Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Snickerdoodle Recipe
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Ingredients
- How to Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Pro Tips for Success
- Variations and Substitutions
- Serving and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Christmas Cookies
- Watch How to Make This Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
This recipe for Snickerdoodle Cookies elevates the classic recipe with the rich, nutty flavor of brown butter. Rolled in a warm spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, these soft, chewy cookies are the ultimate treat any time of year!
Why I Love This Snickerdoodle Recipe
There’s just something magical about the holidays, isn’t there? For me, nothing sets the tone quite like the warm aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting through the house. This time of year is my favorite for baking, and it’s not just because of the nostalgia but because it’s the perfect excuse to take classic recipes and make them even better. Case in point: these Snickerdoodle cookies. They’re already everyone’s favorite cookie, but with one simple step of browning the butter, they become something that’s even better!
If you’ve never browned butter before, let me tell you: it’s a game-changer. The golden, nutty richness adds so much depth of flavor, which makes every bite feel just a little more special. Then, there’s the texture since these cookies have the perfect balance of crispy and chewy. The cinnamon-sugar mixture rolled on the outside of each ball of dough gives them a lovely crunch on the outside while the inside stays soft and tender, just the way a Snickerdoodle cookie should be.
Every time I make these, they remind me why I love baking during the holidays. It’s not just about the cookies (though they’re definitely a highlight); it’s about the joy of sharing something comforting and familiar with the people you love. When your kitchen smells this amazing, who wouldn’t want to gather around?
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies Ingredients
The ingredients for these Snickerdoodle cookies are super simple, with most items likely already in your pantry. Here’s everything you’ll need and the reason to use each one:
- Butter browns on the heat, bringing a nutty flavor that provides deeper complexity to the cookies.
- Sugar sweetens the cookie while adding structure to the dough as it creams with the butter.
- Eggs work to bind the ingredients together, forming the dough.
- Vanilla extract adds flavor to the cookie, complementing the sweetness and other flavors.
- All-purpose flour creates structure in the cookie, giving it form while it bakes.
- Baking soda lifts the cookie while it bakes, enhancing the texture and boosting the color.
- Cream of tartar maintains a light color in the cookie while providing a softer, chewier texture.
- Kosher salt balances out the sweetness, seasoning the batter slightly.
- Ground cinnamon helps create warmth in a spice mix that coats each cookie.
- Ground ginger brings a sharp, slightly sweet flavor to the exterior of the cookies.
- Cloves balance out the spice mix, continuing to provide warmth with a hit of bitterness.
- White chocolate is drizzled over the top as an optional extra, forming an incredible finishing touch to the treat.
How to Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
There are four steps to making these snickerdoodle cookies, with an optional fifth step for added deliciousness!
- Brown the butter
- Create the dough
- Create the cinnamon sugar coating
- Bake the cookies
- Garnish the cookies (optional)
Step 1: Brown the butter. Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let cook until it calms down and produces a nutty scent, about 4 to 6 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until solidified.
Step 2: Create the dough. Add the cooled browned butter to a bowl for a stand mixer, and add the sugar. Place on low for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture becomes creamy. After creaming, run on low and add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and kosher salt. Mix until combined. Place in the refrigerator to cool.
Step 3: Create the cinnamon sugar coating. Combine sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl. Using a #40 cookie scoop, form cookie dough balls, rolling them in the mix. Then, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake the cookies. Place the cookies in a 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to fully cool.
Step 5: Garnish the cookies (optional). If desired, melt white chocolate in the microwave and drizzle it over the cookies.
Pro Tips for Success
- Listen to the butter when it is browning. Initially, it will cook vigorously and bubble. Eventually, it will calm down and become quieter. This is when you know it is ready. It will also produce a warm, nutty smell, and there will be small, brown flakes at the bottom of the pan.
- Add the eggs one at a time as the mixer continues to run. This creates a more evenly combined batter, allowing the eggs to bind together with the ingredients for a smooth consistency.
- If using white chocolate to drizzle, use bars of white chocolate. Chips can contain a stabilizer, making it difficult to spread over the cookies. If chips are the only type available, you can add a bit of coconut oil to them.
Variations and Substitutions
There are many variations that can be made to make these Snickerdoodle cookies unique, and one of those is the use of brown butter. But here are a few other ways to switch things up:
- Decorate with some additional toppings. Use other types of frosting or sprinkles to finish off the cookies.
- Brown sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar for a deeper, richer flavor and color.
Serving and Storage
To serve: Let the cookies cool before adding the white chocolate. Then, let the white chocolate set fully before enjoying.
To store: Place the cookies in an airtight container, where they should last for 5 to 7 days at room temperature. Alternatively, place them in the freezer and thaw them when you want to enjoy them. The dough can also be prepared ahead of baking. Simply refrigerate the dough, then pop into the oven when the cookies are ready to be baked. Or, freeze the dough in individual balls, then bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. This batter can be creamed by hand; it will simply take some extra work. The stand mixer can make that easier.
Yes! The dough can be made a few days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until baking. It can also be frozen if you want to prepare it even further in advance.
Watch How to Make This Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz white chocolate (optional) to drizzle
For the sugar topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, continue to cook until the foaming slows and the milk solids turn brown and smell nutty, 4-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, scrape into a bowl, and set aside until the butter cools and solidifies, 1-2 hours.16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- Prepare the sugar topping. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix and set it aside.1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Make the cookies. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cooled and solidified butter with the sugar. Using the paddle, mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are combined and form a dough. Cover and fully chill the dough in the refrigerator, 2 hours or overnight.2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Bake the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a #40 cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tbsp), scoop dough and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball in the prepared sugar mixture and place on parchment-lined baking sheets 4 inches apart from each other.
- Bake one pan at a time on the middle rack until the cookies are puffy, soft, and just set on the edges, 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking pan for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool fully. Optionally, melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the top of the cooled cookies.4 oz white chocolate (optional)
My husband and I made these together this weekend. Super easy, especially for this non baker. They were delicious, and will be on a cookie tray for him to take to his work!
These were easy to make and everyone loved them! I even made a batch with Bobs Red Mill gluten free flour and they came out perfect! This recipe is a keeper! 💕
Hubby and I made these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle cookies! They are so delicious! Packing them up for family Christmas gifts.
We have been following you on YouTube for quite awhile now. Thank you for sharing all that you do on your channel! Aloha from one of your biggest fans.
Absolutely delicious flavor with the brown butter. I cut 1/3 cup of sugar to account for the outer sugar and vanilla drizzle. Great ingredient ratio, texture and chewy cookie.