by Courtney Rich
Published on
Soft and chewy and full of flavor, these Snickerdoodle Cookies are my family’s favorite recipe! They’re sure to be yours too!
While chocolate chip cookies are my favorite cookie, I do love a good snickerdoodle cookie! “Good” is a crucial part to that statement. A dry, flavorless snickerdoodle is never worth my time, but a soft and chewy snickerdoodle that’s full of flavor is something dreams are made of!
As simple and classic as this cookie is, there’s definitely good versions and not-so-good versions.
The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe with Brown Butter
The other week I set out to work on my own recipe for snickerdoodles, one that would be memorable and become a fan favorite in my house and right here on the blog. After a few rounds of recipe testing, I’ve landed on what my family and I think is the best snickerdoodle recipe.
What makes this recipe different and so delicious?
A basic snickerdoodle recipe is pretty similar from baker to baker, but what I think makes these cookies stand out are these small changes:
1. Brown butter – taking time to brown the butter is a game changer in these snickerdoodle cookies. The brown butter gives the cookies some depth and warmth, and really amps up the flavor.
2. Brown sugar – using a little brown sugar, in addition to the granulated sugar, helps to increase the chewy texture, as well as the flavor (thanks to the molasses in the brown sugar).
3. Large cookie size – the first time I made these snickerdoodles, I used a smaller cookie scoop and didn’t think they baked as well. Using the larger cookie scoop (1.5 inch) helps enhance the chewy center.
4. Slightly under bake – it’s really important you don’t overbake these cookies. In fact, take them out even if they look slightly underdone (9 to 10 minutes should be plenty of time). The cookies will continue to bake as they cool on the pan. Once they’ve cooled completely, you’ll have a slightly crispy edge and a chewy center.
5. Higher bake temperature – we’re increasing the baking temperature to 375 degrees F from the typical 350 F to help achieve that slightly crispy edge without over baking and drying out the cookies.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. This is an important step as it cooks the butter and brings out the flavor in the cookies. You don’t need to stir much during this process. Just make sure to keep your eye on the butter once it’s melted. It’s done cooking when you start to see brown specs at the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is cooked, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. It doesn’t need to be set before using in the cookies.
- Make sure to use cream of tartar AND baking soda. Cream of tartar gives this cookie it’s signature tangy flavor and chewy texture.It also helps to create the cinnamon-filled cracks as the cookie bakes. The baking soda helps the cookies to rise as well.
- Roll the cookie balls into a cinnamon-sugar mixture. In fact, do it twice to ensure the cookies are completely covered in cinnamon-sugar before baking.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 9 to 10 minutes, just until the edges look set. These snickerdoodle cookies need to be soft and chewy so be sure not to overbake them.
Is there a substitute for cream of tartar?
Yes, but I haven’t experiment with a sub in these cookies. I did find a blog post by Treat Dreams that offers some advice that I think you’ll find helpful.
How to Adjust This Recipe for Thicker Cookies
While I like my snickerdoodles on the thinner side with a chewy center, I know many of you may prefer a thicker cookie. Here are a few ideas for creating a thicker cookie from my recipe:
- Increase the flour by ¼ to ½ cup.
- Don’t use melted butter – instead, after you’ve browned the butter, place it in the refrigerator to get become a solid again.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough before baking it.
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Snickerdoodle Cookies
5 from 18 votes
Flavorful and chewy snickerdoodle cookies with brown butter.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (6.8 g) cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (8.2 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until brown specs form. (See blog post above for more details).
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown butter ,1 ¼ cups granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about two minutes.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla and stir until well combined
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
With a 1.5 inch cookie scoop (about 1.2 ounces), scoop cookie dough and roll into balls.
Stir together the ¼ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place onto the baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes. They may look slightly underdone, but once they cool completely, they'll have a soft and chewy center.
Cuisine Cookies
Course Dessert
Keyword Snickerdoodle, Snickerdoodle Recipe, Snickerdoodles
Have you tried this recipe?
I’d love to see it! Follow @cakebycourtney on Instagram, take a photo and tag it with #cakebycourtney.
