Browned Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies take the classic to the next level with rich, nutty brown butter and a cinnamon-sugar coating. Soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced, these cookies are easy to make and even easier to enjoy; whether fresh or from the freezer!

A stack of browned butter snicker doodles.

Here is Why This Snickerdoodle Recipe Works

Nutty Browned Butter Magic: The secret to these cookies’ addictive flavor is brown butter. It adds a rich, nutty depth that takes your classic snickerdoodles to a whole new level. Hello flavor bomb!

Soft and Chewy Perfection: These cookies stay soft in the middle with a perfect chewy texture. No dry, crumbly cookies here.

Make-Ahead and Freeze-Friendly: Shape, roll, and freeze these dough balls, then bake straight from the freezer whenever a cookie craving hits. No thawing needed; just more time for cookie-eating!

Extra Cinnamon Sugar Goodness: A double dip in cinnamon sugar gives these cookies an extra burst of cozy flavor. Because who says you can’t have more of a good thing?

If you love this recipe, try our brown butter chocolate chip cookies or brown butter blondies.

The Ingredients

Fridge: Butter, eggs.
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, vanilla extract.
Pantry seasonings: Salt, cinnamon.

Ingredients used to make brown butter snickerdoodles.

Variations

Brown Sugar Pecan Snickerdoodles: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans to the cookie dough and swap ⅓ cup of granulated sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.

Espresso Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles: Mix in ½ teaspoon of instant espresso powder and ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a coffee kick that pairs perfectly with cinnamon.

Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles: Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and roll the cookies in a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for a fall-inspired twist.

Chai Brown Butter Snickerdoodles: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom and ¼ teaspoon each of ground cloves and allspice.

Six photos showing how to make browned butter snickerdoodles.

Tips for Success

Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns; brown butter can go from golden to burnt quickly. Stir frequently and remove it from the heat as soon as it turns golden brown and smells nutty.
Let the brown butter cool before adding eggs.
If your dough feels too sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it’s easy to roll into balls. The amount of flour needed can vary based on how much liquid evaporates while making the brown butter.
For an extra punch of cinnamon flavor, roll the cookies in the cinnamon sugar mixture twice, once before chilling the dough balls and again just before baking.
If you’re baking the cookie dough straight from the freezer, just add a minute or two to the baking time.
These cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.

Brown butter snickerdoodles on a cooling rack.

Storage

To store your Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze them. Here is how:

Freezing the Cookies: Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight container and store them for up to 3 months.
Freezing the Dough: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen balls to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

Five snickerdoodles made with brown butter.

The Ultimate Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

Get ready to fall in love with Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies! With rich, nutty flavors and a sweet cinnamon sugar coating, they are a must-bake. Whip up a batch and enjoy the magic of warm, buttery cookies anytime!

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Browned Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Dive into cookie nirvana with these not-your-average cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles. We start with brown butter because we’re fancy like that, then skip straight to the part where magic happens in the oven. They emerge puffy, soft, and begging for a spot next to your coffee mug. Warning: They might just overshadow your main course. Bake them, love them, thank us later.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 9

Servings: cookies

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2-⅔ cups all-purpose flour (320 grams)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1-⅓ cup granulated sugar (267 grams)
2 eggs
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

½ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Cut the butter into small chunks and place in a medium-size skillet or saucepan set over medium heat until melted. Stir the butter frequently, until the butter foams and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large mixing bowl to cool.
In another medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
Add the sugar to the cooled brown butter and beat together on high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl, stopping at least once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. This will be a soft dough.
The amount of flour required can vary depending on how brown you make the butter. Browning butter evaporates some of its liquid content, which can affect the dough's consistency.
Add additional flour, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky and can be easily rolled into balls
In a small dish, combine the sugar and the cinnamon.
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, shape the dough into balls, roll in the topping mixture and place on the cookie sheet at 3 inches apart.
Transfer the baking sheet to the middle position of the oven and bake for 8 to 9 minutes. If you want to make larger cookies (2 tablespoon size) bake for 10 to 11 minutes.
They will be puffy and appear to be underdone. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Cutting the butter into pieces will allow it to melt evenly.
Be sure to cool the butter before adding the sugar.
These cookies will be soft and fragile when the are first removed from the oven and should cool at least 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
The cookie dough can be shaped and rolled in cinnamon then placed on a plate and chilled or frozen. No thawing required but for an extra burst of cinnamon, roll in a second coating of cinnamon sugar before baking.
If baking from frozen cookies, add an additional 1–2 minutes to the baking time.