What do you call it when the classic snickerdoodle gets a pumpkin-y makeover? Autumn in a cookie? Snickering pumpkin-doodles? Whatever you want to call them, these soft pumpkin spice cookies are so good that I’ve made three batches in the last month.
They are pleasantly spiced, yet retain the character of snickerdoodles instead of just turning into a pumpkin cookie. You can see from the pictures that the color of these cookies is a very light orange. That’s partly from using homemade pumpkin puree, but it’s also a good clue that the pumpkin flavor is subtle, not overwhelming.
Unexpected Inspiration
I found the original recipe for these in a recently published Amish cookbook. As a whole, the cookbook was disappointing: I was shocked at how many recipes started out with packaged mixes, processed ingredients, or Velveeta. Either those recipes aren’t authentic, or Amish cooking is not what it used to be.
After looking through the cookbook, a handful of the recipes seemed good enough to test. I am very glad I tried this one! Three batches have disappeared pretty quickly in the last few weeks. With a few tweaks of my own, here is a recipe for pumpkin spice cookies that’s fast becoming a family favorite.
Dairy-Free Version
You can even make it dairy-free, if you so desire. I substituted melted coconut oil for the melted butter, and it worked just fine. Make sure your coconut oil doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor, however (this depends on how the coconut oil was processed and refined). Pumpkin and coconut might be a good flavor combination, but then again, it might not!
One other note if you’re using coconut oil: normally when you use this to replace butter, you should use the same amount of coconut oil plus a tablespoon of water. For this recipe, you may either add a tablespoon of water, or just use a bit less flour.
Let’s Make Pumpkin Spice Cookies!
First things first: preheat your oven. Mine is a propane oven, which takes a long time to heat up. Maybe if you have an electric oven, this step isn’t so important to do right away.
Next, mix your dry ingredients together. If you will be using coconut oil instead of butter, consider adding 2 1/4 cups of flour instead of 2 1/2 cups. Otherwise, use the full amount and just add a tablespoon of water in with your liquid ingredients.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the sugar with the pumpkin, egg, and cooled melted butter. The butter doesn’t have to be completely cooled- you just don’t want it hot enough to curdle the egg. Mix thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Don’t overmix.
In a smaller bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with remaining spices. Form the cookie dough into 3/4-inch to 1-inch diameter balls. If you make bigger balls, you probably won’t use all the sugar. Roll in sugar mixture and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are firm and the bottoms are golden. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
For more pumpkin spice inspiration check out Rosalie’s pumpkin spice oatmeal snack cake!
Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg grated
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, melted butter, pumpkin, and egg.
- Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture just until combined. Dough will be soft.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with remaining cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Form dough into 1-inch balls. Flatten slightly. Roll in sugar mixture and place 1 1/2" apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
[…] For more baking fun, check out this recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles! […]