Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

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.

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

Happy baking!

Looking for more easy and delicious cookie recipes? You’ll love these:

• Brown Butter Iced Oatmeal Cookies
• Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies