Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

These Browned Butter Snickerdoodles are pretty magical. They are chewy and cinnamon-y, and not your average snickerdoodle. This is because they have a slight nutty caramel flavor from browned butter.

Browned butter you ask? It's butter that is cooked until all of the water has evaporated and the butter begins to brown. Once it starts to turn golden, you have to watch it very closely, or it will burn very quickly. You want some brown and black bits, but you want the liquid to remain a golden brown. The minute the butter reaches that point, remove it from the heat and pour it out of the pan to stop the cooking and achieve that perfect nutty flavor.

I've tried browned butter in this chocolate chip banana bread, this browned butter vanilla cake, these chocolate chip and caramel cookies, and even this carrot and cauliflower puree. It always adds something special to the final dish.

These cookies are large, about four inches across, but I had no trouble finishing an entire cookie even though I was going to take "just a taste.....").

My youngest grandchild came by after school today, so I gave him one of these cookies. I then asked him if he liked his cookie. His reply? "No, I don't like it, grandma.....  (long silence) I LOVE it!" The wisdom of a seven year old. I swear, he is channeling his great grandfather, his namesake and my dad, the eternal contrarian.

For example, my dad would say "surely," to a request, and then always follow it up with, "wait a minute, your name's not Shirley, it's Karen!"  Groan!!! He was also sure he invented the phrase "don't call me Shirley" way before the movie Airplane. Miss you dad!

Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

Adapted from Baked Elements: Our Ten Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. I have all four of their Baked cookbooks, and love them. 

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

11 3/4 ounces (2 3/4 cups) unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon), divided

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 tbsp whole milk

1 cup plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. When the foam evaporates, turn the heat down to medium low, and cook the butter until it turns golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer). Turn the mixer on with the paddle attachment, and stir until the butter cools, about 5 minutes. 
2. Whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, and the salt in a large bowl or 1 quart mixing cup. 
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together in small bowl. 
4. When the butter is sufficiently cooled, add one cup of the granulated sugar and all of the brown sugar. Mix on medium for about two minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and mix for another 15 to 20 seconds. Add the egg mixture and beat on medium  for about a minute. 
5. Add the flour in three increments, mixing between additions until just incorporated, about 15 seconds. 
6. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. 
7. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line two half sheet pans with parchment paper. 
8. In a shallow bowl, mix 3 tbsps of granulated sugar with 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp of cinnamon. 
9. Cut the dough in half, and then into quarters. Cut each quarter into six equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place the balls on the baking sheets, 12 per sheet. 
10. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 11 minutes, until cracked on top and just set. 
11. Cool the cookies in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and continue cooling on a wire rack. 
12. Keep in a sealed container for up to 3 days. 

Are we the only ones who start craving cinnamon when the weather gets colder? We can’t be! And we are talking anything sold under the word cinnamon--cassia, “true Cinnamon”, Ceylon Cinnamon, Vietnamese Cinnamon--if it is sold as cinnamon it is what we want! Check out all of our cinnamon cookies below! Hint: A lot of them could be used for your holiday cookie table! 

• Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze by Our Good Life
• Cinnamon Pecan Elephant Ears by Noshing With The Nolands
• Cinnamon Sugar Cookies by Magnolia Days
• Cinnamon Walnut Icebox Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll Cookies by Food Lust People Love
• Polvorones by Oven Delights