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Brown butter adds a nutty note to these soft, chewy gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles, while warm spices and a cinnamon-sugar coating bring classic fall flavor. The recipe makes 18 cookies with a listed time of 30 minutes. Plan for extra time to cool the browned butter and chill the dough before baking.
Why These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Are Worth Making
These cookies bring together the cozy flavors of pumpkin, brown butter, and warm spices in a chewy snickerdoodle. Browning the butter adds a nutty note, while cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves season the dough. Each portion gets a generous cinnamon-sugar coating, giving the outside a sweet, spiced finish. The baking cues help set expectations: the edges should turn golden while the centers stay soft when the cookies come out of the oven. After cooling, they offer a tender, chewy texture with the familiar appeal of a cinnamon-sugar cookie and a distinctly pumpkin-spiced twist.
Ingredients for Chewy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Gluten-Free Flour and Leavening
- Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour: Use 1½ cups (225 g) of a blend formulated to measure like regular flour.
- Baking soda: One teaspoon helps the cookies rise as they bake.
- Cream of tartar: One teaspoon adds the characteristic tang of a snickerdoodle.
- Kosher salt: Half a teaspoon balances the sweetness.
Spices
- Ground cinnamon: Use ½ teaspoon in the dough for a warm, familiar spice note.
- Ground nutmeg, ginger, and cloves: Add ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger, plus ⅛ teaspoon cloves, to round out the pumpkin spice blend.
Butter and Sugars
- Butter: One cup (226 g) is browned for a nutty flavor, then cooled before mixing.
- Granulated sugar: The dough uses ½ cup (100 g); a separate ¼ cup is reserved for the coating.
- Brown sugar: Use ⅔ cup (142 g) in the dough for sweetness and a chewy texture.
Pumpkin and Egg Yolks
- Pumpkin puree: Start with ⅔ cup (150 g), then blot away excess moisture and measure about ⅓ cup (65–70 g) after drying.
- Egg yolks: Two large yolks enrich the dough.
- Vanilla extract: Two teaspoons complement the pumpkin and spices.
Cinnamon Sugar
- Ground cinnamon: Mix 1½ teaspoons with the reserved ¼ cup granulated sugar to coat the dough balls before baking.
Chewy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe for Fall
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes, plus butter cooling and dough chilling
- Yield: 18 cookies
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Soft, chewy gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles with brown butter, warm spices, and a cinnamon-sugar coating.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (225 g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup (226 g) butter
- ⅔ cup (150 g) pumpkin puree, preferably Libby’s
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, for the dough
- ⅔ cup (142 g) brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, for coating
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, for coating
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When it begins to foam, stir continuously until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove it from the heat and immediately pour it into a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Refrigerate the butter for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until cool but still liquid (about 70–75°F).
- Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate and blot it with paper towels until it is thick like playdough and reduced to about ⅓ cup (65–70 g).
- Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cooled butter for 1 minute. Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth and creamy.
- Use a rubber spatula to mix in the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Cover and chill the dough for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. The dough can also be made ahead and chilled for up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon.
- Scoop the dough into balls of about 1½ tablespoons each. Roll until smooth, then coat generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the dough balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers are still soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Cool the browned butter until it is still liquid but no longer warm; butter that is too hot can affect the cookie texture.
- Blotting excess moisture from the pumpkin is important for chewy cookies. Measure it after drying.
- Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free result, use certified gluten-free ingredients and a measure-for-measure flour blend.
How to Make Chewy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Whisk the Dry Ingredients and Brown the Butter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set the mixture aside while you brown the butter.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When it begins to foam, stir continuously and watch for the butter to turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove it from the heat and immediately pour it into a separate bowl or measuring cup.
Cool the Browned Butter
Refrigerate the butter for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. It should cool to about 70–75°F: no longer warm, but still liquid. This temperature is the cue to move on to mixing the dough.
Blot the Pumpkin Puree
Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate and blot it with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Continue until it is thick like playdough and reduced to about ⅓ cup (65–70 g). Measure the pumpkin after drying.
Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar with the cooled butter for 1 minute. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and prepared pumpkin, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the dry ingredients and fold them in with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Chill the Dough and Prepare the Baking Sheets
Cover the dough and chill it for 20 minutes. While it chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon for the coating.
Shape, Coat, and Bake the Cookies
Scoop the dough into portions of about 1½ tablespoons each and roll them into smooth balls. Coat each generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes. Look for golden edges while the centers are still soft; they should not look fully firm when you take the cookies out of the oven.
Cool the Cookies
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Tips for the Chewiest Results
A few texture cues make a difference in these gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles:
- Dry the pumpkin before measuring. Blot it until thick like playdough and reduced to about ⅓ cup (65–70 g). Removing excess moisture is important for chewy cookies, so measure the puree after drying rather than using the full starting amount.
- Let the browned butter cool completely. It should be about 70–75°F and still liquid, but no longer warm. Butter that is too hot can affect the cookie texture.
- Chill the dough before baking. Give it at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator. This rest is part of the recipe, so avoid skipping it even when preparing to bake right away.
- Use the edges and centers as your doneness cues. Bake until the edges are golden while the centers remain soft, about 10–12 minutes. The cookies should not look fully firm when they come out of the oven.
Make-Ahead Dough
You can prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. After mixing, cover the dough and chill it; if you’re baking the cookies the same day, the recipe calls for at least 20 minutes of chilling. When you’re ready to bake, scoop and roll the dough into portions, coat them in cinnamon sugar, and bake as directed. The make-ahead option lets you prepare the dough before you plan to bake, while keeping the recipe’s shaping and baking steps the same.
Keeping the Recipe Gluten-Free
This recipe is designated gluten-free, and the flour choice is important: use a gluten-free measure-for-measure blend, which is formulated to replace regular flour in the recipe’s stated amount. The recipe calls for 1½ cups (225 g), so measure according to the blend’s instructions if needed.
Use certified gluten-free ingredients for the recipe, as noted in the instructions. These guidelines apply to the ingredients used in the cookies; no additional dietary claims are made.
