.
- Take a smooth bottomed glass and dip the bottom in water and then in the cinnamon sugar. Press onto the cookies to slightly flatten. If the glass starts to stick to the cookies, re-coat the bottom in sugar.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating pan half way through baking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool cookies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only.
- How long will these cookies last? A few days at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to three months in the freezer.
- Can I use canned pumpkin purée? You may! But homemade is totes fine too.
- Can I freeze the dough before baking? You may! Do everything right up to and including flattening the cookies, and then freeze them unbaked in a single layer. Once they're frozen just pop them into a freezer bag, and you'll have pumpkin snickerdoodles ready to bake on a moment's notice!
- I can't find white whole wheat flour. You can substitute it with a) whole wheat pastry flour, b) half all purpose and half regular whole wheat flour, or c) just all purpose flour.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published October 28, 2011. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on November 20, 2018.
Joe Gradkowski
Katie, this is the first time that I've made something resembling a biscuit and it was absolutely excellent. My elderly neighbour (I'm not so young myself) supplies me with a bag of freshly grown vegetables for a very reasonable cost, every week. I had a surplus of butternut squash, which I used as a substitute for pumpkin in this recipe. Thank you and I shall continue to use my surplus squash in this recipe. If I become fat, I shall blame you - although I reduce the amount of sugars and incorporate agave syrup and artificial sweeteners instead.
Sylvie
This is going to be my holiday treat this year. This, and your coconut salted caramels (which started a small riot at my office - oops 🙂 yum!!!! Happy holidays y’all
alice k mynett
I have just a small tweak to suggest for these yummy cookies. Hold off preheating the oven as you are going to refrigerate the dough for an hour or so. Then turn the oven on.
Katie Trant
Good point! I've edited the instructions accordingly.
Becky
Thanks for the tip about using the bottom of a glass to flatten. You’re so creative! These cookies are delish ????
Cammy
All over the whole wheat cookies. Totally my thing 🙂
Sustainable Cooks - Sarah
I love whole wheat cookies because it can kinda help slow down my intense cookie binges. And these cookies are so delicious and taste just like fall.
Sandra Lea
Definitely will be making these this weekend. Anytime something is described as pillowy-soft I'm all in.
Dennis
These are worth the effort and your photos are so inviting. A great cookie.
Lauren
These are awesome. I’ve got a batch kept in my freezer for when the sweet cravings strike.
Tessa
I cannot resist the small plump local pumpkins at our rural farmers market in October. I roast and freeze. I made these for an upcoming visit with the grandchildren and they loved them. So good!
Alice Mynett
Katie, I just made this recipe this week. As you may know, I have known as the "snickerdoodle lady" in our neighbourhood and WOW, the addition of pumpkin to this favourite has made me even MORE popular. And I love that they can be frozen just before baking, so the house can smell great in a jiff, any time I want! When I printed out the recipe, I made THREE copies, as I know that I'll be asked for it. Thank you.
amy
I’ve always wondered what white whole wheat flour is! Now I know ???? these sound awesome!
Katie Trant
Yes, white whole wheat flour sounds like some kind of voodoo - but it's actually pretty simple!
Leanne
After a weekend of indulgence I was determined to get back on board the healthy-eating bandwagon ... but more pumpkin makes these healthy, right??! They look amazing!
themuffinmyth
They are a cookie through and through, but I'd say worth the indulgence!
Heather Gauthier (@h_gauthier)
making them today, love your recipes. thanks!
themuffinmyth
Awesome! Let me know how they turn out.
Jen Capell McCutcheon
looks awesome, Katie! What do you think would happen if I reduced the butter and substituted for apple sauce?
-- Jen
themuffinmyth
Jen, I've already reduced the butter a bit from the original recipe and increased the pumpkin puree. You could try going a bit farther, but at the end of the day this is a cookie and if you go too far you'll end up with a gummy little cake. Try it out bit by bit, you'll know when you've gone too far!
daisy
Is millet flour readily available in grocery stores, or is it a specialty item? I've never heard of it before.
themuffinmyth
The bag I have is from Bob's Red Mill, so if your local shop carries that brand you may be able to find it. I'm sure though that you could make millet flour by whirling millet around in a food processor until it reached a powdery stage if you were so inclined.
Health Freak College Girl
pumpkin + snickerdoodles. yes please!