Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Get ready to fall in love with these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies! With soft, chewy centers, crispy edges, and a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating, they deliver everything you love about Snickerdoodles, plus the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter. Perfect for the holiday season or any cookie craving, this recipe will become a fast favorite. Once you try browned butter, there’s no going back!
Are you looking for more Cookie Recipes? Try our Easy Toffee Cookies, Hot Cocoa Cookies, Lemon Blueberry Cookies, or No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.
Save this Recipe for later!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it!
If you love soft and fluffy cookies, you should also check out our Pumpkin Snickerdoodles for a fall-inspired twist. Prefer to stick with the classics? You can easily skip browning the butter in this recipe and use softened butter instead for a more traditional Snickerdoodles.
Whether you’re into classic snickerdoodle cookies, or seasonal, there’s a snickerdoodle for every craving! Both are perfect for any time of year and will quickly earn a spot on your list of favorite cookies! Why choose when you can have both?
What you’ll love about this Snickerdoodles Recipe:
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the Best Snickerdoodles Recipes:
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Cream of tartar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
INGREDIENT NOTES:
- Brown butter: The extra step of browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes these cookies to a whole new level!
- Cream of tartar: Essential for achieving the chewy center and tangy flavor of these classic snickerdoodles.
- Cinnamon sugar mixture: Coats the cookies for the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER SNICKERDOOLES COOKIES STEP-BY-STEP:
Check out the quick visual guides below. For full instructions and ingredients, see the printable recipe card at the end.
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly until it forms brown bits and turns into a nutty brown butter, about 5-7 minutes. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl to cool. Refrigerate until it’s solidified but still soft, about 1 hour.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the cooled brown butter and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
Step 4: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until a smooth dough forms.
Step 5: In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon sugar mixture: granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
Step 6: Scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball). Roll into smooth balls and coat thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Step 7: Place the cookie dough balls onto prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart.
Step 8: Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies is lightly golden and the edges are crispybut the centers remain soft.
Step 9: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
PRO TIP:
Use a light-colored saucepan to brown the butter so you can easily see when it turns golden and avoid burning it.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
Reheating: Enjoy at room temperature, or warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a freshly baked feel!
Freezing: Freeze unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute to the bake time
Additions & Substitutions
ADDITIONS:
- Use vanilla bean paste instead of extract for a richer vanilla flavor.
- Add a pinch of sea salt to the cinnamon sugar mixture for a subtle salty-sweet kick.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Light brown sugar: Replace half of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar for a softer cookie.
- Egg yolk: Add an extra yolk for an even chewier texture.
- Regular snickerdoodles: Skip the browning step and use softened butter instead.
FAQs about this Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe:
What Can I Serve with these Brown Butter Snickerdoodles?
Serve these Snickderdoodles with a glass of milk, hot cocoa, or your favorite coffee or tea. It also is super yummy crumbled up over some vanilla ice cream!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I’m excited for you to try this Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe! After you make it, please leave a rating to let me know your thoughts on it – I’m eager to hear if you loved it as much as we do!
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Coating:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Refrigerate until solidified but still soft, about 1 hour.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the brown butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, beating well after each addition.
- Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well combined.
- In a small bowl, mix the coating ingredients.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers still appear soft.
- Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
These cookies are so good they just melt in your mouth good I could literally eat a dozen you won’t be sorry making these for Christmas
Thank you so much, Cathy!
I love snickerdoodles, so I’ll be giving these a try for sure! Thanks for sharing.