About My Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
These brown butter snickerdoodles are a brown butter version of one of My Best Snickerdoodle Recipe, one the most popular recipes on Hummingbird High!
The homemade brown butter adds a nutty, toasted flavor that complements the cinnamon sugar of the snickerdoodles perfectly. And if you’re the kind of person who likes a slightly puffy, pillowy snickerdoodle, this recipe is for you! The brown butter gives these snickerdoodles a slightly soft and cakey texture.
The best part? This recipe does NOT use a stand mixer. After browning the butter, you mix in the other ingredients by hand with just a rubber spatula!
Looking for a snickerdoodle cookie recipe that doesn’t use cream of tartar? Check out this other incredibly popular Hummingbird High post: Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream of Tartar.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make these nutty, chewy, toasted brown butter snickerdoodles, let’s talk about some key ingredients, where to find them, and any potential substitutions:
Ingredient Sources and Substitutions
Making The Snickerdoodles, Step By Step
Norpro 3-Tablespoon (50MM) Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
The fastest and easiest way to make picture-perfect cookies is to invest in a cookie dough scoop. These handy tools scoop the dough into dough balls that bake into perfect cookie circles every time.
Storing The Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
After baking, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze the cookies?
Yes! You can freeze the cookies in the following ways:
- Freeze the UNBAKED dough.
Follow the recipe instructions to make the cookie dough and scoop them out into cookie dough balls. Place the cookie dough balls in a small sheet pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until the cookie dough balls are frozen solid. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 1 year.To bake the frozen cookie dough balls, line sheet pans with parchment paper and position the cookie dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the sheet pans. Then, follow the recipe instructions to preheat the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey.
- Freeze the BAKED snickerdoodles.
Individually wrap any leftover cookies in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the cookies from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. Rewarm in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes before serving.
Best Recipe Tips
Ingredient Tips
- When cooking the butter, its color will progress from a bright lemon yellow to a golden tan and finally, a dark amber brown. The longer you cook the butter, the darker and more flavorful it will be. However, there is a fine line between toasted and burnt! There’s no salvaging butter once it’s burnt, so be sure to watch it like a hawk as it browns.
- Unlike other baking recipes, there’s no need to bring your eggs to room temperature before using them in this recipe! Cold eggs straight from the fridge helps the cookie dough firm up to the perfect temperature.
Troubleshooting Tips
- On that note, if your dough seems too soft to scoop, don’t panic! It’s likely that the butter was still too hot when you combined it with the rest of the ingredients. Simply pop the bowl of cookie dough in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to firm the dough up.
Baking Tips
- I like to bake the cookies one pan at a time. I find that doing so makes the best snickerdoodles, ensuring that none of them have overly burnt bottoms or raw centers. However, to save time, you can bake two sheet pans at a time. Position a rack in the upper-third position of the oven, and a second one in the lower-third position of the oven. Bake a pan on each rack, swapping their positions half way through the Bake Time.
- Uh oh! Did the snickerdoodle cookies come out puffier than expected? Check out my troubleshooting guide on How To Fix Puffy Cookies (and Other Cookie Baking Fails)!
Get the Recipe:
Nutty, Chewy, Toasted Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies
These brown butter snickerdoodles are perfectly nutty and chewy thanks to brown butter in the cookie dough! No stand mixer is needed to make the recipe—all you need is a bowl and a spatula.
Prevent your screen from going dark
For Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough
For the Snickerdoodle Topping
-
First, brown the butter. In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it starts to foam. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan occasionally to prevent the milk solids in the butter from burning.Cook for 5 minutes, or until the butter smells nutty and is amber with dark flecks at the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the brown butter into a large bowl. Set it on a wire rack to cool while you prep the other ingredients.
-
Preheat the oven and prep the baking pans. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400℉. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
-
Mix the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and dry ingredients into the brown butter. Pour the sugar over the brown butter and use a rubber spatula to mix together the butter and sugars until moistened, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
-
Make the snickerdoodle topping. Whisk together ¼ cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
-
Assemble the cookies. Use a 3-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion the cookie dough into balls. Roll each in the snickerdoodle topping, covering them completely. Place the coated cookies at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans.
-
Bake the cookies. Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
-
Serve and store. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- I like to bake the cookies one pan at a time. I find that doing so makes the best snickerdoodles, ensuring that none of them have overly burnt bottoms or raw centers. However, to save time, you can bake two sheet pans at a time. Position a rack in the upper-third position of the oven, and a second one in the lower-third position of the oven. Bake a pan on each rack, swapping their positions half way through the Bake Time.
buy the book
Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
