These soft and chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies are so easy to make. They’re prepped in just 20 minutes, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and have the perfect nutty brown butter flavor. You’ll want to add these much loved cookies to your cookie rotation!
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I’ve always been more of a chocolate chip cookie girl at heart, but I knew I needed to come up with a good Snickerdoodle cookie to add to my lineup for you. After lots of testing, I came up with the perfect cookie recipe that’s not too thick or thin.
These cookies have just the right amount of softness, and of course, I couldn’t help myself—I made them with brown butter (the best!). The combination of cinnamon sugar and nutty (almost caramelized-like) browned butter is irresistible!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter. I highly recommend using unsalted butter. I’ve tested these cookies for the right amount of salt to balance the sweetness. If you’re using salted butter, reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon.
- Cream of tartar. The cream of tartar helps create a soft cookie and adds a subtle tangy taste, setting Snickerdoodle cookies apart from traditional sugar cookies!
- Brown sugar. I use light brown sugar for this recipe, but you can swap it for dark brown sugar for an even more caramelized flavor.
- Eggs. Bring your egg and yolk to room temperature. Set the eggs on the counter for about 30 minutes before using them.
- Vanilla. I love using vanilla bean paste for a more robust flavor. If you don’t have any, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Brown the butter. Heat the butter over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble vigorously, stir it occasionally for even browning. You’ll want to cook it until it’s a dark golden brown. Don’t worry if it looks burned, it will add a lovely, nutty flavor! Transfer the brown butter to a heat-resistant bowl to stop the cooking.
Step 2 - Combine the dry ingredients. If measuring the flour with cup measurements, spoon it into the cup and level it with the back of a knife. Give your ingredients a good whisk.
Step 3 - Cream together butter and sugars. Cream the ingredients together for at least 1 minute so they are evenly combined. It will look wet and a bit lighter in color. I usually use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but a hand mixer works too!
Step 4 - Add the rest of the dry and wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined, then mix in the dry ingredients on low speed (otherwise, the flour and sugar will fly out of the bowl).
Step 5 - Shape the cookies and refrigerate. I like to use a large cookie scoop for my cookies for consistent sizing. Use a 1.5-ounce scoop, which is about 2 heaping teaspoons of dough. Place the balls on a parchment-lined small cookie sheet or plate and refrigerate covered for at least 4 hours.
Step 6 - Coat with cinnamon sugar. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and roll the chilled cookie dough into the mixture. Space the dough out, leaving 3 inches between each cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 7 - Bake. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. For my oven, 11 minutes is the ideal time for a chewy texture. Let cool on the hot pan, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Tips & Tricks For Perfect Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
- Generously coat the cookies. You can’t have Snickerdoodle cookies without a generous layer of cinnamon sugar. Superfine granulated sugar, like Domino Sugar, works best for an even coating. I like to coat my cookies after chilling them.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough. Don’t skip refrigerating the cookies, or they will spread into super thin cookies (you need at least 4 hours of chill time!). The thing about using brown butter, it’s melted and needs the extra step of chilling to set up (but it’s 100% worth it!). I usually mix the dough the night before and refrigerate it overnight to intensify the flavors.
- Use parchment paper. The first thing I do (before even measuring my ingredients) is line my pans with parchment paper. This helps the cookies spread evenly and prevents them from sticking to the pan. I reuse the same parchment paper for the batch of cookies I’m making.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Snickerdoodle cookies are meant to be soft and chewy (my favorite!). Besides measuring the ingredients correctly, not overbaking the cookies will give you that perfect texture. You’ll know they’re done when the cookies have mostly spread and the edges are set.
Storage & Freezing Tips
- To Store: Keep your Snickerdoodle cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: If you prefer to freeze cookie dough to bake later, don’t roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar. Pop your cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Roll the frozen cookies in the sugar mixture and bake them frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Snickerdoodle recipe is perfect for prepping ahead. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours before baking.
Yes, I have tested both of these options. For thicker cookies, increase the flour to 2 ½ cups (325g), and for thinner cookies, reduce the flour to 2 cups (260g).
Undermeasuring the flour or not chilling the cookie dough long enough is most likely the culprit. I always weigh my ingredients for consistent results!
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Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes + overnight chill
- Yield: 17 cookies 1x
Description
These soft and chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies are so easy to make. They're prepped in just 20 minutes, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and have the perfect nutty brown butter flavor. You'll want to add these much loved cookies to your cookie rotation!
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cookies
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
- 292 g (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 200 g (1 cup) light brown sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to heat, while stirring occasionally, until the butter has brown specks throughout. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the sugars to the butter and cream together for 1 minute using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Mix in the egg, yolk, and vanilla bean paste until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix on medium-low speed until just combined.
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough using a 1.5-ounce scoop–or about 2 heaping tablespoons—and arrange it on the cookie sheet (touching is fine). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Roll each cookie into the mixture to coat it, and arrange them on the baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are light golden brown, and the centers are still soft and appear slightly underbaked.
- Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the hot sheet pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Storage: Keep Snickerdoodle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the cookie dough balls without the sugar coating for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, roll the frozen dough in the sugar mixture and bake, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
For thicker cookies: Use 325 g (2 ½ cups) flour.
For thin cookies: Use 260 g (2 cups) flour.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
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