Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles Recipe

This unique Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles Recipe combines the classic tang of cream of tartar with the earthy sweetness of pureed sweet potato. Rolled in cinnamon sugar and finished with a spiced cream cheese drizzle, these soft, cakey cookies bridge the gap between a traditional snickerdoodle and a slice of sweet potato pie.

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Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles Ingredients

The Cookie Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: Spooned and leveled to prevent a dense cookie.
• 1/2 cup canned pure sweet potato puree: Adds moisture and a brilliant orange hue (pumpkin puree works too).
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter: Melted and cooled slightly.
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar: For deep molasses flavor.
• Leavening: 3/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (the signature snickerdoodle ingredient).
• Flavorings: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (for visible specks).
• 2 large eggs: Room temperature.

The Coating:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar & 2 tsp cinnamon: The classic crunchy exterior.

The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 6 oz cream cheese: Softened.
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter: Softened.
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar: Sifted.
• Spices: Cinnamon, kosher salt, and vanilla bean paste.

How To Make Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles

1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the sweet potato puree and vanilla bean paste. The mixture should be glossy and thick.
3. Combine: Fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula just until combined. The dough will be very soft and sticky—don’t panic!
4. Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Chilling firms up the butter and hydrates the flour, making the sticky dough scoopable.
5. Roll and Coat: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment. In a small bowl, mix the coating sugar and cinnamon. Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls of cold dough. Roll them generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
6. Bake: Arrange balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for about 12 minutes. The cookies will puff up and turn golden brown on the edges but stay soft in the center.
7. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Frost: Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; beat until creamy. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe decorative squiggles over the cooled cookies.

Recipe Tips

• Vanilla Bean Paste: Using paste instead of extract gives you those beautiful little black specks of vanilla, which look stunning against the orange dough. If you don’t have it, extract works fine.
• Canned vs. Fresh: Canned puree is recommended here because it has a consistent moisture content. If you use homemade roasted sweet potato, make sure it is mashed very smooth and isn’t too wet.
• Don’t Overbake: These are meant to be soft cookies. If you bake them until they are hard, they lose their cake-like charm. Pull them out when the centers still look slightly underdone.
• Piping Tip: If you don’t have a piping bag, just put the frosting in a ziplock bag and snip a tiny corner off to drizzle.

What To Serve With Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles

• Chai Tea: The spices in chai echo the cinnamon and vanilla in the cookie.
• Warm Cider: A hot apple cider is the perfect fall beverage pairing.
• Vanilla Ice Cream: Make an autumn ice cream sandwich.
• Pecans: A toasted pecan placed on top of the frosting adds a nice crunch.

How To Store Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles

• Refrigerate: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cookies must be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 days.
• Room Temp: If you skip the frosting, the cookies can be stored at room temperature for 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze the unfrosted baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw and frost fresh.

Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Sugar: 16g
• Protein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated per frosted cookie.

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