These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles take classic Snickerdoodles to the next level! They have such a nice nutty, caramelized flavor from the brown butter, giving the cookies a richer flavor that elevates them even more! They’re still soft and chewy, with their crisp edges and are sure to become a favorite for your whole family!
I’ve made brown butter chocolate chip cookies a few times, and finally tried using brown butter on my snickerdoodle cookies, and oh my! The extra time making the brown butter is beyond worth it!
If you haven’t made brown buttered cookies yet, you are in for a treat. The brown butter adds an extra richness, and a slight caramel flavor to these cookies that just takes them to the next level. They’re one you’ll be wanting to make all year long!
Why Make these Cookies
- Rich Flavor – The nutty, and caramel flavor of the brown butter adds an extra depth to snickerdoodles. Its worth the extra few minutes of cooking it, and waiting for the butter to cool back down.
- Chewy Texture – These cookies are so soft and chewy, with the perfect slightly crisp edges.
- A classic with a Twist – Snickerdoodles are a classic favorite, and now you can take them to the next level with brown butter and brown sugar. You’ll be making this recipe instead of your old favorite.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – do not substitute margarine or vegan butters for this recipe, we need the real deal.
- granulated sugar and brown sugar – classic snickerdoodles only have granulated sugar, but I love the added brown sugar for chewiness and extra caramel flavor
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- cream of tartar – a classic ingredient in snickerdoodles, gives them their pillowy texture and adds a little tang to the flavor
- baking soda – helps the cookies to rise and gives them their chewy texture
- salt – cut the salt in half, or completely if using salted butter
- ground cinnamon – to make cinnamon sugar for rolling the cookies for their classic flavor
How to make Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Step 1: Brown the Butter. Add the brown butter to a medium sized pot and heat over medium. Let the butter melt, stirring regularly as it melts. Then it will start to bubble, and foam. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot as it cooks, watching closely as it gets a nutty smell and turns an amber color. Transfer the butter to another bowl, scooping all the specks from the pan for flavor into the bowl, then let it cool for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar for a couple of minutes until it starts to get smooth and lighten a bit in color. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Step 3: Add in the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. (Make sure to carefully measure the flour by spooning and leveling or weighing out the flour.) Mix until you have a soft cookie dough. Stick the dough into the fridge while you preheat the oven. (If your dough is extra soft, if your butter was still warm stick the dough in the fridge for a little longer, about 1 hour.)
Step 4: Roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar. Combine ground cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scoop the cookie dough into portions between 1.5 to 2 TBS of dough each. Roll them into smooth balls, and drop them into the cinnamon sugar and roll to coat. Place them onto a baking pan about 2-3 inches apart.
Step 5: Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies until the tops start to crinkle, and the edges look golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and leave the cookies on the pan for about 5 minutes to solidify and continue cooking. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool more.
Tips and Tricks
- Browning the Butter – Don’t rush browning the butter over high heat, and make sure you are watching it closely to avoid burning it. You want specks of brown in the butter and a nice golden amber color throughout. Stir it almost constantly as it cooks until you get that lovely color and perfect nutty scent.
- Cut the Recipe in Half – This recipe is an easy one to cut in half if you don’t want so many cookies. The recipe makes about 25-30 cookies depending on the size you make them, so cut it in half to make about 13 to 15 cookies instead if you don’t want to have extras around.
- Cinnamon – Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the cookie dough for a strong cinnamon flavor, if desired.
Storage Instructions
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 or 5 days. You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a couple hours until soft.
How to Freeze Snickerdoodle Dough?
You can freeze the uncooked dough balls as well. Scoop the dough and roll it into balls, but do not roll them into the cinnamon sugar. Flash freeze the balls on a lined baking sheet for about 1 hour, then transfer them to freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the balls in the fridge, then coat them in cinnamon sugar and bake as directed. The balls may spread slightly left after their freezer time.
These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are such a lovely twist on the classic, giving the cookies a rich, nutty flavor. The cookies are easy enough to make for any occasion. You’ll likely be making brown butter snickerdoodles from now on instead of traditional 😉
If you try this Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe, please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 TBS vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled, or weighed)
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 TBS ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Put butter in a large pot. Heat over medium heat. 1 cup unsalted butter
- Allow the butter to continue cooking, stirring often as it melts, then bubbles and foams. Scrape the sides and watch for it to get a nutty smell, and start to turn to an amber color. Remove from heat.
- Pour butter into a separate bowl and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
- Cream together the butter (still melted) sugar, and brown sugar for 2-3 minutes until it starts to get smooth. 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and stir until just combined. 2 large eggs, 1/2 TBS vanilla extract
- Add in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined. 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar , 1 tsp baking soda , 1 tsp baking soda
- Cover the dough and place it in the fridge while the oven preheats
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, or silicone liners, and set it aside.
- Scoop the dough by 1.5 to 2 TBS portions and roll them into balls.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- Add the sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl, and whisk them together. 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 1 TBS ground cinnamon
- Roll the cookie dough balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are crinkled and the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Browning the Butter – Don’t rush browning the butter over high heat, and make sure you are watching it closely to avoid burning it. You want specks of brown in the butter and a nice golden amber color throughout. Stir it almost constantly as it cooks until you get that lovely color and perfect nutty scent.
- Cut the Recipe in Half – This recipe is an easy one to cut in half if you don’t want so many cookies. The recipe makes about 25-30 cookies depending on the size you make them, so cut it in half to make about 13 to 15 cookies instead if you don’t want to have extras around.
- Cinnamon – Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the cookie dough for a strong cinnamon flavor, if desired.
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