Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

nine snickerdoodle cookies on a baking rack.

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These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles give the classic cinnamon cookie recipe an upgrade with brown butter, brown sugar, and a splash of bourbon. But don't worry - they still have the classic snickerdoodle recipe soft center, crisp edges, and cinnamon sugar coating!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Cooling time10

Total Time40

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 151kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Ingredients

Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter browned and cooled slightly
2 ¾ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar see note below for substitution
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (196 grams) brown sugar
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons bourbon or substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar

¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar for rolling
1 tablespoon cinnamon for rolling

Instructions

Turn on your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the bits at the bottom turn a golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool until no longer hot to touch, 10 to 15 minutes.
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
Sift or whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
2 ¾ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cooled brown butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
1 cup (196 grams) brown sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and the bourbon, beating one minute after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons bourbon
Mix the dry ingredients in on low speed until just combined.
Use a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop cookie balls containing about 1½ tablespoons of dough. Before baking, drop the cookie balls one by one in a small bowl with the additional sugar and cinnamon, and gently roll the snickerdoodle dough until it is fully covered.
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Place on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing at least two inches apart. You'll need three baking sheets for the whole batch, or wait a one cookie sheet is completely cool before adding a second set.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of your snickerdoodles are set but the centers are soft.
Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

This recipe will make 30 cookies using a #40 (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop.

Baking powder is a combination of baking powder, an acid like cream of tartar, and a stabilizer like cornstarch. If you have no cream of tartar, use 2 teaspoons of baking powder in place of both the cream of tartar and baking soda.

You can bake these brown butter snickerdoodles without chilling, but the dough will be soft when you coat them with cinnamon sugar. I find it easier to chill the whole batch of cookie balls on a lined baking sheet while my oven is pre-heating, and then I bake one cookie sheet at a time.

To freeze snickerdoodle cookies, you can freeze the baked cookies or unbaked dough balls. To freeze snickerdoodle dough balls, leave them overnight on your baking sheet in the freezer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to three months. To bake frozen cookie balls, let them warm up a bit so the cinnamon sugar adheres well, then bake at the same temperature for a minute or two longer.

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