Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles.
Some days just call for COOKIES!
Today is that kind of day. I’m not going to beat around the bush here, I’ve had a couple stressful days in a row, with some blog hiccups (sorry if you are viewing this post through Safari and have been seeing weird characters – hoping this is going to be fixed soon…like today!), work related issues, and a few other little things. But I am totally not here to complain. It’s my favorite time of year and happy thoughts will be had all around!
So to cheer myself up a bit, I made pumpkin chai snickerdoodles! OKok, I’ve had these cookies planned for a while now, but the timing to make them could not have been more perfect. And I mean, come on?!? When is anything pumpkin, snickerdoodle AND chai not a good idea?!
Answer: it’s always a good idea!
Also, did you notice that today I spelled Chai correctly!! Yes, after everyone pointed out on my Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Chai Frosting that I had spelled Chai, Chia, I was so beyond embarrassed that this time I made sure every last spelling of the word was correct. Promise, I know the difference, but when typing quickly, I easily get the two mixed up.
NOT TODAY. 🙂
Watch the How-To Video Here:
Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
Anyway, back to the actual cookies at hand! Back when I was a kid my family would go to our Aunt Debbie’s for Thanksgiving dinner in Pennsylvania every year. My aunt made a HUGE spread of all kinds of amazing sides, rolls, and probably three turkeys in order to feed all the family members present. I think she must have worked for weeks and weeks leading up to the big day. My mom and I had a favorite recipe that my aunt made for us every year. Looking back now I realize what a pain it must have been, not wanting to disappoint us, and therefore making them year after year. Every year when we arrived, there they were, Aunt Debbie’s famous Turkey Cookies. Pretty sure I’ve talked about them before, but guys they are good! Sadly, I do not have the recipe to share, but this year I decided to make my own little Thanksgiving cookie, and well, these are almost just as good!
These are actually very different from Aunt Debbie’s Turkey Cookies, which were more of a frosted butter cookie…and pretty dang cute with all of the varied colors in the tail. But these snickerdoodles are delicious in their own special way!
I think most of us are pretty familiar with a snickerdoodle. In my book, they are an essential holiday cookie and should be in every Christmas cookie gift box (just sayin’). As I was hiking a couple of months ago, brainstorming about pumpkin recipes and all of the Christmas cookies I would make this season, this cookie came to mind. And when it did, I knew it was one of those recipes I just had to make.
These cookies have a pretty simple twist on the traditional snickerdoodle, but trust me – it makes all the difference.
Pumpkin + Snickerdoodle + Chai Spice Sugar. Yesss! Literally I am jumping up and down as I horribly attempt to type this post. I really do love these cookies, they represent everything I love…sweet, chewy, soft, cinnamony, totally not cakey, and all things cozy. <–if you didn’t already know, cozy is probably my favorite word ever.
Can I just say that I do think chai sugar is totally the new cinnamon sugar. It’s just cinnamon sugar kicked up a notch with ginger, all-spice, cardamom, and cloves added, but it is truly my current obsession. I’ve been adding it to everything from warm tea, to toast…to cookies, SO GOOD.
Oh, and I forgot to add that these cookies can totally satisfy your cookie craving in under 30 minutes. Yep, in less than a half hour you can be chewing away through soft doughy bliss. Soo, can we please all agree that these are the perfect holiday cookie for both Thanksgiving and Christmas? I always fear that pumpkin recipes aren’t relevant in December, but is that really true? I think this could just be my crazy brain? What’s your thoughts on this? Pumpkin in December? yes? no? Tell me I am dying to know!
As of today I am going to be changing my tune. These cookies will for sure be getting sent out in my Christmas cookie gift boxes. Plus, they’re totally happening again on Christmas Eve because they are just that good. AND I will also be making a double batch for Thanksgiving, because well, they just might be better than pumpkin pie…don’t hate me, but I think it’s true!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles.
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies
These yummy cookies are an essential holiday cookie and should be in every Christmas cookie gift box
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chai Spice Sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
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Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just fully combined.
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Make the chai spice sugar. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, all-spice, cardamom, and cloves.
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Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and then generously roll through the chai sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Cookies adapted from Martha Stewart.
Tuesday cookies saving the day!
Ohhh, that chai sugar does sound good! I’ve made chai syrup this weekend and I’m obsessed with it – but that sugar sounds so much easier 😉 Anyway, I’m sorry you’ve been feeling stressed lately, just know that I’m reading this on Firefox and I encountered 0 problems 😉 Except for the fact that I can only LOOK at your cookies and not taste them, which is something that needs to be fixed ASAP. I can only imagine how cheered up you must feel after having a batch of those!
YESS Chai syrup is delicious!! SO happy you had no problems!!
Haha Thank you so much!! They always seem to do the trick!!
These sound so tasty! Sophie x
sophiehmstewart.com
Thanks Sophie!!
This is ture, some days DO call for cookies, trust me!! These look and sound YUM!
https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt
Glad we both agree!! Haha! Thanks Ruth!!
I’m all about Tuesday cookies!!
Rebecca
xx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Tuesday… Wednesday!! Any day Haha!
Yum! I really need to make these. They have to be so good.
I wondered if you knew you were having some glitch issues. I read in Safari and it started last week. Hasn’t been any in this post though.
hey Charlotte! Thank you so much! Hoping to get the issues fixed soon. Thanks again and have a great day!
I would argue that ALL (not some) days call for cookies 🙂
These sound incredible! Chai spice makes everything better, and I love the idea of combining it with pumpkin.
xx Allison
alwayseatdessert.com
I think that argument is very valid!!
Yes, its so so good!!
Thanks Allison so happy you like them!!
These look amazing! Sorry you’ve had a stressful couple of days, but there’s nothing a good cookie can’t fix 🙂
Yes! So true, they did just that!
Thanks Rhian!!
These look like beautiful cookies! Wow! I swear, cookies are the best thing to fix a bad day.
http://www.searedandshameless.com
Thanks!! Glad we agree on that!! (:
These look amazing Tieghan! Can I ask where those mugs are from? They’re beautiful!
Thank you so much, Gabrielle! They are from Anthropolgie. Here is the link: https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/suite-1-studio-mug-ivory2?color=012
These sound so good! If I don’t have cardamom, could I sub half nutmeg/half cinnamon?
Hey Sarah! Yes! Half nutmeg and half cinnamon will be so good! Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these. Thank you! ?
this looks so sugary!!! love it.
Me too (:!! Thanks Christine!!
I need these cookies in my life!!! They look so perfect!
Yes you doo! Thanks so much Lili!!
This sounds soo good. Definitely cozy, especially if served with hot chocolate. I love your mug! Where is it from?
Thank you so much, Andrea! They are from Anthropolgie. Here is the link: https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/suite-1-studio-mug-ivory2?color=012
I just started making Christmas cookies to distribute throughout the holidays last year and to be honest, I don’t really trust my baking skills like I do for everyday cooking (plus moving to Colorado and dealing with high elevation freaks me out, so I put my trust in you when it comes to baking!). These seem like they will make a super yummy and EASY cookie to add into the holiday baking rotation! Thank you!!
Thats so awesome that you trust me with the baking (: Makes me smile!
Hope loved them!! Thank you!!
Love the photos! What lens/lenses did you use?
Thanks Aaron!! I used a 50mm 1.2 and 35 mm for this post. Let me know if you have other questions. Thank you!
Oh my Goodness, Tieghan! You caught my attention with these! I love the idea on all accounts, then looking at your recipe I am sure these will be amazing! Butterscotch Gingerbread cookies have been my fall favorite cookie for years, but this might give them some strong competition. Pinning to my menu for this week. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much Melinda!! Hope you love them!! Let me know what you think!! (:
Weeeee, what a quick and easy soiloutn.
My mouth is watering here – they look so delicious! Love the mugs! 🙂
Thanks so much Julia!!
Perfect holiday cookie! These are some of my FAVORITE flavors!! And I haven’t seen any glitches with your site on my end and I’ve been using Safari. Hopefully whatever you’ve been seeing got all worked out. I know how stressful it can feel when your blog seems like it’s being wonky. Just another reason to eat an extra cookie, right? ; )
Thank you!! They’re my favorites too!!
Its so frustrating!! Luckily everything is under control!! More importantly the cookies were exactly what I needed!!
They look SO good! I’ve never had snickerdoodles, it’s sad! And can I say once again that I’m obsessed with your photography?! If you don’t mind me asking, do you use natural or artificial lighting? 🙂 Have a great day!
Thank you so much!! OMG you need to try them!!
I use natural lighting!! Hope that helps!!
These look great! And I’m going to make a triple batch of the sugar just to have on hand. I say we rock pumpkin all the way through New Years. Why not? It goes so well with all the cold weather spices I see no reason to abandon it when Thanksgiving is over.
Thats true, and its just so delicious!!
These look delicious! Can’t w air to make them. You’re very talented. 🍂🌰🐿🍁
Thank you Catherine!! Hope you love them(:
Oops! I meant to say I can’t wait to make these cookies !
I can ALWAYS contrive a reason to bake cookies. Bad news? Comfort cookies. Good news? Celebration cookies! And I’m sorry it’s been stressful for you recently, I hope it gets better. You are such a light to so many people, and so enormously talented. If pumpkin isn’t still relevant until midnight on December 31st, the food world is too trend-oriented and moves too fast.
YES! So agree theres always a reason to bake!!
Wow that is so so nice!! Thank you so much!!
Wow these look (and sound) so good! I absolutely love snickerdoodles and pumpkin but have never combined the two. These cookies are definitely making it onto my holiday cookie making list. 🙂
YES! Hope that you love them!! Thank you Elizabeth!!
Oh yes!!!! Give me stacks of snickerdoodles any day and all is right in the world!
Its all we need! Thanks Tori!
Whoa! Yummmmmm
Thanks Sara!!
These look sooooo delish. I also live in Colorado and have family in Pennsylvania! Love your blog btw. I’ve worked as a baker and your recipes make me want to create again!
Awh I am really happy my recipes make you want to bake again! Really awesome to hear. Thanks so much Jaclyn!
I just made these last night and they were so good!! I think this will be how I make snickerdoodles more from now on 🙂 I had to make a few modifications as the friend I made them for cannot have dairy, so I used coconut oil instead of butter. I unfortunately did not have all the spices needed for the spiced sugar, so I just used sugar, cinnamon, and some ginger for that. They still came out really well and had the same texture as a snickerdoodle – thank you again for this recipe!
So happy they turned out great for you Ankita!! Thank you so much!
I am totally baking these tomorrow! Can I use anything instead of cream of tartar or do I need to make a trip to the grocery store?
These look amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing, I’ll have to try this 😀
Awesome! I hope you love them Carla! Thanks!
Turns out I did have cream of tartar! Made them this morning and they are BOSS. Like, not even kidding. The texture is amazing and I adore chai, so all the better (though if you didn’t like chai, I’m 110% sure you’d like these!)
Really glad you are loving these Kate! Thank you so much!
I just made these and I have to say I’m a little saddened. They didn’t spend at all and baked up like little cakes. The flavor is great but I was expecting a thin, chewy snickerdoodle. Not sure why they didn’t turn out like yours. Any suggestions?
Hey Rachel! I am really sorry these did not turn out the way you wanted. How long did you bake them? Did you take them out while the center was still a little doughy? this will give you the best results and I think it is key to this recipe. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
Snickerdoodles are the best, and these beauties look incredible!
Thank you so much Laura! Happy you are loving these!
I have baked many many batches of cookies in my day, and these are THE. BEST. Pumpkin chai snickerdoodles, you have ruined me for all other baked goods!!
WOW! Thank you so much Anna! I am so glad these are your all time favorite!
I just made these & had Rachel’s results ?
I did drizzle melted butter & the Chai sugar after they baked, & they are quite tasty ?
I shall try, try again
(& let you know how it goes)
I hope they turn out great, and yes let me know! Thanks Kristy!
I ended up flattening them as soon as I took them out of the oven (& only baked them 7 – 8 minutes).
Buttered & sugared them too ?
The fam prefers the puffy batch, so I sent the 2 dozen normal ones to our church Thanksgiving lunch today ~ they were a hit! Not many of the “Snickerpoofdoodles” are left here either ?
P.s. Egg nog, or egg nog ice cream is a lovely companion to these, just sayin’ ?
Haha! Sounds awesome!! So happy you guys liked them (:
Thank you so much Kristy!!
Made these cookies this evening and they are fantastic! It is possible that I have already eaten 3 cookies! And I still want more. Great recipe. Can’t wait to make them for Thanksgiving.
Mine puffed up to. So for the second batch I flattened the cookies before I put them in the oven and they had more of a “cookie” shape. They are so delicious I really don’t mind them puffed up.
Wow so happy you are loving these Kaylee!! Thanks so much!
Dying to make this for thanksgiving, searched three grocery stores this weekend for cardamom with no luck. So my question is, is this an essential ingredient? Can I just use the other spices and get the same effect?
Thanks so much!
Hi! I am SO sorry. I somehow missed your questions. I know it is late, but you can just omit the cardamon. Again, so sorry! Hope you love the cookies!
I made these last night for my mum’s Scrabble night/ladies get-together – absolutely delicious!! They are so soft and flavorful, and the blend of spices is creative, adding that extra something special. Along with your Mexican Samoas, these will definitely be rated amongst my top favorite cookies of yours! (Now I think about it, I guess I just really like cinnamon-y cookies haha!)
I am thrilled these went so awesome for you, Christine!! Thank you so much!
I am thrilled these cookies were so awesome for you Christine!! Thank you so much!
I’m looking forward to making these this weekend! If I wanted to double the batch & freeze half, should I roll them in the chai sugar before freezing or later when I bake them? Thanks so much!
Hey Meg! I would roll in the sugar then freeze, but I am sure either way will work great. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
I’ve made these cookies twice now and they were amazing both times! Such a perfect twist on a classic favorite. Thanks so much Tieghan, looking forward to digging through your archives for more cookie favorites
Wow! So happy you like them Lena!! Hope you love everything and thank you!!
Don’t worry love! We all have our poopy days, whether too many roadbumps were encountered or we just don’t feel our very best. So happy that these cookies came to the rescue! They look absolutely DIVINE!
So yummy! Our apartment smells heavenly after making these yummy cookies. However, the cookies didn’t seem to spread and had a cakey consistency. The flavor was spot on, but they were almost like little donut holes. Still delicious 😉
I am so glad you enjoyed them Saragh! Thank you!
Hi. Thank you, you’re talented
Hi thank you again! 🙂
I made these cookies yesterday and they are amazing!! Mine actually came out a bit puffier than yours in the picture, which was a great surprise because I adore soft cookies! Definitely making these again for the holidays.
Great! Thank you Heidi!
This recipe did not work for me sadly! I frequently bake snickerdoodles using the Martha Stewart recipe (as adapted by Deb Perelman on Smitten Kitchen), and I was excited to try this pumpkin variation. Unfortunately, my cookies did not spread as they are supposed to. In comparing the recipes, this one has much less butter and leavener, so maybe that is why? Mine ended up very cakey and tall. They were still good, but not the classic snickerdoodle texture and chewiness.
In looking through the other reviews, it seems that a lot of people got the same puffy, cakey results! I agree that they still had a good flavor, but I think this recipe needs further testing. As it’s written it doesn’t seem to produce the flattened cookie you would expect from a snickerdoodle. I look forward to trying another Half Baked Harvest recipe though in the future 🙂
Hi Julie, I am sorry these didn’t turn out quite right for you. It is hard to say what happened without being in your kitchen. The cookies are not cakey on my end, so again, hard to know what is happening. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope I can help! 🙂
I made these last night, and they are a hit in the office this morning. I didn’t have the ingredients for the chai spice mixture (so sad), so I used the mix from your ‘Easy Twisted Pumpkin Spice Danish’ instead and they were delicious. Thank you for always having the perfect seasonal recipes!
That is so amazing! Thank you Kathleen!
Just tried these last night. I’m not sure what happened, but mine came out way too moist to be able to roll into balls. I ended up dropping them by spoonfuls and they baked into these really light, puffy cookies that tasted good, but were nothing like usual flat and slightly crunchy nature of a Snickerdoodle. I wonder what I should have done differently. Thanks for sharing, though!
Hello! I know this is an older recipe, but just in case anyone else is trying it in 2018 like me, I wanted to add a review! These turned out so delicious! However, like a few others before me have said, they turned out very doughy! I wasn’t able to roll the dough into balls, and then roll them in the sugar. The dough was very moist! I cooked them, and they didn’t really flatten. They are more like a small scone, or donut hole like some others have said. They taste GREAT!! I’m thinking about adding a drizzle of icing on top or something! They are very good, but definitely not snickerdoodles!
Hi Michelle! I am so sorry about that. I am glad these still turned out amazing though!
Hi, I made these cookies yesterday and I think that they were a little cake-y. I like more chewy snickerdoodles. What would I need to modify to make them more chewy? The dough was very sticky too. I put it in the frig to firm it up a little and it helped some but still too sticky. The flavor was good but I want to tweak the texture a little more. My dad loves snickerdoodles and I’m going to give him some. Also I doubled the recipe because your quantity said it made 12 cookies???? I got at least 40 big cookies doubled. Just sayin’ Flavor of the sugar is great.
Hey Sharon, how long are you baking the cookies? If you aver bake they will turn cakey, but if you under bake by a minutes they are chewy and perfect! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I made these and also had the same result as many others, where they didn’t flatten out while baking and had a fluffy cakey texture. The first batch were so domed and puffy, I flattened them after baking with the bottom of a glass cup. These were ok but compressing them this way made them denser and they seemed a tiny bit doughy in the center. The next batch I flattened them with the glass after placing on the baking sheet, and then baked. These were much better. They still had a cakey texture but were much more like cookies. I took them to work and my coworker’s LOVED them. One (gasp) said she’s never had anything with pumpkins before, and she was crazy about these! She still talks about them 2 weeks later and wants me to bring them again. So even though they weren’t what I expected, they were still a success!
Wow that is so amazing! I am so glad you and your coworkers loved these Kimiko! Thank you so much! And thank you for adding your tips for others to try!
I followed the recipe to a T: measured the flour “correctly” (the scoop-with-a-spoon method), creamed the butter for a good 2 minutes, made sure the egg was at room temp so it would evenly combine with the other ingredients, chilled the dough for 45 minutes. My dough came out super sticky too, and my baked cookies (7.5 minutes) are puffy instead of thin and chewy. I really wanted this recipe to work out! The flavors are great and these cookies will definitely not be uneaten, but the texture just isn’t what I wanted it to be or anything like the photos.
Hey Emily, so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I recommend adding an additional 1/2 cup of flour if your cookies are sticky I live in a very dry climate so this could be why you dough is wetter than mine. Really hope this helps! And again, sorry for the trouble. xTieghan
Ugh! I’m so upset, I tried making these cookies today because they look SO GOOD!! But the first batch didn’t flatten at all in the oven and came out cake-like as if I’d made sugar-covered bread rolls! HELP! What did I do wrong? I did double the recipe, so maybe the ratios weren’t perfect. Any suggestions on how to fix this? I ended up having to flatten the cookies with a cup before sticking them in the oven.
Hey Meagan! It could be because you doubled the recipe, but it is hard knowing what is happing without being there. Did you change anything about the recipe? I would recommend flattening the cookies before baking (which is sounds like you did? How did that go?). Any details you can give would be really helpful. So sorry for any trouble. xtieghan
Yum!! Making these for my sister! Pumpkin chai is her favorite! I have to know where the mugs are from!! So pretty! Thanks!
That is so sweet of you Theresa! I hope your sister loves these cookies! Thank you! xTieghan
I also just made these and loved the flavor but was disappointed in the texture. I had the same problem as many other people and the came out “puffy” or cake like. My husband and I said they look like muffin tops even after pressing down on them with the bottom of a glass. How important is it to have both the baking soda and the cream of tartar? Could the combination of both be the reason why these cookies have a cake like texture? I may try them again and leave out the cream of tartar to see if it really does end up like the picture and brings it to the snickerdoodle texture that I and several others were looking for in this recipe.
Hey Jessica! That is a great idea to omit the cream of tarter. I will also make these again to test, but I think that will be so great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
These were delicious! I had to use a little more flour in the end because the dough was still a little too moist to roll and I used a scooper to scoop the dough directly into the sugar mix. Thank you for this recipe! I will be making these again, and again, and again!
Love that!! Thank you so much Barb! xTieghan
So I made these ….. but mine came out very scone-like 🙁 they puffed right up and even after I flattened them they were still cake-y. The only thing I can think is I didn’t have a hand mixer so maybe my hand mixing made the mixture too gluey? Still tasty though.
Hi Audrey,
Yes, I do think the mixer is to blame. The dough really needs to be mixed with a mixer to get the best texture. Creaming the butter and fully incorporating the ingredients will give you a more cookie like result. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So sorry you had trouble. Thank you! xTieghan ???
Hello,
I made your cookies and they taste really good !! The only thibg is that my cookies don’t look like yours.. mine are puffy not flat like yours… Do you know why ??
I’ll try other recipies from you 🙂
Thanks
Hi Isabelle! I am really sorry these did not turn out the way you wanted. How long did you bake them? Did you take them out while the center was still a little doughy and allow them to finsih baking on the cookie sheet? This will give you the best results and I think it is key to this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Just here to say that if you keep this recipe exactly as is but accidentally double the pumpkin (hazards of baking with toddlers ?) it makes a wonderfully delicious and moist cake cookie. Not what I was going for but definitely works!
I know something had gone wrong but didn’t figure it out until they were baking. Happy accident!
Haha that is so cute! I am so glad these cookies turned out amazing for you Amanda! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
So I remade these with the right amount of pumpkin this time and they are still very cake like (as others mentioned, very puffy & not snickerdoodle texture)I noticed that one commenter mentioned cream of tartar which is in the Martha Stewart recipe but not mentioned in your recipe. Is it possible you left it out? I really want to get these right! Thank you!!!
Hey Amanda, I don’t like using cream of tarter as I have found that to make the cookies even more cakey. Try baking the cookies with the below mehter of tapping the cookie sheet on the counter to flatten the cookies. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this really helps! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Delicious however my cookies never flattened out? They’re little rounds but still great! Any thoughts?
Hey Mollie, Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem figure out what might be happening. To me, it sounds as the cookies worked? They aren’t meant to be puffy. Hope I can help you and very glad you enjoyed! xTieghan
I just made these and they are so yummy! But mine turned out tall and cakey, not flat any chewy. Any idea what I might have done wrong? Thanks!
Hey Mel!! Try baking the cookies with the below method of tapping the cookie sheet on the counter to flatten the cookies. This should take care of any cakiness. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this really helps! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Hi Tieghan, I first made these cookies in 2016. I came across the recipe in my notebook so I decided to make again. They turned out just like they did in 2016; puffy, soft and cakey. That being said, I LOVE the flavor! And I don’t hate the texture. I read all the comments and by my count, about 5 people that made them did not report puffy, cakey cookies. I don’t think the rest of us are doing anything “wrong”. I bake by weight, have an oven thermometer, and always start checking on the low end of the bake time. I do wish we could get to the bottom of this because I’d love to have a non-cakey pumpkin cookie recipe.
Hi Heather!! I am so sorry these are coming out cakey for you. I recommend baking the cookies with the below method of tapping the cookie sheet on the counter to flatten the cookies. This should take care of any cakiness. I updated the recipe after testing this, but will also leave the directions below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this really helps! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
I have made so many of your amazing recipes and everything turns out beautifully. I was really excited about this one…I love snickerdoodles and I love pumpkin! I made these twice. The first batch were so fluffy and cakey, I thought for sure I had made an error and added too much baking soda. So, I made a second batch the next day and carefully measured everything. Again, they were so fluffy, not at all like your photos or how a snickerdoodle usually is. Any ideas about what could be going on? I live in San Diego and it’s been really hot here but I would think that would lead to more spreading, but less. Oh well. On to trying the pumpkin chocolate chip recipe! I have high hopes for them. Thank you!!
Hey Abby!! I am so sorry these are coming out cakey for you. I recommend baking the cookies with the below method of tapping the cookie sheet on the counter to flatten the cookies. This should take care of any cakiness. I updated the recipe after testing this since many of you have had this issue. I will also leave the directions below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this really helps! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Can you use apple Sauce in place of pumpkin purée?
Hi Nicole, I would recommend using pumpkin. I don’t know how applesauce will work and fear the cookies could be a weird texture and taste. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
So yummy- thanks for sharing! Wanted some advice/ I’ve made these twice and they are sooooo tasty, but the batter is so sticky. Very hard to roll. Any advice?
Hey Rebecca! If the dough is sticky you can either chill it for 1-2 hours until it’s easier to roll OR you can add an additional 1/4 cup of flour. Either options works great, but I would recommend first chilling the dough and seeing if that makes the dough easier to roll. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
I think I might have mixed mine too long .. turned out cakey and taller not flat but soft and tasty
Hi Rhonda! I am glad this still tasted amazing! If you have any questions, please let me know! xTieghan
Sound tasty, but all I’m left with is a mess. This site’s constant automatic reloading on tablets means it kept scrolling up and down and resetting the number of cookies back to 12 without warning, meaning that I was unknowingly using the wrong amounts of ingredients without any way to tell when the listed amounts changed. I realised the number had reset before putting any cookies in the oven, but I don’t have enough ingredients to start over again, so this is a bust.
The reloading seems to be caused by ads popping up and disappearing all over the place, moving the text and images with them. I want to support the sites I use by not blocking ads, but it seems like this one needs fixing, or maybe needs a less overenthusiastic ad service.
Hi Caroline! I am so sorry about this! I will send this over to my tech team and figure it out! Thank you for letting me know! xTieghan
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Hi! About 26-32 cookies. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Same with everyone else, the flavor was great, I love the chai sugar mix, but even with adding less baking soda and doing all the tapping and smooshing, they were fluffy. I’ll just make regular snickerdoodles and roll them in the chai sugar.
Hi Sarah! I would love to help you out with this… Please let me know if you would like me to! Otherwise I am sure they would be great with a different recipe as well! xTieghan
These cookies are so tasty! I made some around Thanksgiving, and my mother-in-law requested them again for Christmas. (Of course, she got them 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you! So glad you all loved these cookies Tammy! xTieghan
Some of the best cookies I’ve ever made! Mine turned out thicker, but they are so light and fluffy and the spice with the hint of pumpkin is perfect. Will definitely make these every year!
YES! I am so happy you loved these, Marisa! Thank you! xTieghan
I made these tonight and, to echo the reviews of others, I also ended up with a very fluffy, cake-like cookie, which completely contradicts the original post. The flavor is fine – I would actually take more pumpkin spice in the dough – but I really was looking forward to a flatter, more chewy snickerdoodle; and before it’s suggested, yes, I tapped it on the counter – they were quite fluffy even after the initial bake. Similarly the dough was VERY sticky, even after refrigerating for 2 hours; I have a dough scoop, but still got quite a bit of dough on my hands rolling them in the sugar. Given the many reviews having experienced similar results, I think the recipe needs some tweaking.
Hi Liz! Thank you for trying it! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
Is there supposed to be cream of tartar in this recipe?
Hey Mariah,
No cream of tarter in this recipe. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! These are absolutely delicious, but they turned out more like pumpkin bread than chewy cookies. I’ve read through a lot of the comments and it seems like many others had the same issue. I did the tapping method and took them out while they were still gooey in the middle, but at that point, they were already puffed up and no amount of tapping would make them chewy. My dough was too sticky to roll so that might’ve been the problem. Next time I’ll try with more flour. I think the cakey ones would be really good with cream cheese frosting!
Hi Bryn! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying this one! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
Came across this recipe through the chai sugar link on your chai pumpkin pie with maple whipped cream recipe (which I’ve made twice this month, by the way. Big big fan of pumpkin), and I didn’t scale down the chai sugar from this recipe so I had so much left over I’ve been using it on everything! 😂 I used it on your slice and bake snickerdoodles from HBHSS and pretty much anywhere else I can. But now that I’ve finished off the other snickerdoodles and I have leftover pumpkin from the pie, I GUESSSSSS I just HAVEEEEE to make these now! (Sarcasm because I am actually very excited to cross over the two flavors I’ve already been having lately lol).
Haha I am so happy you are loving these and I hope they turn out amazing for you, Kaley!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I made these this morning to cheer up a friend who loves pumpkin and loves snickerdoodles. I did Mayer snd mix as directed but my dough was too sticky to roll so after scooping i shaped them the best i could, plopped and rolled them in the sugar mixture. I baked and slammed as directed but also had puffy cookies. I’ll try again, maybe chill dough a bit first if sticky and make slightly bigger scoops, bake at 7 min instead of 8 before the first “slam”?
Hey Victoria,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Next time try the “slamming” at 2 minutes and then again at 6 minutes and then after you remove them from baking. This should help! xTieghan
I’m addicted to these cookies! Just made them twice in three days. Gave most of the first batch away to a relative. Then I had to make them again to have a full stash for myself. Wow. I love challenging baking recipes but also love a super simple recipe like this. Cookies are so soft, tasty and cozy. I realize you shared these years ago but they are the perfect cookie for all the anxiety delivered by this pandemic. Love!
Aw I am really happy these turned out so well for you, Melissa! Especially during this time! I hope you are doing alright! xTieghan
My husband said that these are the best thing I’ve ever made! I love this recipe and have told all of my friends about it. I can’t wait to bake these again!
Thank you so much Kami! xTieghan
On a whim, I swapped in apple butter for pumpkin. They taste like apple pie and it’s EVERYTHING. 🧡
Love that! Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan
Hi! I can’t wait to try these cookies for Thanksgiving! Have you ever made the dough in advance to freeze before baking? If so how did they turn out? Thinking or baking a few days in advance:-) thank you!
Hey Jennifer,
That would be totally fine to do:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hey there – overall the taste is delicious! I made them 2 different times and the dough is super sticky. I had to add more flour to even roll them and they they did not flatten like yours did. Any suggestions? The taste was there not the look lol
Hey Nadia,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try. I would make sure not to add too much flour. To flatten them, pull from the oven while baking and “tap” the pan on the counter a few times. I hope this helps for next time! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these the other night. Had them with hot tea while we played games. Everyone loved them. Soft and delicious. The guys especially liked them because they werent too sweet. When everyone had gone home I looked for the leftovers to nibble on while doing the dishes but sadly there were none. Darn!
Hey Nancy,
I am so glad that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
These were Delicious! I however could not get them flat at 8 minutes. Will try 6-7 minutes next time as I really like flat crispy cookies.
Hey Linda,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
So I absolutely love a chai spice cookie and the flavor is amazing , but when I tapped my tray they didn’t flatten . They look more like mini cakes . This is my second attempt .. what am I doing wrong ? Thanks !!! Btw your recipes rock!!!
Hey Noreen,
Sorry to hear you are having issues with flattening your cookies. Is there anything you have adjusted in the recipe? Next time, try gently pressing the dough down with your hands before baking, this should help! xTieghan