Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars are soft, chewy dessert bars full of pumpkin flavor and topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar crust. Easier to make than traditional cookies, these bars are the perfect fall twist on a classic snickerdoodle recipe.
Recipe Highlights
- Versatile serving options. Enjoy plain, dust with powdered sugar, or top warm bars with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
- Perfect fall flavors. Pumpkin and cinnamon sugar come together in the ultimate seasonal dessert, with just the right balance of cozy spices.
- Easier than cookies. No scooping individual dough balls or rolling each cookie in cinnamon sugar—the bar format saves time and effort.
- Soft and chewy texture. Creaming the butter and sugar makes the bars light and fluffy while the pumpkin keeps them moist.
- Egg-free recipe. Unlike most cookie bars, this one doesn’t need eggs—pumpkin acts as the binder.
- Family-friendly treat. Baked in a 9×13 pan, this recipe makes plenty of servings for potlucks, parties, or weeknight desserts.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
- Butter – Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before mixing with the sugars.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar works perfectly for this recipe.
- Brown sugar – Light brown sugar works the best in this recipe. Make sure the brown sugar is fresh and not stale or dried out.
- Pumpkin – I just use pumpkin puree straight out of the can, but if you have homemade pumpkin puree, that should work great too!
- Vanilla extract – The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.
- Milk – Milk serves the purpose of just thinning out the dough a little bit and adding some moisture. Any type of milk will work great, even a dairy-free alternative will be fine!
- Flour – Regular, all-purpose flour works perfectly in this recipe, but cake flour would be fine too. I imagine that you could even swap out some or all of the flour with wheat flour, but the consistency and flavor would be a little bit different.
- Cinnamon – Yes, there is pumpkin pie spice (which has cinnamon) in the recipe as well, but a little extra cinnamon never hurt anyone, right? Especially not when there is pumpkin involved…you just can’t have too much cinnamon!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – A delicious spice blend made of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves that is really easy to find in most grocery stores, especially in the fall!
- Cream of tartar – A common spice that is often found in cookies. Helps to give these cookie bars the perfect consistency.
- Salt– Only 1/4 tsp is needed, so you could probably even leave it out without too much of a taste difference, but even a little bit of salt can really make all of the other flavors pop even more.
- Cinnamon/Sugar Topping – Mix sugar and cinnamon together to sprinkle over the top of the cookie bars to create that trademark snickerdoodle taste! Remember how you can’t have too much cinnamon?!
Helpful Tips & Variations
Full instructions for making the recipe can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.
- Serve warm. Pair warm bars with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for the ultimate fall dessert.
- Don’t melt the butter. Use softened butter, not melted, or the bars will bake up greasy instead of soft.
- Cream the butter and sugar well. Mixing for a full 2–3 minutes helps create the light, chewy texture these bars are known for.
- Watch the bake time. Pull the bars from the oven as soon as the edges turn light golden. Overbaking will make them dry.
- Add mix-ins. White chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or butterscotch chips add fun flavor and texture.
- Dress them up. Drizzle cooled bars with cream cheese glaze or caramel sauce for an extra indulgent dessert.
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days. Bars will firm up when cold but soften again at room temp.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need eggs for this recipe?
Nope! Pumpkin puree takes the place of eggs here and provides plenty of structure and moisture.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes, homemade puree works well, just make sure it’s not too watery. If it is, drain off excess liquid before using.
How do I know when the bars are done?
The edges should be lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Don’t wait until the top is dark or the bars will dry out.
More pumpkin cookie recipes to try:
- Rolled in cinnamon and sugar, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies packed with pumpkin flavor—one of the best fall desserts!
- Full of pumpkin flavor and oats, No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies come together in minutes without ever turning on the oven.
- Soft, chewy, and topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar icing, Glazed Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect fall treat.
- Bursting with pumpkin and warm ginger spice, Soft Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies are simple to make and loved for their chewy texture.
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are moist, flavorful cookies loaded with pumpkin, oats, and melty chocolate chips.
With warm spices, a sweet cinnamon sugar topping, and plenty of pumpkin flavor, these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars are a simple fall dessert that everyone will love.
Diana says
My family loved these delicious cookies. I’m going to be making and sharing this recipe for my Christmas holiday cookie this season.
Hanna says
There is not a more perfect combo in all the land! I can’t wait to make these with my kids!