Pumpkin spice season just got better with these Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars. Soft, perfectly spiced, and chewy, these bars are a delicious twist on my classic pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies. Whether you’re looking for an easy pumpkin dessert recipe, a make-ahead fall treat, or a gluten free snack everyone will love, these quick and easy bars check all the boxes.
Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- What Does Cream of Tartar Do in Snickerdoodles?
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
- Storage & Freezing
- Join my Gluten Free Community!
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes to try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten Free Flour: I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars with Bob's Red Mill 1-1 (Blue Bag) and King Arthur Measure for Measure. This is a recipe that should work without any issues with any gluten free flour blend you may have on hand. Please make sure the blend does contain xanthan gum.
Canned Pumpkin: Use 100% canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, in this recipe. They often sit next to each other on shelves at the grocery store and have very similar labels. As much as I love making everything from scratch, canned pumpkin is very convenient.
Cream of Tartar: Also known as potassium bitartrate, cream of tartar gives Snickerdoodle and these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars their distinctive tangy flavor. It also helps to provide them with their soft, chewy texture.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend of warm spices - typically cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. It gives pumpkin desserts their signature flavor and aroma.
Eggs: This pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie recipe does NOT contain eggs. This ensures they are soft and chewy (almost like blondies) and not cakey like pumpkin cake.
What Does Cream of Tartar Do in Snickerdoodles?
Cream of tartar is one of the key ingredients that gives snickerdoodles their signature flavor and texture. It adds a subtle tang that sets these cookies apart from regular sugar cookies, giving them that classic “snickerdoodle” taste. Beyond flavor, cream of tartar also prevents the sugar in the dough from crystallizing. This keeps the cookies bars soft and chewy instead of crisp. When paired with baking soda, it acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies puff up and form those perfectly crinkly tops. In short, cream of tartar is what makes snickerdoodles so irresistibly soft, chewy, and full of character.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars are the perfect “last-minute” bake. They have all the cozy flavor of Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies - soft, spiced, and full of that pumpkin pie spice-sugar goodness - but without the extra step of chilling the dough. Just mix, bake, and enjoy! Once they’re done, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before cutting into perfectly chewy, pumpkin-packed bars.
- Step 1: Line an 8×8 with parchment paper and set it aside. Make sure to leave some overhang on the sides to remove the gluten free snickerdoodle bars easily from the pan.
- Step 2: Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Once melted add it to a heat proof bowl along with the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Allow for it to cool for a few minutes.
- Step 3: While the butter is cooling, combine the gluten free flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Step 4: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the slight cooled butter spice mixture.
- Step 5: With a flexible spatula, combine the ingredients until smooth and glossy.
- Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Step 7: Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until a smooth snickerdoodle dough has formed.
- Step 8: Transfer the gluten free pumpkin snickerdoodle dough to the prepared pan. With a small offset or the back of a spoon, smooth out the dough evenly.
- Step 9: In a small bowl combine the additional granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the spiced sugar evenly over the snickerdoodle cookie dough.
- Step 10: While the oven preheats to 350F, allow the pumpkin snickerdoodle bars to rest at room temperature. This will help with hydrating the flour fully and give the finished bars a better texture and flavor.
- Step 11: Once fully preheated, bake the pumpkin snickerdoodle bars at 350F for 24-26 minutes until the edges are set and golden brown. You can also insert a toothpick near the center - it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not raw batter.
- Step 12: Remove the pan of snickerdoodle bars from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Allow to cool them in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely (and yes, you can cut them while they are still warm)
Storage & Freezing
Like most gluten free pumpkin bakes, Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars are actually better the day after they have been baked. Letting them sit gives the warm spices time to fully develop, making them a perfect make-ahead treat.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to keep them soft and chewy.
To freeze, first allow the bars to cool completely, then slice and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months, either in a single layer or stacked with parchment paper in between to prevent sticking. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature - or go ahead and enjoy them straight from the freezer. Trust me, frozen pumpkin snickerdoodle bars are just as dreamy as fresh!
Join my Gluten Free Community!
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes to try
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Celebrate pumpkin spice season with these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars! Soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spice, these bars are an easy pumpkin dessert recipe that’s perfect for fall. Make them ahead as a tasty fall treat or enjoy as a gluten-free snack everyone will love.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
- 113 grams unsalted butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 180 grams gluten free multi purpose flour (containing xanthan gum)
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 120 grams pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pumpkin Spice Sugar
- 35 grams granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, transfer it to a heatproof mixing bowl and stir in the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- While the butter is cooling, combine the gluten-free flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract to the slightly cooled butter-spice mixture. Use a flexible spatula to mix until smooth and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until a smooth snickerdoodle dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it evenly.
- In a small bowl, combine additional granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the spiced sugar evenly over the top of the dough.
- While preheating the oven to 350°F, allow the bars to rest at room temperature. This helps hydrate the flour and improves the texture and flavor of the finished bars.
- Bake the bars at 350°F for 24–26 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs - not raw batter.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. They can also be cut while still warm if you prefer.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153
Calories are a guestimate and randomly generated.
joey says
Hi, I made these this morning and they came out doughy even after I cooked them for an extra 10 minutes. My oven is exact the right temperature. What suggestions do you have?
Daniela says
What kind of gluten free flour did you use and what kind of baking dish? Also - what kind of pumpkin puree? This sounds like your puree was very watery.
joey says
I used Bob's 1to1 flour. The puree didn't seem watery. I'll try again maybe made a mistake measuring the flour.
joey says
It was a measurement error with the pumpkin puree. I'm sure it will turn out right the next time I try it.
Daniela says
I am so glad we figured this out 🙂
Kaitlin says
Do you think these would work with replacing the butter with oil?
Daniela says
I don't think so. The butter gives them structure as it cools
Pam says
Can I use monk fruit granulated sugars instead of regular sugar? Also is it necessary to put the sugar topping on?
Daniela says
I don't bake with sugar substitutes. And the sugar topping really gives them the snickerdoodle and pumpkin taste.
Melanie says
Have you tried doubling the recipe and putting it into a 9x13 pan or cookie sheet instead of a 8x8? Just wondering if that’s an option for a larger crowd instead of having to use two 8x8 pans. Danke 😊
Daniela says
I have not mainly because I worry the center wouldn't bake all the way while the edges are overbaked. Does that make sense?
Melanie says
Makes total sense. I will put it into two pans 😊
Grace says
I made these yesterday and doubled the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan. The center was a bit underbaked but I don’t mind, still turned out delicious! I probably could have left them in for another minute or two. I would definitely make these again.
Daniela says
Thank you so much Grace for sharing this. I always worry about the centers not baking all the way. I am sure glad that you didn't mind. Thank you so much <3
Tara says
I made these with some leftover pumpkin puree I had. I didn't have any cream of tartar but added extra baking powder (1.5 teaspoons of baking powder to replace 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar) and they turned out pretty good. It didn't have the complete "snickerdoodle" taste but they were still really soft and chewy. Do you have any other suggestions for cream of tartar substitutes?
Daniela says
To be honest you will only get the best Snickerdoodle flavor with cream of tartar