Brown butter snickerdoodles are wonderfully soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies made with brown butter. The classic tangy flavor of these rich and buttery snickerdoodle sugar cookies is perfectly balanced with hints of caramel from the browned butter. They’re the perfect easy to make cozy twist on the classic cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love a wonderfully delicious snickerdoodle cookie. My Snickerdoodle Mug Cake, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Snickerdoodle Bars and Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar are some of my favorite snickerdoodle cookie recipes from the blog. This chewy browned butter snickerdoodle recipe is a fantastic addition to my growing collection of snickerdoodle recipes I know you’ll love.
- They are easy to make and almost no chill. All you need to do is brown the butter, make the snickerdoodle cookie dough, roll the brown butter cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and bake!
- You love a twist on a classic cookie. This recipe for snickerdoodles with brown sugar uses all the same ingredients as a classic snickerdoodle cookie recipe with the twist of nutty brown butter.
Ingredients
These buttery cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles require only a handful of pantry basics to make. Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy brown butter doodle cookies.
- Dry ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, an egg, an egg yolk, vanilla extract and cinnamon sugar.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these soft, buttery and chewy snickerdoodle brown butter cookies
- All Purpose Flour: Make these soft brown sugar snickerdoodles gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure by weight, 270 grams versus cups.
- Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda: These act as leaveners, as well as give these brown butter and cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles their signature chewiness and background tanginess. If you do not have cream of tartar and baking soda, I recommend substituting both with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Keep in mind that the bars will taste more like brown butter sugar cookies rather than snickerdoodles.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt.
- Granulated and Light Brown Sugars: This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars such as maple or coconut. To make this recipe without brown sugar, simply substitute the brown sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding vanilla to any cookie instantly makes it taste more complex and flavorful. Omit if you don’t have this already.
- Cinnamon Sugar: This is a classic ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies. Therefore, it’s the perfect way to top these cinnamon sugar browned butter snickerdoodle cookies.
Variation
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar: Replace the cream of tartar and baking soda with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
How To Make
Learn how to make brown butter snickerdoodles in a few easy steps.
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature. Then transfer the browned butter to the fridge for an additional 15 minutes.
- In mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the browned and cooled butter and sugars together for one minute. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to rest in the fridge while the oven preheats for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together until well combined. Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of snickerdoodle brown butter sugar cookie dough. Roll the dough into a ball and roll the ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the cinnamon sugar coated balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake the browned butter snickerdoodles for about 8 -10 minutes. The edges will be set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly puffed with cracks across the top. Cool the brown butter cinnamon sugar cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions up to mixing the dry ingredients into the wet and decide to freeze or chill. Make the brown butter up to one week before using in the recipe. Store the brown butter in the fridge. Pull the butter out at room temperature about 30 - 45 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Store Cookie Dough: Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to one week.
- Store Baked Cookies: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up 4 - 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Place the cookie dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, place the baking sheet into the freezer until the cookie dough is frozen. Place the frozen cookie dough balls into a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw Cookie Dough: Transfer your desired amount of frozen cookie dough balls to thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring the cookie dough balls to room temperature before rolling in the cinnamon sugar and baking.
M’s Expert Tips
- Allow extra time to brown and cool the butter. Browning the butter makes this the best banana bread. With that said, browning butter takes about 15 minutes and another 30 minutes to cool the butter to warm and then to chill in the fridge.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the cookies to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in a soft, chewy and delicious cookie.
- Measure the flour properly: I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured dry ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough: Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Slightly under-bake the cookies: For cookies that are soft and chewy for days, the secret is to bake them until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly underbaked, but should be puffed up with cracks along the top.
- Give the cookies a “cookie scoot.” As soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
Browning the butter adds a depth of flavor to cookies, making them taste richer with savory nutty notes and hints of caramel.
This can happen when the oven isn’t hot enough. I recommend preheating the oven for at least 30 minutes before baking.
This can happen from overbaking the cookies. To prevent overbaking, look for the signs the cookie is done. Signs the snickerdoodle cookie is done are set edges that are lightly golden brown, puffed centers and cracks across the cookie. Keep in mind that the cookie will continue to “bake” and set up on the hot baking sheet once it is pulled out of the oven.
Other Brown Butter Recipes To Try
If you try this Brown Butter Snickerdoodles recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Recipe
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan or small pot
- 3 bowls
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- 2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom.Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature. Then transfer the browned butter to the fridge for an additional 15 minutes.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- In mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt together until well combined.2¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar, ¾ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the browned and cooled butter and sugars togetherfor one minute. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to rest in the fridge while the oven preheats for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together until well combined.½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of snickerdoodle brown butter sugar cookie dough. Roll the dough into a ball and roll the ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the cinnamon sugar coated balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the lined baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
- Bake the browned butter snickerdoodles for about 8 -10 minutes. The edges will be set and lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly puffed with cracks across the top. Cool the brown butter cinnamon sugar cookies on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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