Cookies • Currently Craving • Seasonal
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
September 9, 2024
Super soft and chewy, these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies combine the cozy autumn flavors of brown butter, pure maple syrup […]
Super soft and chewy, these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies combine the cozy autumn flavors of brown butter, pure maple syrup and cinnamon sugar. A fall twist on a classic, they’re everything a snickerdoodle should be.
What makes these cookies so good?
These Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies taste like they’re straight from your favorite bakery! Made with rich, brown butter, a hint of maple and a generous coating of cinnamon sugar, these cookies are cozy with a capital C!
- Amazing flavor and texture! These cookies are made extra delicious with the magic of brown butter. You will need to chill the butter until firm once browned, but it’s absolutely worth the extra step. The cookies bake up thick and chewy with that signature snickerdoodle taste.
- Stay fresh for days. If you love a cookie that tastes even better on the second (and third!) day after baking, this is the recipe for you. The cookies have soft, moist centers that stay fresh for days – if they last that long!
- A real crowd pleaser! Those craggly, sugar-dusted tops make these a serious contender for the world’s coziest cookie. It’s impossible to eat just one.
- Great for gift giving. This is a sturdy cookie that stands up well to travel. Tote them to your holiday office party or ship them off to far away family members. They won’t crumble en route and because they stay fresh for days, you can make them ahead of time and trust that they’ll still be soft and flavorful upon arrival.
Ingredients
Make these easy and delicious brown butter snickerdoodles with just a handful of pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flour – be sure to measure your flour using a digital kitchen scale for best results.
- Butter – brown butter makes these cookies NEXT LEVEL! Use a high quality unsalted butter for the most delicious cookies!
- Sugar – we’re using both granulated sugar and light brown for texture and sweetness.
- Eggs – the added egg yolk adds extra chewiness. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
- Maple syrup – for the best flavor, use real maple syrup. Avoid anything artificial.
- Baking powder & soda – check your expiration dates to be sure they’re fresh!
- Cream of tartar – gives the cookies that signature snickerdoodle tang and extra chewy texture.
- Cinnamon – feel free to add more to suit your taste.
Make the brown butter
Brown butter makes everything better and these brown butter snickerdoodle cookies are no exception! If you haven’t made brown butter before, I have a whole post on how to brown butter. Pro-tip: use a light colored pan so that you can see the butter browning. This clear visual will help prevent burning.
Step 1: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir every minute or so until fully melted.
Step 2: As the butter melts it will start to foam. Stir it a bit more frequently while keeping one eye on the pan at all times. The butter can go from light golden to totally burnt very quickly so stay close by. As the butter begins to foam and bubble it will make a low crackling sound. Keep stirring and watch for golden brown bits to form in the pan.
Step 3: Once the butter turns a golden, toasty brown color the crackling sound will stop. Look for a golden brown, amber color in the center of the pan. Little bits of brown butter will fall to the bottom of the pan and grow darker the longer you leave the butter over the heat. The butter will have a toasty, nutty aroma.
Step 4: Remove the pan from the stove top and add two tablespoons of water to the butter. Carefully transfer the hot butter to large shallow plate. Be sure to include all the solid brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the plate in the freezer for about 30 minutes until firm to the touch.
How to make snickerdoodle cookies
These brown butter snickerdoodles have all the soft and chewy deliciousness of a regular snickerdoodle, but the flavor is richer, bolder and more elevated. All good things in my book! Follow this step-by-step guide and check the recipe card below for ingredients and detailed instructions.
Step 1: Remove the brown butter from the freezer and let soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a large mixing bowl. Add the sugars.
Step 2: Mix on low speed for about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the egg, followed by the egg yolk. Mix until combined.
Step 4: Add the maple syrup and mix until incorporated.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture.
Step 6: Mix on low speed until a few streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix.
Step 7: Chill the dough for about 20 minutes or until firm enough to scoop into rounded balls. No need to roll the balls in your hands after scooping. Cover and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
Step 8: Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and roll the balls in a bowl of cinnamon sugar, coating all sides of the ball thoroughly. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 to 3 inches apart. The cookies will spread in the oven.
Step 9: Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350°F for 9 to 10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the cookies are puffed up in the center. Do not over bake or the cookies will be dry and crumbly. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack. The cookies will deflate slightly as they cool.
How to store
If you can manage not to eat every last crumb in one sitting, store the cookies tightly covered at room temperature. They’ll stay perfectly soft and chewy for days!
To freeze the cookies once baked, cool completely and place in a large freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
To freeze the dough, scoop the dough into balls and freeze flat on a parchment lined cookie sheet until firm. Transfer the balls into a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, defrost at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar just before baking.
FAQ’s
Yes! Simply replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend. I have the most luck with King Arthur Baking Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour.
Do not skip the brown butter! The flavor and texture of the cookies will not be the same if you use regular melted or softened butter. If you’ve never made brown butter before, not to worry. Check out this post for an easy step-by-step guide.
Absolutely. Feel free to make the cookie dough and store the scooped cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Be sure to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar just before baking.
Your cookies may spread to much in the oven for several reasons. First, be sure that you follow the recipe directions. It is important that the brown butter is chilled correctly. The dough must be chilled 3 hours or overnight before baking. I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh the flour and sugars for consistent results. And finally, check that your oven is not running too hot, or too cold, by using an oven thermometer.
Look for golden brown edges and pale, slightly puffy centers. Do not be tempted to over bake the cookies…they will continue to bake once removed from the oven.
Yes. Dark brown sugar will work if you don’t have light brown sugar on hand.
I don’t recommend using substitutions like lemon juice or vinegar in this recipe. Make an extra trip to the store to grab the cream of tartar. You’ll thank me later!
Happy baking!
Looking for more easy and delicious cookie recipes? You’ll love these:
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 to 11 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 12 to 14 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Super soft and chewy, these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies combine the cozy autumn flavors of brown butter, pure maple syrup and cinnamon sugar. An elevated twist on the classic snickerdoodle, these bakery-style cookies are Fall favorite year after year!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, plus one egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons (270 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir every minute or so until fully melted.
- As the butter melts it will start to foam. Stir it a bit more frequently while keeping one eye on the pan at all times. The butter can go from light golden to totally burnt very quickly so stay close to the stovetop. As the butter begins to foam and bubble it will make a low crackling sound. Keep stirring and watch for golden brown solids to form in the pan.
- Once the butter turns a toasty brown color the crackling sound will stop. Look for a golden brown, amber color in the center of the pan. Little bits of brown butter will fall to the bottom of the pan and grow darker the longer you leave the butter over the heat. The butter will have a toasty, nutty aroma.
- Remove the pan from the stove top and add two tablespoons of water to the butter. Caution: the butter may splatter when the water is added. Carefully transfer the hot butter to large shallow dinner plate. Be sure to scrape all the solid brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the plate in the freezer for about 30 minutes until firm to the touch.
- Once firm, remove the butter from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Scrape the butter (and all the brown bits) into a large mixing bowl.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the chilled brown butter with the granulated and light brown sugar on low speed for 1 minute.
- Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy. There should not be any solid bits of butter in the mixture.
- Add the egg, followed by the egg yolk. Mix until well combined.
- Add the maple syrup and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture.
- Mix on low speed until a few streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix. The dough will be soft.
- For best results, chill the dough for about 20 minutes or until firm enough to scoop into rounded balls. Cover the scooped dough balls with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon to a small bowl.
- Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and roll in the bowl of cinnamon sugar, coating all sides of the cookie dough ball thoroughly.
- Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffed up in the center. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. The cookies will deflate as they cool.
Notes
Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. To maximize freshness, place a slice of white sandwich bread inside the container with the cookies.
May be frozen. To freeze, cool completely and then place in a large freezer bag. Freeze flat for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
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5 Comments
Kathy
October 21, 2024 at 11:01 pmThese cookies are awesome, but it’s a lot of work to only get 12-14 cookies out of the recipe (per the recipe). I used a 3-tbsp scoop and yielded 14 cookies. Flavor is so good though.
Heather Mubarak
October 22, 2024 at 1:36 pmI scaled this recipe to make 12-14 large cookies but you can always make them smaller. Or double the batch to make more!
Nicole Shugars
September 18, 2024 at 4:40 pmHow big do you scoop the dough balls?
Heather Mubarak
September 20, 2024 at 10:42 amI typically scoop the cookies in just under 2 ounces each. You can make them smaller, but keep an eye on your oven as they’ll bake faster.
Suzie
September 11, 2024 at 4:33 amThese are the best snickerdoodles I’ve ever tasted. They are perfectly soft and chewy with a slight nutty flavor from the browned butter. My kids devoured these cookies, definitely going to be a staple1