Cozy Small-Batch Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Soft, chewy snickerdoodle cookies with a gentle pumpkin warmth, made in a small batch of 8. Perfect for a cozy night in with a mug of tea or milk.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 8 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (plus 2 tablespoons for coating)
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, about 94g)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (for dough)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for coating)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat softened butter and ⅓ cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a wooden spoon or 1 minute with a hand mixer.
- Mix in pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until combined. The mixture may look curdled; that’s normal.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Optional but recommended: Chill dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the coating.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough into 8 equal balls. Roll each ball smooth, then coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place coated dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set and tops look slightly cracked and puffy. Centers will still look soft.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
For best results, use room temperature ingredients. Don’t skip the cream of tartar—it gives the signature tang and prevents spreading. Chill dough if possible for thicker cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; place a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months or unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months (add 2-3 minutes to bake time).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle, small batch cookies, fall cookies, pumpkin cookies, snickerdoodle recipe, easy pumpkin cookies