Mini Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe

Name: Mini Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 8 tbsp pumpkin puree; 8 tbsp butter; 1 cup granulated sugar (plus 1/4 for coating); 1/2 cup brown sugar; 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp pumpkin spice ( plus 1 tbsp for coating); 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp cremor of tartar; 1/3 tsp salt; 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

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Mini Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft and chewy mini cookies that requires no chilling time. They're perfect for serving and gifting during the holidays.

Minin pumpkin snickerdoodles and two cinnamon sticks.

If you love bite-sized cookies, give these coconut cream cheese cookies a try! They can be made using a food processor and are perfect along these pumpkin snickerdoodles.

Ingredients and substitutions

All-purpose flour: Use white all-purpose flour for this recipe. Remember to spoon and measure the flour right if you're working with cups.

Pumpkin puree: Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling has other ingredients added like sugar, that will affect the result.

Pumpkin spice: Use store bought or make a homemade pumpkin spice - I have my favorite in this pumpkin granola recipe!

Baking soda: You need this ingredient for these cookies to rise and crack.

Cremor of tartar: This is what gives snickerdoodles the tangy taste plus helps it to rise more when reacting with baking soda.

Butter: Use room temperature butter, salter or unsalted.

Egg yolks: We're using only the yolks when making this recipe.

I don’t add vanilla extract when making mini pumpkin snickerdoodles. I've baked with and without this ingredients, and prefer the version without vanilla extract.

Can I replace cremor of tartar?

If you can’t find cremor of tartar in your country, you can try adding a full tablespoon of lime juice. Add a tablespoon more of all-purpose flour if doing it.

Can I make these cookies without eggs?

If you’re looking for an eggless variation, replace the egg yolks for more pumpkin puree. When I do it, I use 3 more tablespoons of pumpkin puree.

How to make these cookies

Follow the order of the ingredients, and I promise you an amazing mini pumpkin snickerdoodle!

Start by preheating your oven, 350°F, middle shelf. This cookie dough requires no chilling time.

Wooden spoon mixing dough in a metal bowl.

Step 01. With a spoon or mixer on medium-low, mix butter, pumpkin puree, and sugars until the ingredients are well combined. Add egg yolks, pumpkin spice, mixing until they’re incorporated.

A bowl with the dry ingredients and a bowl with the wet ingredients.

Step 02. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Stir until they’re well combined.

Step 03. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Stir until cookie dough is formed and no dry spots remain.

Lined baking sheet, pumpkin spice sugar and cookie dough.

Step 04. In a small bowl, combine the remaining granulated sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.

Step 05. Shape 1 tablespoon of the dough into a ball, then roll it in the sugar-spice mixture. Repeat with all dough, and place the cookies onto a lined baking sheet.

Step 06. Bake until cookies are set, 9 to 10 minutes. They will come out of the oven still a bit soft but will set after a couple of minutes.

Mini snickerdoodles and cinnamon sticks.

Expert Tips

Don't forget to preheat the oven!
Use pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling when making this recipe.
Homemade pumpkin puree can be more watery than stoure bough. If yours is more liquid, you might get a dough that's too soft to mantain the shape. If that's the case, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more of all-purpose flour.
Check your baking soda and cream of tartar expiration dates.
After adding the dry ingredients, do not overmix! Mix just until everything is combined and there are no visible dry spots in the dough.
Both dark and light brown sugar work fine for this recipe. The only difference is that if you’re using dark brown sugar, your cookies will have a stronger caramel-like taste.

Storing and freezing

These mini pumpkin cookies are good for up to 1 week if stored correctly. Store them in an airtight container on your counter, away from sunlight.

You can also freeze them. If freezing cookie dough, shape them but only coat with sugar before baking. If freezing baked cookies, place them in freezer-safe bags after cooling. Wait for them to thaw before serving. Both ways last in the freezer for up to 3 months.