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Brown butter snickerdoodle cookies stacked on a glass plate with cinnamon sugar coating and golden edges.
Summer Dempsey

Brown butter snickerdoodle

Soft and chewy brown butter snickerdoodle cookies with crisp golden edges and a warm cinnamon-sugar coating. Rich, nutty, and perfectly balanced — a cozy upgrade to the classic snickerdoodle.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Chilling time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 11 minutes
Servings: 18
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190

Ingredients
  

Brown Butter Base
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Cookie Sheet

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Cook, stirring constantly, until: Foamy, golden brown, smells nutty, brown bits form at bottom
  3. Immediately remove from heat.
  4. Pour into a heat-safe bowl.
  5. Cool 15–20 minutes until no longer hot. (It should be warm, not hot)
  6. Add sugars to cooled brown butter.
  7. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
  8. Add eggs and vanilla. Whisk until slightly thickened.
  9. In separate bowl whisk: Flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon
  10. Add to wet mixture. Mix just until combined.
  11. Chill dough 30–45 minutes. (Brown butter is liquid — chilling prevents spreading)
  12. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  13. Mix cinnamon + sugar for coating.
  14. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon balls.
  15. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
  16. Place on lined baking sheet.
  17. Bake 9–11 minutes.
  18. Edges should look set. Centers slightly soft.
  19. They will continue setting as they cool.
  20. Let rest in pan 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Notes

  • Brown the butter properly. Cook until golden with brown specks and a nutty aroma, but remove immediately to prevent burning.
  • Let butter cool before mixing. Warm is fine. Hot will affect texture.
  • Don’t skip the chill. Even 30 minutes helps control spreading.
  • Measure flour carefully. Too much flour makes cookies cakey.
  • Underbake slightly. Centers should look just set — they’ll finish baking on the sheet.
  • For thicker cookies: Chill dough up to 24 hours.