Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (Almond Flour)
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These gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles with almond flour and natural sweeteners deliver classic chewy texture using quickly strained pumpkin puree, cane sugar, and cinnamon for perfect fall cookies that satisfy without sugar overload.
These gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles with almond flour and natural sweeteners deliver the classic snickerdoodle texture and flavor in a healthier version that my family says tastes better than the original. Made with strained pumpkin puree, cane sugar, and a coarse turbinado sugar coating, they’re soft and chewy with just the right amount of sweetness to totally satisfy your cookie craving without the sugar overload.
I developed this recipe after my functional medicine doctor suggested reducing inflammatory foods in my diet, but I wasn’t about to give up my favorite fall cookies. After testing this recipe tons of times with different flour combinations and sugar ratios, I discovered that almond flour creates the perfect nutty base while strained pumpkin puree gives you that chewy snickerdoodle texture instead of a cakey pumpkin cookie.
My teenager who usually avoids anything pumpkin asked me to pack extras in his school lunch. The secret is straining the pumpkin puree first, which literally takes 3 minutes but makes all the difference between soggy cookies and perfect chewy ones.
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe
- Perfect chewy texture: Strained pumpkin puree and almond flour create that signature snickerdoodle chew without any grittiness.
- Naturally anti-inflammatory: Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and almond flour provide gentle nutrition benefits for sensitive systems.
- Less sugar, more flavor: Uses 30% less sugar than traditional recipes while turbinado sugar coating adds extra crunch and depth.
- Family-tested perfection: Lots of rounds of testing with my kids resulted in this foolproof recipe that works every time.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodles:
- Butter: Room temperature butter creates the perfect creamy base and that classic snickerdoodle spread. You can swap with vegan butter using the same amount, but make sure it’s at room temperature.
- Pumpkin Puree: Strain it first to remove excess moisture for chewy cookies instead of cakey ones. Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Cane Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with that perfect cookie texture. You can substitute with coconut sugar, but they’ll be slightly less sweet and have a deeper flavor. You can also use regular sugar if you like.
- Egg Yolks: Just the yolks give these cookies richness and chewiness without making them too fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract: You can omit this or replace it with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
- Almond Flour: Creates that slightly nutty flavor and perfect texture. Blanched almond flour works best.
- Gluten-Free Flour: This gives structure to the almond flour. You can also use tapioca flour or starch, or all-purpose flour if you don’t need the cookies to be gluten free.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and creates that perfect tender crumb.
- Cream of Tartar: This is what makes them true snickerdoodles – it adds that subtle tangy flavor and helps create the signature crackled top.
- Cinnamon: The classic snickerdoodle spice that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can make your own with 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and ginger plus a pinch of cloves.
- Turbinado Sugar: For the coating – gives amazing crunch and deeper flavor than regular sugar. You can use regular granulated sugar, but you’ll miss out on that extra texture. You can also just use the same cane sugar you used in the cookie dough.
Easily Adapt This Recipe for Any Diet
This recipe is naturally easy to tweak! Follow these simple swaps to make it dairy-free or egg-free while keeping the same great texture and flavor.
- Dairy-Free: Use vegan butter at room temperature instead of regular butter. Make sure it’s a stick-style vegan butter for best results.
- Egg-Free: Replace the 2 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons aquafaba (chickpea liquid). The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Nut-Free: Swap almond flour with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oat flour. The flavor will be milder but still tasty.
💡 Pro Tip: If you try a substitution, let us know how it worked in the comments!
How to Make My Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Recipe
Here are easy, detailed, step-by-step instructions that are also repeated in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Step 1: Strain the Pumpkin Puree
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and place it in the center of 3 layers of paper towels, a clean dish towel, or a fine-mesh strainer. Gently press and squeeze to remove excess moisture – you’ll end up with about 1/3 cup of thick pumpkin paste. This step is crucial for chewy cookies instead of cakey ones.
Step 2: Mix the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1/3 cup strained pumpkin puree, and 2/3 cup cane sugar until light and fluffy. Add 2 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
To the same bowl, add 1-1/2 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup gluten-free flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
Step 3: Prepare the Sugar Coating
In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup turbinado sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. If you’re not rolling the cookies in sugar, place the dough bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up the butter for easier scooping.
Step 4: Shape and Bake
Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, scoop portions of dough and drop them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Toss to coat all sides and place on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. The centers should still look slightly soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so the butter can solidify slightly and they hold their shape. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
My Expert Recipe Tips
- Strain that pumpkin puree: This single step makes the difference between cakey cookies and perfectly chewy ones. Don’t skip it – it only takes 3 minutes but transforms the entire texture.
- Room temperature butter is key: Cold butter won’t cream properly, and melted butter will make the cookies spread too much. I leave mine out for about an hour before baking.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten-free flours too much and creates tough cookies.
- Chill if needed: If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels too soft to handle, pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes. This makes scooping much easier.
- Cool completely before storing: These need to cool so the butter firms up slightly. Warm cookies will be too soft and might fall apart.
Delicious Serving Suggestions
- Holiday cookie platters: These look gorgeous next to traditional sugar cookies and gingerbread. I love how the orange color adds warmth to any cookie spread.
- After-school snacks: My kids love these with a glass of oat milk. The protein from almond flour keeps them satisfied until dinner.
- Gift boxes: These freeze beautifully, so I make double batches in November for holiday gifts. Everyone always asks for the recipe.
Do you love pumpkin desserts? Check out more of my easy and nutritious sweet pumpkin recipes:
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe with Oat Streusel
- Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll with Almond Flour
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones
- Easy Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie with Almond Flour
- Healthier Gluten Free Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Fluffy Pumpkin Protein Pancakes Recipe with Cottage Cheese
- BEST Pumpkin Cheesecake Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Almond Flour
Gluten-FreeIngredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree (strained, see notes)
- 2/3 cup cane sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and place it in the center of 3 layers of paper towels, a clean dish towel, or a fine-mesh strainer. Gently press and squeeze to remove excess moisture – you'll end up with about 1/3 cup of thick pumpkin paste. This step is crucial for chewy cookies instead of cakey ones.
- In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 1/3 cup strained pumpkin puree, and 2/3 cup cane sugar until light and fluffy. Add 2 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- To the same bowl, add 1-1/2 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup gluten-free flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup turbinado sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. If you're not rolling the cookies in sugar, place the dough bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up the butter for easier scooping.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, scoop portions of dough and drop them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Toss to coat all sides and place on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. The centers should still look slightly soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so the butter can solidify slightly and they hold their shape. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Important Disclaimer
This recipe is created by a home cook and not a medical professional. Our ingredient philosophy is reviewed by RDNs, but this specific post is not personalized medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for dietary concerns.
Looking for more desserts made without refined sugar?
Browse all of my naturally sweetened dessert recipes, made with maple syrup, honey, fruit, and other simple sweeteners for treats that feel familiar and satisfying.
These cookies are totally crave-worthy and I can’t wait for you to try them!! 🙂