The only thing that beats classic snickerdoodles cookies are brown butter snickerdoodle cookies! Browning butter brings on a toasty and nutty flavor to add an extra layer of warm flavor. And the best part is: no chilling needed! You can make the cookie dough ahead of time or bake right away.
Is it weird that I tested and photographed this recipe in the middle of July? Probably. But that just goes to show you how insanely delicious these cookies are. They're turn-your-oven-on-in-the-middle-of-a-heatwave goooood.
These are quite possibly the chewiest cookies I've ever had - and that's saying something because I've made a lot of cookies!
p.s. If you love snickerdoodles, but don't have cream of tartar, I also have a snickerdoodle cookie recipe without cream of tartar!
what makes these snickerdoodles so good?
- Brown butter: adds the BEST flavor ever!
- No chill time: which means you can enjoy these beauties that much quicker!
- Ultra chewy: the texture of these cookies almost verges on blondie territory - I can't begin to explain to you how amazingly chewy they are!
- Crispy edges: nothing beats a cookie with chewy centers and crispy edges.
should you chill this cookie dough?
This cookie dough can be baked off right after putting it together (which is what I did with mine). Baking the cookie dough right away results in a thinner cookie that spreads more easily. The pictures in this post show you how thin you can expect the un-chilled cookies to be.
If you chill the dough for 1 hour (or up to 3 days) before baking the cookies, you'll notice significantly thicker and fluffier cookies. For reference: the thickness is very similar to these molasses cookies.
It all just depends on what you're craving, the amount of time you have to spare, and how patient you're feeling! There's really no wrong choice. Each scenario will give you a darn delicious cookie.
how to make brown butter snickerdoodle cookies
1. Brown butter. I go into a bit more detail on how to brown butter in this post if you're interested! But here's a quick breakdown!
Cut your butter into tablespoon sized portions (this just helps it melt more evenly). Add to a skillet, and heat on your stove until browned. It's all really simple. The only things to keep in mind are: stir regularly to prevent burning on the bottom, and don't walk away (because it will know somehow and start to burn).
2. Pour browned butter into a heat safe bowl and cool slightly before using. You can't use the butter while it's piping hot, or it'll cause your snickerdoodles to spread all over the place! Cool for at least 15 minutes before using - it should be just about room temperature or just a little warm.
3. Mix together brown butter and sugars. They're not going to cream into a very smooth mixture, but just try to get all the sugar moistened.
4. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk your dry ingredients together then add to wet ingredients. Fold together until you have a thick cookie dough.
6. Scoop 3 tablespoon sized cookies and roll into smooth balls.
7. Roll the cookie dough portions in cinnamon sugar before baking.
8. Bake until spread out and golden brown along the edges.
9. Cool cookies for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mimi's tips
- browning butter: stir regularly and don't walk away from it. It's not difficult to make but it can smell fear lol.
- cool butter before using: I can't stress this enough - hot butter will lead to overspread cookies!
- measuring flour: always always always measure flour either by weight or by spoon and leveling it into a measuring cup. Don't try scooping the flour directly into a cup - this can pack in more weight of flour and make your cookies dry!
- cream of tartar: don't skip it! It's really the key to getting that textbook snickerdoodle texture. If you don't have any available, check out my snickerdoodles without cream of tartar recipe instead!
cookies storage and make ahead
Keep the baked cookies stored in an airtight container or plastic bag. These will keep for up to 1 week at room temperature or 2 weeks in the fridge.
If you want to bake the cookie dough later, you can make it up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it off. Chilled cookie dough with give you a thicker cookie once baked.
You can also freeze this cookie dough. Scoop portions of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookie balls to an airtight freezer container or plastic bag, and seal well. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
You can bake the frozen cookie dough as is (just tag on an extra 2 to 4 minute bake time) or let it defrost in the fridge the night before you want to bake it.
Check out these other recipes!
• Nutella Chocolate Lava Cookies
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Spiced Pumpkin Truffles
• Apple Hand Pies
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
for the cookie dough:
- 10 tablespoons (150g) unsalted butter, cut into 10 even slices
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 & ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
for the cinnamon sugar coating:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown butter: Ready a large heat safe bowl to pour the butter into after it's done browning. Set aside.
- Add your slices of butter to a medium sized skillet, and place onto a stove burner set to medium heat. Heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and turns a light golden brown color. It will foam quite a bit, but it should settle down once the butter is ready to take off the heat. This will take about 5 to 8 minutes from start to finish.10 tablespoons (150g) unsalted butter,
- Immediately pour the browned butter into your heat safe bowl to keep it from burning due to the residual heat of the pan. You shouldn't have any burnt pieces at the bottom of your skillet, but if you do, leave them behind and discard them later (once it's cooled).
- Set the browned butter aside for 15 minutes or until cooled slightly before adding in any other ingredients. It's ok if it's warm, but it should not be hot.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the cookie dough: Add both sugars to the cooled brown butter. Whisk together until combined (about 1 minute by hand). The mixture will be a bit clumpy.½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar,, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- Whisk in your egg and vanilla until smooth and combined.1 large egg,, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until you have a thick cookie dough.1 & ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour,, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cinnamon sugar: In a shallow bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon to combine. Scoop 3 tablespoon sized portions of cookie dough, roll into smooth balls, and toss in cinnamon sugar to coat.¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Arrange the cookie portions on your parchment lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until spread out and the edges are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely on the wire rack before serving!
Enjoy!
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