Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

European butter: European butter gives this recipe the best, richest flavor compared to regular butter because of the higher fat content. I don't recommend substituting regular butter, but if you do, add an extra two tablespoons.

Cream of tartar: The cream of tartar gives these cookies their classic tangy flavor. You can substitute it with lemon juice or vinegar if you don't have any on hand!

Light brown sugar: You can substitute dark brown sugar if you don't have any light brown but the cookies will have a darker color to them.

Before you start, grab a large mixing bowl, whisk, two large baking sheets, and a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop.

STEP 1: Brown the butter. Cook the butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. While it cooks, the butter will crackle, pop, and bubble vigorously which is normal!

Once the bottom is covered in amber-brown bits of milk solids and it smells nutty, quickly scrape all of the butter into your mixing bowl (image 1 below).

Set it aside to cool to room temperature. In my kitchen, the browning process takes about 9-11 minutes, then 20-30 minutes to cool to room temperature.

STEP 2: Whisk in the sugars. Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar for one minute until combined (image 2 below).

STEP 3: Whisk in the wet ingredients. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined (image 3 above).

STEP 4: Fold in the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until just combined (image 4 above).

STEP 5: Chill the dough. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes (image 5 below). This step makes the dough firmer and easier to scoop!

STEP 6: Scoop! Scoop the chilled cookie dough with a large cookie scoop, and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray (image 6 below).

STEP 7: Roll in cinnamon sugar. Roll each cookie dough ball between your hands, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely coated (image 7 above).

STEP 8: Bake! Place them back on the baking sheet and return the pan to the fridge to chill for another 30 minutes minimum, or overnight for the best flavor (image 8 above).

When you are ready, bake the cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart for 9-10 minutes, or 11-12 minutes if baking the next day.

The edges will be lightly golden brown and the middle will look puffy when they are done baking. Let the tray cool on a wire cooling rack before removing it, then enjoy!

Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 3-4 days.

After rolling the cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar, place the dough balls on a sheet tray and place them in the freezer until solid, then transfer the dough to a freezer bag or sealed container until ready to bake!