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These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft, sweet, filled with real pumpkin, and spiced to absolute perfection. They’re truly the perfect fall cookie to indulge in this autumn. Plus, they’re naturally egg-free, dairy-free, and easy to make gluten-free!
Classic Snickerdoodles Filled with Pumpkin Flavor!
This fall, we’ve been all about desserts, and for a good reason! There’s just something about the weather cooling down that makes us want to cozy up by the fire and enjoy the sweetest of treats. We can’t be the only ones.
After baking up a batch of these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies coated in plenty of cinnamon sugar, make sure to check out our other treats you’ll want to indulge in this fall season: Vegan Caramel Apples, Vegan Snickers Bars, Vegan Apple Pie, Classic Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!
Or, if you’re on a snickerdoodle kick, check out our other snickerdoodle recipes! Vegan Eggnog Snickerdoodles and Classic Vegan Snickerdoodles!
Now let’s get into the details!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground flaxseed: In most of our cookie baking recipes, we whisk flaxseed meal with water to form a flax egg. In this recipe, we’re whisking the flaxseed meal with the pumpkin puree and vanilla to absorb the excess moisture in the pumpkin puree, yet still have binding properties to help keep the cookie dough together. If you are out of ground flaxseed, try ground chia seeds!
- Pure pumpkin puree: We typically opt for canned pumpkin puree because it’s easily accessible to us and very convenient. If you live outside of the Northern Hemisphere or can’t find canned in stores, make your own pumpkin puree using fresh pumpkins!
- Vegan butter: Buttery sticks are better than buttery spreads because they contain less excess moisture and are less likely to cause your cookies to overspread. We’ve used Earth Balance and Country Crock with good results! If you’re out of butter, try softened coconut oil.
- Sugar: These cookies are made with both granulated white sugar and brown sugar for the perfect soft and chewy texture!
- Flour: We used 100% all-purpose flour, but if you’d like to add a bit more fiber and nutrition to your cookies, you can replace up to 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This spice mix adds the perfect warm, aromatic fall flavor these pumpkin snickerdoodles. Like the pumpkin puree, we usually opt for a premixed store-bought spice blend, but if you’d like to make your own, try this Homemade Pumpkin Spice!
- Baking soda: In addition to helping these cookies rise, baking soda also encourages the cookies to brown until beautifully golden.
- Cream of tartar: When combined with the baking soda, cream of tartar acts as a leavening agent and helps the chewy cookies rise. It also gives these snickerdoodles they’re unique flavor!
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Electric mixer or standing mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
How to Make Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Combine the pumpkin puree, flaxseed meal, and vanilla. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, ground flaxseed meal, and vanilla extract. Set the mixture aside to thicken for 10-15 minutes, while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Then, using an electric hand mixer or the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together until the butter and sugar are well combined and light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add in the pumpkin mixture and beat again until uniform and well incorporated. Then, add in the dry ingredients and beat once more or until just combined. The final cookie dough may appear a bit crumbly, but when you press it together between your hands, it should stick together.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes. Tightly cover the cookie dough using a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Prep the cinnamon-sugar coating. While the cookie dough chills, whisk together the cinnamon sugar mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
- Scoop the cookie dough. Using a tablespoon-sized scoop, scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls. Roll each ball in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. If needed, use multiple baking sheets!
- Bake. Bake the pumpkin snickerdoodles for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Cool, then serve. Allow the baked pumpkin snickerdoodles to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Replace the all-purpose flour with equal parts Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. Avoid using single gluten-free flour such as coconut flour, oat flour, and almond flour. These flours are not made to mimic the properties of all-purpose flour and would require additional testing.
If you’re interested in gluten-free cookies, you might like these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Instead of canned pumpkin puree, make your own pumpkin puree from fresh sugar pie pumpkins. Or, use sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree. Avoid using pumpkin pie filling as this is made with added sugars and spices.
Unfortunately, no. The chill time is essential to firming up the cookie dough and preventing the cookies from overspreading while baking.
Storage Instructions
Leftover pumpkin snickerdoodles will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer-term storage, we’d recommend flash freezing the cookies until frozen solid, then transferring them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freezing them for up to 2 months.
Alternatively, the cookie dough can be frozen (with or without the cinnamon-sugar coating). Simply roll into individual cookie dough balls, roll in cinnamon sugar if desired, then freeze! Frozen cookie dough balls can be baked directly from frozen whenever you’re craving something sweet (add 1-2 additional minutes to the bake time).
Cookie Baking Tips
- Adjust the salt as needed. The salt measurement for these cookies is based on using unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, you may want to reduce the salt measurement to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Avoid making the pumpkin snickerdoodles too large. Larger cookies generally require a longer bake time. To prevent them from over-browning, large cookies also usually have a lower baking temperature. To prevent the cookies from browning too much around the edges, scoop the cookies no larger than 2 tablespoons.
- Mix the cookie dough on a low speed until just combined. Once the dry ingredients are combined with the wet ingredients, be careful to mix gently just until a cookie dough forms. Overdoing it can encourage the development of gluten and cause tough, chewy cookies!
More Seasonal Cookie Recipes You May Enjoy:
Gluten Free
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten Free
Vegan & Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft, sweet, filled with real pumpkin, and spiced to absolute perfection. They’re truly the perfect fall cookie to indulge in this autumn. Plus, they’re naturally egg-free, dairy-free, and easy to make gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1¾ cup (210g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For rolling:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, flaxseed meal, and vanilla extract. Set aside to thicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, add the softened vegan butter and granulated and brown sugars. Using an electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin mixture and beat until uniform. Add the flour, spices, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and beat again until just combined–the mixture may be crumbly. Using a spatula or your hands, mix until uniform.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls, then roll each ball into the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place the dough on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. You may need an additional baking sheet depending on its size.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, swap in equal parts Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
- Prep Time: 11 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Oven
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
Should the brown sugar be added at the same time as the granulated sugar (step 2)?
Hey Katie,
Yes both sugars should be added in step 2!
made these gluten-free for a friend with celiacs and all of our friends ended up enjoying them! thank you for a delicious recipe
Where are the “notes”? I’ve been looking for 10 minutes on my phone and computer and I don’t see them anywhere but two ingredients have an asterisk by them… what for??
here is the note: Softened vegan butter can be used in place of the coconut oil.