These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are next level AMAZING. They're soft-baked and buttery with a warm nutty flavor coming through from the brown butter and cinnamon. Best of all, this one bowl recipe takes 35 minutes, and is perfect to bake all holiday season.
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Oh my gosh, if you're looking for an elevated snickerdoodle recipe you've come to the right place. These brown butter snickerdoodles have all the classic flavors you know and love, but with the addictive addition of nutty brown butter.
Best of all, it's a one bowl, no chill, and no mixer required recipe meaning that you can have fresh baked cookies in just 35 minutes. This recipe is warm, sweet, and yields soft-baked chewy cookies with a perfectly crisp edge.
For more cookies, you should try my snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, my new favorite pumpkin s'mores cookies, or these reader favorite dairy free chocolate chip cookies!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Brown butter flavor: Brown butter + snickerdoodles is a match made in heaven. The nutty brown butter paired with the vanilla and cinnamon of the snickerdoodle makes this cookie addictive.
- Made in one bowl:
- Soft-baked and chewy cookies: No crispy cookies here, I like mine soft and chewy.
- Cinnamon sugar crust: Each brown butter snickerdoodle is rolled in cinnamon sugar to give it a light cinnamon sugar crust.
- Perfect for the holiday season: Traditionally baked around Christmas, I believe you can enjoy these snickerdoodles with brown butter from Fall to the New Year!
Key Ingredients Needed
*for the full list of ingredients and measurements see recipe card down below*
- Brown Butter: Brown butter is when the milk solids in butter are toasted and turn an amber color. It's easy to make, if you don't know how here's a tutorial.
- Cream cheese: For this recipe I highly recommend using full-fat cream cheese. It gives a much better texture and flavor over low-fat.
- Sugars: This recipe uses both granulated sugar and brown sugar. The brown sugar contains molasses which helps add a nice chewy texture to the cookies.
- Egg: You'll need one large egg, and it's best if it's room temperature.
- Flour: I tested this cookie recipe with all purpose flour, but you can use a gluten free all purpose flour that contains xanthan gum if needed.
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies to spread out a bit so they're not too thick.
- Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is traditionally added to snickerdoodles because it adds a tang and prevents the sugar from crystalizing so the cookies stay super chewy.
- Cinnamon sugar: Snickerdoodles can't be made without rolling in cinnamon sugar, it's what makes a snickerdoodle, a snickerdoodle!
Step By Step Instructions To Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
STEP ONE: First, brown the butter. To a medium sized saucepan add the butter and place over medium heat. As it cooks, the butter will crackle and begin to foam, be sure to swirl the pan or whisk often to prevent it from burning. After a few minutes the butter will start to turn an amber brown in color and give off a nutty smell. Once browned, immediately transfer the brown butter and all the brown bits to a heat-safe bowl and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. (here's a more in depth tutorial on browning butter!)
STEP TWO: While cooling, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP THREE: After the brown butter has cooled for 10 minutes, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
STEP FOUR: Next, add the vanilla extract and the egg to the butter mixture and mix again.
STEP FIVE: Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently fold all ingredients together until just combined.
STEP SIX: In a small bowl, combined the sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar.
STEP SEVEN: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out some of the dough, use your hands to roll it into a ball, then roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar.
STEP EIGHT: Place the dough onto your parchment lined baking sheet and repeat STEP 7 with remaining cookie dough
STEP NINE: Lastly, bake the brown butter snickerdoodles for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges just slightly start to turn golden brown. Then cool and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Brown the butter: I say this to remind you to keep an eye on the color! Brown butter can quickly burn if it's not watched, and that won't taste good in a cookie.
- Cool the brown butter: You'll need to cool the butter for 10 minutes before using it. That way it won't melt the sugars or scramble the egg!
- Don't over mix: When making the batter, try not to over mix it. Stir just until the dry ingredients are combined.
- Use a cookie scoop: To scoop out even sized cookies use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Don't over bake: Brown butter snickerdoodles are meant to be soft and chewy, not super crispy. SO watch when baking and remove from the oven as soon as the edges start to turn light brown.
Recipe FAQs
Brown butter adds a nice nutty, warm flavor to the cookies. It's a unique taste that adds more depth of flavor instead of just melting the butter.
You don't have to, you can just melt it. However, if you choose not to brown the butter use 180g of flour instead of 170g to prevent them from spread too much.
You can use either! I typically bake with salted butter because I've found it rounds out the flavor and keeps baked goods from too sweet.
In cookies, cream of tartar prevents the sugar from crystalizing when baking which, therefore, results in a more chewy cookie.
If you don't have cream of tartar you can leave it out. The cream cheese adds that traditional 'tang' commonly found in snickerdoodles, so you won't miss it!
A snickerdoodle is essentially a vanilla sugar cookie that's rolled in cinnamon sugar. It's traditionally made with cream of tartar which gives it, it's signature tang.
Storing Instructions
Storing Cookies-
Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I prefer to keep them in a container, but an airtight Ziploc bag will also work!
Freezing Cookies-
If you'd rather, you can actually freeze these snickerdoodles and have one whenever the craving hits. Simply place in a single layer in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to two months.
When ready, thaw how ever many you'd like to room temperature and enjoy.
Freezing Cookie Dough-
Another way you can go it actually freezing the cookie dough, that way you can have fresh baked brown butter snickerdoodles any time you'd like!
To freeze the cookie dough, roll the balls in cinnamon sugar, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough is chilled, place the balls in a single layer in a freeze for up to 4 months.
When ready to bake, simply take the balls out of the freezer, place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake in a preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are turning slightly golden brown.
A quick note about baking in grams...
You may notice that most of my newer recipes are listed in grams instead of cups. That's because it's really the most accurate way to measure and bake exceptional treats every time with little room for error.
I highly suggest investing in a $10 kitchen scale. It's well worth it!
More Cookie Recipes You'll Love!
- Small batch M&M Cookies
- Small batch chocolate chip cookies
- Maple chocolate chip cookies
- Eggless chocolate cookies
- Snickerdoodles WITHOUT cream of tartar
Did you make these brown butter snickerdoodles? If you did, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below.
Also, stay connected on Instagram (@coleinthekitchen), Pinterest, and Facebook so you never miss a recipe. Happy Baking!
PrintChewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are next level AMAZING. They're soft-baked and buttery with a warm nutty flavor coming through from the brown butter and cinnamon. Best of all, this one bowl recipe takes 35 minutes, and is perfect to bake all holiday season.
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 8 Minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 16 Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 113g brown butter- cooled for 10 minutes
- 56g softened full fat cream cheese
- 100g granulated sugar
- 100g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg- room temperature
- 170g all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For The Cinnamon Sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- First, brown the butter. To a medium sized saucepan add the butter and place over medium heat. As it cooks, the butter will crackle and begin to foam, be sure to swirl the pan or whisk often to prevent it from burning. After a few minutes the butter will start to turn an amber brown in color and give off a nutty smell. Once browned, immediately transfer the brown butter and all the brown bits to a heat-safe bowl and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. (here's a more in depth tutorial on browning butter!)
- While cooling, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the brown butter has cooled for 10 minutes, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add in the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and the egg to the butter mixture and again, stir well.
- Finally, add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently fold all ingredients together until just combined.
- In a small bowl, combined the sugar and ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar.
- Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out some of the dough, use your hands to roll it into a ball, then roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar.
- Place the dough onto your parchment lined baking sheet and repeat STEP 7 with remaining cookie dough, placing the balls 2 inches apart.
- Lastly, bake the brown butter snickerdoodles for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges just slightly start to turn golden brown.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on it for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Brown the butter: I say this to remind you to keep an eye on the color! Brown butter can quickly burn if it's not watched, and that won't taste good in a cookie.
- Cool the brown butter: You'll need to cool the butter for 10 minutes before using it. That way it won't melt the sugars or scramble the egg!
- Don't over mix: When making the batter, try not to over mix it. Stir just until the dry ingredients are combined.
- Use a cookie scoop: To scoop out even sized cookies use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Don't over bake: Brown butter snickerdoodles are meant to be soft and chewy, not super crispy. SO watch when baking and remove from the oven as soon as the edges start to turn light brown.
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Keywords: snickerdoodles with brown butter, brown butter snickerdoodle recipe, brown butter snickerdoodles
Ginny says
LOVE these! My family ate them so quick we made three batches already!
★★★★★