Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Another cookbook recipe! Wild. Last year, I made the Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles from Sally’s Baking Addiction. This year, I decided to give her cookbook’s brown butter version a try. I love snickerdoodles because I’m a huge fan of the cinnamon-sugar pairing, and the recipes are quick and easy because they require no chilling!

Oddly enough, I had the same issue this year as I did last year: my dough balls were too big, so the snickerdoodles spread to a larger size than I wanted. Furthermore, I wasn’t gentle with the baking pans when I removed them from the oven, so the centers of the cookies deflated upon impact. Next year, I must remember smaller scoops!

 

BROWN BUTTER SNICKERDOODLES
Based on recipe in this book.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (170 g) packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar, divided
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

  1. Have a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer ready.
  2. Place butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, whisking constantly as the butter melts. After 5-8 minutes, remove pan from heat when brown specks appear and there is a nutty aroma. Pour butter into heatproof bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Add brown sugar and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar to the browned butter. Beat on medium-high speed ~1 minutes until relatively combined.
  5. On low speed, pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients, gradually increasing speed to high.
  6. In a small bowl, mix remaining granulated sugar with cinnamon.
  7. Roll balls of dough ~1 tablespoon per cookie, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture (keep excess cinnamon sugar). Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  8. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet.
  9. Place cookies on baking sheet ~3″ apart and sprinkle with reserved cinnamon sugar.
  10. Bake 11 minutes, or until slightly browned on the sides. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: The recipe yielded 28 cookies scooped liberally with a 2 teaspoon scoop.