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Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars: Easy Fall Dessert

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These pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie bars are a happy accident turned fall favorite. They have the classic snickerdoodle chewiness and tangy flavor, with a warm pumpkin spice twist and a crackly cinnamon-sugar crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (for topping)
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Lightly spray the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until fully melted. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, and ½ cup packed light brown sugar until smooth. Add 2 large room-temperature eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each addition. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
  6. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for the topping. Set aside.
  7. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer using a spatula or lightly greased hands. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top.
  8. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is set but still soft. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.
  9. Cool the bars in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the entire batch out and transfer to a cutting board. Let cool completely (about 1 hour total) before slicing into squares.

Notes

Don’t skip the cream of tartar—it gives the bars their signature tangy flavor and soft texture. Watch the baking time closely; pull them out when the center looks slightly underdone. Use a light-colored metal pan for even baking. Room temperature eggs incorporate better into melted butter. Press the dough evenly for uniform baking. These bars taste even better the day after they’re baked.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin spice, snickerdoodle, cookie bars, fall dessert, easy dessert, Thanksgiving dessert

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