These brown butter snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, and full of classic cinnamon-sugar flavor with a rich, buttery twist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter, browned cooled until soft; opaque, and scoopable (not liquid)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp (38g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 2⅔ cups (335g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp whole milk or heavy cream
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- Melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Cook until foamy with golden brown milk solids and a nutty aroma. Do not burn.
- Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool until butter is soft, thick and opaque. Do NOT mix while hot or liquid.
Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and cohesive (1–2 minutes).
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add dry ingredients and the tbsp of milk or cream to the wet and mix just until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Scoop 1½ tbsp (≈35 g) dough balls or your desired size.
- Mix together the cinnamon, sugar and salt. Roll the dough balls in the sugar mixture.
- Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets slightly flattening them down. These cookies do not spread too much.
- Bake 9–11 minutes, or until edges are set. If desired, take a spoon to flatten the cookies more. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then trasnfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Brown Butter Matters. Browning the butter adds deep, nutty flavor, but it also evaporates some of the butter’s natural moisture. That’s why this recipe includes a small amount of milk or cream—don’t skip it. It ensures the dough stays soft and the cookies bake up tender, not dry.
- Cool the Butter Before Mixing. The brown butter should be cooled until soft and opaque, not liquid. Mixing while hot will cause the cookies to spread too much and lose their classic snickerdoodle structure.
- Flattening tip: Snickerdoodles are meant to be soft and lightly puffed, but if your cookies don’t spread as much as you’d like, you can gently press them down with the back of a spoon while they’re still warm, right after baking. This helps create a flatter, more classic snickerdoodle shape without drying them out.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles (Soft, Chewy & Classic)
Amount per Serving
Calories
228
% Daily Value*
Fat
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
0.4
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
47
mg
16
%
Sodium
149
mg
6
%
Potassium
61
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
30
g
10
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
16
g
18
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
345
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
0.01
mg
0
%
Calcium
14
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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