Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

These cookies were AMAZING.  They were moist and fluffy and had just a hint of pumpkin without being overwhelming.  My husband loves snickerdoodles and when he ate these, he gained an even greater love for pumpkin snickerdoodles.  Maybe it’s the time of year but anything with pumpkin in it is just a bonus for me.

GETTING KIDS INVOLVED

Snickerdoodles are an awesome recipe to get toddlers involved in because they love playing in the dough. There is a reason playdough is consistently a hit with toddlers! They love rolling this cookie dough it into balls and molding it into shapes, and beyond that they love being able to dip and roll the dough into a bowl full of sugar and cinnamon.  What is not to love about this recipe??  My two-year-old loved the texture of the sugar and cinnamon and spent most of her time just pouring the mix on top of one misshapen round of dough. My four-year-old loved rolling it into balls dipping it in sugar and then putting it on the cookie tray.  This was such a fun recipe for them to be a part of, and they loved eating it at the end.

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EMBRACE THE MESS

There was sugar everywhere.  The dough was pretty misshapen and the cookies turned out perfect.  It isso fun to stand back and just let my kids experiment and enjoy the process of learning while baking.  It’s also great to teach them to clean up after themselves (still working on that part) 🙂

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EDUCATE WHILE YOU BAKE 

This is a fun tactile activity.  An opportunity for kids to get their hands in different textures and play and experiment.  My daughter was fascinated by the texture of the sugar and cinnamon and I watched her mix it in her hands, roll the dough around in it, pour it on top, etc.  It was like a sugar sandbox for her.  My son loved the process of following through on instructions and felt a lot of pride and satisfaction in completing an entire tray of round, sugar covered cookies.

The finished product was incredible.  The kids had a blast, and I got to eat my fill of cookies.  Best. Combination. Ever.

Check out more fresh pumpkin recipes and easy hands on recipes for toddlers to get involved!

What are some of your favorite pumpkin recipes?

The Best Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

FOR ROLLING

  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a bowl combine butter and sugars and cream together for 30 seconds or until combined.  Add in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree, beat until combined.  Lastly, add in cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, baking soda and flour, combine together until a soft dough forms.

  2. Refrigerate the dough covered for at least 2 hours or until sufficiently chilled.  Chilling is mandatory.

  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl whisk together flour and cinnamon.  In Tbsp sized portions, roll dough and place in sugar mixture until covered.  Place on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.

  4. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes.  Cool completely before serving and enjoy

ADULT TASKS: I made and chilled the dough in advance and just let the kids do the rolling, sugar and cookie sheet part, but you could easily have the kiddos make the dough.

KID TASKS: Roll dough into balls, place in sugar until completely covered, put on cookie sheet.

Recipe Notes

Recipe accredited to The Domestic Rebel