The classic snickerdoodle cookie has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, but adding brown butter in these brown butter snickerdoodles in skillet form takes this dessert to the next level. You will adore the nutty aroma of browned butter, which adds depth and richness to the cookie dough. Browning butter only takes a few extra minutes, creating an exceptional and irresistible cookie. It’s buttery. It’s soft. It’s chewy. It’s cinnamon-y. It’s UH-MAZING. With ice cream on top? Mic drop.
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is simply melting and toasting a stick of regular butter on the stove until the milk solids turn brown. The butter is heated until the water content evaporates, and those milk solids caramelize! The result is magical, nutty, heavenly brown butter. Once you start baking with brown butter, you won’t be able to stop! More details on how to brown butter are below.
How to make brown butter
It may sound intimidating, but it’s easy, only takes a few minutes, and is the backbone of these cookies. The nutty flavor compliments the cookie skillet beautifully and I love its culinary use in baking so much! Let’s do it:
Why this recipe works
The brown butter adds depth of flavor and gives the cookie a soft and tender crumb. Spreading softened butter on the cast iron skillet helps prevent the cookie from sticking. I already spread it on pretty generously! This recipe can make regular brown butter snickerdoodles or a skillet! The cream of tartar Cream of tartar imparts a distinctive tangy taste to snickerdoodles, setting them apart from other sugar cookies. This slight tanginess complements the cookie’s sweetness and the warmth of the cinnamon.
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of the cookie dough. Be sure to spoon and level the flour so you don’t end up with more than you need. Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise. Cream of Tartar: This ingredient provides the classic snickerdoodle tang and assists with leavening. When combined with baking soda, cream of tartar reacts to produce carbon dioxide gas. This reaction helps the cookies rise and spread properly, giving them their characteristic texture and appearance. Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and snickerdoodle vibes. Salt: Balances the sweetness. Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and structure. Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the dough and mixed with cinnamon for the coating. Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a deeper flavor. You can use light or dark; I usually use dark. Egg + egg yolk: Binds the ingredients together. For Rolling/Topping: cinnamon and sugar impart the classic snickerdoodle flavor on the outside.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
