Brown butter snickerdoodle cookies– the elevated, bakery-style version of the classic! Made in one bowl with browned butter, they are so much more flavorful than regular snickerdoodles with the same soft and chewy texture you love!
As a former pastry chef, I’m here to tell you the #1 way to elevate any dessert is by swapping regular butter for brown butter, which is exactly what we did with these brown butter snickerdoodles.
While I love the classic, this browned butter version is super fancy while still being approachable and easy to make at home. You only need one bowl, no mixer, and they’re ready to eat the same day (no dough chilling)! Try my brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodles (my most viral recipe!) or apple snickerdoodles for fall, or if you’re a chocolate fan, try my chocolate snickerdoodles!
Table of Contents
Tips for The Best Snickerdoodles
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! If your cookies are turning out dense, crumbly, or dry, it’s likely you are using too much flour!
Use high-quality butter and vanilla. I’ve learned as a pastry chef that recipes with few ingredients will have a bigger impact on the overall flavor of the cookie. To achieve a bakery-worthy snickerdoodle flavor, use vanilla bean paste instead of extract and cultured European butter instead of American butter!
Cool the brown butter. As with any cookie recipe that uses melted butter, it’s crucial to cool the butter before incorporating it into the dough. Warm or hot melted butter can lead to greasy cookies!
Don’t skip the cream of tartar. This is a key ingredient that sets Snickerdoodles apart. It creates a tangy flavor, helps the cookies rise slightly, and contributes to their chewy texture. Don’t skip it!
Underbake for soft and gooey centers. Don’t overbake the cookies! They should be golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center. Overbaking will result in dry and crispy cookies.
3 Tips for Browning Butter
If you’re new to baking or have never browned butter before, I have a whole tutorial on how to brown butter! Here are my top tips for success:
- Use a light-colored pan. A light-colored pan allows you to clearly see the milk solids settling at the bottom as they brown, giving you a visual cue to prevent burning.
- Don’t burn it. Cooking times can vary, so it’s best to rely on your senses. Aim for a deep amber color with a nutty aroma. Watch it closely, as brown butter can go from perfect to burnt very quickly!
- Let it cool to room temperature. You may be tempted to use it right away, but don’t! Hot butter can melt the sugar and other fats too quickly, making a flatter and greasier cookie.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
European butter: Traditionally, snickerdoodle cookies are known for their super rich and buttery flavor. Using a higher-fat European butter is key to that rich flavor and chewy texture. For a rich and tangy flavor, use a cultured version like Kerrygold!
Eggs: Note that you will need one whole egg plus an extra egg yolk! Like in my brown butter miso cookies, adding an extra yolk creates a chewier, richer, and more tender texture because of the extra fat and moisture.
Cream of tartar: This is a key ingredient that sets Snickerdoodles apart from other cookies. It creates a tangy flavor, helps the cookies rise slightly, and contributes to their chewy texture.
Brown sugar: Just like in my brown butter toffee cookies, we’re using half brown sugar because of the molasses content- it gives the cookies a super chewy texture! I use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar can also be used.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Recipe Instructions
1
Brown the butter. Watch the butter, stirring occasionally, as it melts and goes from bright yellow to amber with brown milk solids on the bottom.
Scrape all of the browned butter (including the browned bits) into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2
Whisk in the sugars. Once the butter feels room temperature, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined.
3
Whisk in the eggs. Then, whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla paste or extract. When the mixture is thick and leaves a trail when whisked, stop mixing.
4
Fold in the dry ingredients. You don’t want to develop too much gluten at this stage- use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour until there are no more visible flour streaks.
Then, set the bowl aside for 15-20 minutes. This will hydrate the flour and make the dough easier to scoop.
5
Scoop the cookie dough. Scoop 13 dough balls with a large cookie scoop, rolling each one between your palms, then rolling them in the cinnamon sugar.
6
Bake the cookies. Bake the snickerdoodles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until the edges are golden brown, but the middles are soft and puffy.
Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to finish cooling.
Storage, Freezing, and Make Ahead
Storage: Any leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Once rolled in cinnamon sugar, freeze the cookie dough balls solid, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be baked from frozen, but they will need a few extra minutes when baking.
Make ahead: You can make brown butter snickerdoodles the day before and keep them in the fridge until ready to bake. I don’t recommend refrigerating the dough longer than 24 hours!
FAQs
The butter should be measured before browning it.
Some recipes might offer a substitute, like using a bit of lemon juice or vinegar in the dough. However, cream of tartar contributes to the tangy flavor and chewy texture, so the cookies might not be exactly the same.
The browned butter might have been too hot when incorporated, or the dough might be too warm. Let the butter cool, and make sure you are chilling the dough before baking.
Ideally, the browned butter should cool slightly before incorporating it into the dough (around a lukewarm temperature). Hot butter can make the cookies greasy.
The butter might be too warm, or you may need more flour.
The edges should be golden brown, but the centers should still be soft and slightly puffed.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 1/2 tablespoons salted European butter, *See notes below*
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon, for rolling
Instructions
- In a stainless steel pan, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it looks foamy, smells nutty, and the bottom is covered in amber brown milk solids.14 1/2 tablespoons (202 g) salted European butter
- Take the pan off the heat and pour the butter into a large bowl. Make sure to scrape all of the butter and browned bits from the pan with a rubber spatula. You should have about 170 g or 3/4 cup browned butter. Let the browned butter cool until it feels room temperature. The time it takes will depend on how warm your kitchen is; for me, this takes about 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the brown and white sugar into the browned butter.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (128 g) light brown sugar
- Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.1 large (50 g) egg, 1 large (18 g) egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Set the bowl aside for 15-20 minutes so the dough is easier to scoop.2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Scoop the dough into 3 tbsp (66 g) sized portions and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Place them on one of the lined baking trays (only 6-7 cookies per tray). Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown with soft and puffy centers.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies with a spatula to the rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Oh my goodness. These were absolutely delicious. I weighed my ingredients and they were perfect. Crispy edges and a soft chewy center. I did use 1 small vanilla bean pod in place of the vanilla bean paste. I wish I doubled the recipe because these are going to be gone so fast!
So happy to hear that Lettie! Thank you so much for the kind review.
Made these cookies and they were delicious, a new go to! I froze half the batch, do they need to sit out before baking to thaw or just add more time to the bake time?
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them! They should be fine baking frozen, I would add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
I made these for the first time over the weekend. I followed the recipe exactly. The only difference for me is that I made the cookies smaller than called for because they were intended for a cookie exchange and impractical to make extra large cookies. I adjusted and lessened the cooking time since smaller cookie. The cookies came out flat and thin and not as pictured. Even my family noticed and commented. Thinner cookies tend to be crispier as well, so I didn’t get the soft, chewy consistency I was looking for. What could I do differently if I want a smaller cookie?
Hi Monica, using a smaller scoop size should not make a difference in spreading. I have made this recipe multiple times and baked them as smaller 2 tbsp cookies with no issue. I would check to make sure your butter is cooled correctly to room temperature, if it is too warm when mixing the dough the cookies will spread more in the oven no matter their size. Also make sure the dough is being chilled long enough- overnight chilling is always my recommendation!
Can you double this recipe?
Definitely!
Absolutely delicious, thank you for the recipe!