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Spooky Wholesome Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Skull Cookies

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Soft, cake-like snickerdoodle cookies with pumpkin and cream cheese, coated in cinnamon sugar and shaped like skulls for a festive Halloween treat. Perfect for last-minute gatherings, these cookies are wholesome enough to enjoy without guilt but indulgent enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
  • ¾ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon (for coating)
  • Pinch of nutmeg (optional, for coating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
  3. Add coconut sugar and granulated sugar, beat for 2-3 minutes until light and airy. Scrape down sides of bowl.
  4. Beat in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until just combined. Mixture may look slightly curdled.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
  6. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until just combined (a few streaks of flour should remain).
  7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  8. While dough chills, mix coating ingredients (¼ cup sugar, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, and nutmeg if using) in a shallow bowl.
  9. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Divide chilled dough in half, keeping one half refrigerated.
  10. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with a skull-shaped cookie cutter (dipped in flour between cuts). Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  11. Press both sides of each cut cookie into the cinnamon-sugar coating, then return to baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set and tops look slightly puffed (centers will look soft and underdone).
  13. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  14. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll scraps once only.

Notes

Don’t skip chilling the dough—it’s essential for manageable rolling. Cream of tartar is key for the signature snickerdoodle tang. For best texture, pull cookies from oven when centers still look slightly underdone. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; place a slice of bread in container to keep cookies soft. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle, Halloween cookies, skull cookies, pumpkin spice, cream cheese cookies, fall baking, spooky treats

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