The simple swap of brown butter makes these cookies even more amazing than regular ones. You get the classic sweetness and familiar feel of snickerdoodles, but with a deeper flavor payoff. You can bake them directly or chill the dough first before baking. The rolling in cinnamon sugar is the perfect and traditional finish.
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The classic snickerdoodle gets the star treatment with this easy-to-make brown butter. And the result is warm and unforgettable. The kind of cookie with a chewy texture you will want to make again. And you should, and not just for the holidays.
In case you never tried it, this nutty butter makes everything better. And I mean every bake you make. From a simple pound cake to a pecan tart or the topping on a plate of asparagus pasta. It's that versatile.
One of the best parts of baking cookies from scratch is that you can have them warm, not long after taking them out of the oven. And control what ingredients go in them. But the warm, homemade cookie situation trumps everything else in my opinion.
Testing Notes
The cream of tartar is non-negotiable for that classic tangy taste. If you omit it, you have wonderful cinnamon cookies, but not snickerdoodles.
The cookie dough doesn't need to chill first, before baking, but you can keep the dough in the fridge if you want to bake it in small batches or need to make them ahead.
The cookie dough can be scooped and frozen, so you can make it ahead and bake a fresh batch of cookies when the craving hits. Scoop the cookie portions and place them on a baking sheet; no need to leave much space between them. Freeze until rock solid, and then transfer to a bag to remove the cookie sheet and use less space in the freezer.
Storing tip: If you want them to remain soft, add a few pieces of bread to the airtight container or jar.
Process steps
This is a traditional one-bowl cookie recipe. I recommend an electric mixer, or a stand mixer, so the sugar dissolves well when creaming it with the butter.
Brown butter
Be careful that the solids at the bottom don't burn! But you want a deep amber color for more flavor.
It should be barely warm or at room temperature when you incorporate the sugars. Don't use it hot.
For more details, there's a post about brown butter.
Creaming
Integrate soft butter and sugars well, for 2-3 minutes before adding the eggs. This creates a better texture.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Once you add the flour, mix until it's well incorporated, but don't overbeat. If using an electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed. I like to end mixing with a rubber spatula to ensure the ingredients are fully integrated with no dry spots.
Scoop and form into a ball
The dough is soft but can be rolled quickly between your palms to make cookie balls.
Using a cookie scoop will get you more even cookies.
Cinnamon sugar roll
This is classic for snickerdoodles and creates a crunchy outer layer.
Roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar before placing it in the cookie sheet.
Bake
Leave space between them (about 1 to 1.5 inches) so they can expand during baking.
Baking time: if you want softer cookies, remove them from the oven while the center is still soft, maybe even slightly underbaked or feels a tad too tender to the touch. For me, it's 10 minutes, but it can take a minute more or less depending on your oven, the temperature of the dough, and the size of your cookies.
Paula's equipment tip
Cookie sheet: Depending on the type you use, you might need to butter or line the baking sheets with parchment paper. I recently started using these non-stick cookie sheets, and they're fantastic! No need to grease or use parchment. The baked cookies slip off the minute they're out of the oven.
Cooling down
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
For flatter cookies, lightly smack the pan on the counter immediately after removing it from the oven; they will slightly deflate.
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Chewy Browned Butter Snickerdoodles (no-chill dough)
Ingredients
Brown butter cookie dough:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar mixture:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Have ready cookie sheets and line with parchment if needed.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until it foams and brown bits form at the bottom, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove excess foam from the surface.
- In a bowl, beat the browned butter with ⅔ cup white sugar and ⅔ cup light brown sugar until well combined.
- Add 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until smooth; the mixture will be shiny.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Add to the wet mixture in 2 parts, and stir until just combined. Don't overmix.
- In a shallow, small bowl, combine ⅓ cup sugar and ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Scoop cookie dough, 1 to 2 tablespoons pieces, roll quickly into balls between your hands (they might be slightly irregular, that is fine), and roll to coat in the cinnamon sugar.
- Place in the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch of space between them, and refrigerate the cookie balls for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set, top is cracked, and centers look slightly underdone for chewy cookies, and 2-3 more minutes for crispier cookies. The time will vary depending on the size of your cookies.
- Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp quickly as they cool, so you might prefer to put them in jars if not eating immediately.
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