• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Broken Oven Baking logo

  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • About
  • Resources
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Newsletter
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Newsletter
    • Resources
    • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Broken Oven Baking » Recipes » Cookies

    Browned Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Published: Jul 22, 2022 · Modified: Dec 3, 2021 by Kayla Burton · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    292 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    These Browned Butter Snickerdoodles were inspired by one of my favorite ingredients - browned butter! The nuttiness of brown butter is paired with cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate, and some zing from cream of tartar to create a unique variation on a classic, soft snickerdoodle cookie.

    A stack of browned butter snickerdoodle cookies.

    This easy recipe for snickerdoodle cookies will make you the star of any cookie exchange. I was inspired to make these from the snickerdoodle party cookies I tried at a holiday work party! They are familiar enough with some unique twists on traditional snickerdoodle cookies to make them stand out from the crowd! I promise these will be your new go-to cookie any night of the week. It's the absolute best snickerdoodle recipe!

    Jump to:
    • Why We Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Storage
    • More Recipes You'll Love
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why We Love This Recipe

    • If you don't know how to make snickerdoodles yet, this easy recipe will make you look like you've been making them forever!
    • They don't require any chilling and can be whipped up in 30 minutes!
    • The cardamom adds a great depth of flavor to the traditional cinnamon in this chewy snickerdoodles recipe.
    • The tang of cream of tartar is the perfect balance to the rich sweetness of these browned butter cookies.
    • It's the perfect combination of chocolate chip cookies and toffee snickerdoodles.
    • They're full of the same delicious flavors as my Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Rolls!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make browned butter snickerdoodles.
    • Browned butter - browned butter starts with regular unsalted butter that is cooked over medium-low heat until the milk solids start to caramelize and turn brown. The result is a toasty, caramel flavored butter flecked with little brown bits. You can use it in many baked goods as well as in savory dishes - the nutty flavor is good with most things!
    • Cream of tartar - a white powder typically found in the baking aisle, cream of tartar is made from tartaric acid which is a byproduct of winemaking. It is often used to stabilize meringues, and here is adds a tangy flavor to counteract the sweetness of these cookies.
    • Chocolate bar - this is an optional ingredient for chocolate lovers to add a more complex flavor profile to these spiced cookies! I recommend a high quality bar with toffee bits, like Ghirardelli's Intense Dark Toffee Almond bar. The flavors compliment the brown butter beautifully and will turn this snickerdoodle recipe into browned butter toffee chocolate chip cookies!

    See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Make bakery-style jumbo brown butter snickerdoodles by using a large cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons of dough and adding a few minutes to the baking time.
    • Try a fall version of these cookies by swapping pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon and cardamom.
    • For extra toffee flavor, substitute chopped chocolate covered toffee bits in place of the chocolate bar.

    This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

    Step by Step Instructions

    Stirring browned butter in a pan with a spatula.

    Step 1: In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat until starting to brown on the bottom of the saucepan and smelling toasted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat-proof small bowl to cool.

    Whisking flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom in a bowl.

    Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.

    Wet cookie ingredients mixed together in a bowl.

    Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, beat the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla to combine.

    Cookie dough with cinnamon, cardamom, browned butter and chocolate toffee bits in a bowl with a cookie scoop.

    Step 4: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then fold in the chopped chocolate bar until evenly incorporated.

    Snickerdoodle cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.

    Step 5: Roll the cookie dough into balls and coat in the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom mixture. Place cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

    Baked snickerdoodle cookies on a parchment-lined sheet.

    Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes until the crisp edges are beginning to turn golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    Expert Tips

    Tip #1 - Using a lightly colored pan such as enamel or metal is helpful to be able to see when the butter begins to brown. It can begin to get dark quickly, so being able to see is very helpful. If you are using a non-stick pan, just be sure to keep a very close eye and rely on the nutty aroma of the brown butter to know when it is done.

    Tip #2 - The brown butter should cool to room temperature before you beat it with the sugars. This helps the ingredients combine better and ensure soft, chewy snickerdoodles.

    Tip #3 - Using a cookie scoop helps create uniform cookies that bake evenly. But if you don't have a cookie scoop, you can use a spoon to approximate 1 tablespoon of dough. There may be a little bit of variation in size, but these will still be your favorite cookies!

    Tip #4 - For perfectly round cookies, place a slightly larger circular object (like a pint glass, sifter, or biscuit cutter) around the cookies and scoot them into a round shape while they're hot out of the oven.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make this recipe for soft snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

    Sure! The cookies will turn out very similar to the original recipe, but they won't have that characteristic zing from the cream of tartar. 

    What is a snickerdoodle?

    Snickerdoodles are a spiced sugar cookie that is typically rolled in cinnamon sugar before being baked. This chewy snickerdoodles recipe adds a spin by adding cardamom to the classic cinnamon sugar mixture. The original cookies were likely first created in New England in the 1800s.

    Do I have to chill the dough?

    No, but you're welcome to! Chilling the dough will help enhance the flavors even more. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, just let it soften at room temperature before scooping, rolling in cinnamon/cardamom/sugar, and baking.

    Close up of a soft snickerdoodle cookie sprinkled with chocolate toffee bar bits.

    Storage

    Room Temperature: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. Add a slice of bread to the container to prevent the cookies from drying out!

    Refrigerator: I don't recommend storing the baked cookies in the refrigerator, but the cookie dough can be covered and stored here overnight.

    Freezing Instructions: Wrap the cooled cookies in plastic wrap and a freezer bag and store for up to 1 month.

    More Recipes You'll Love

    • Chai Sugar Cookies
    • Almond Butter Blossoms
    • Edible Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough
    • Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

    Did you try this recipe? I'd love to see it! Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐️ review below!

    📖 Recipe

    Browned Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Kayla Burton
    These snickerdoodles are more than just your average cinnamon sugar cookie. The browned butter, hint of cardamom, and chocolate bits really take the flavor to the next level! If you share these with anyone, get ready for them to beg for more.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 27 cookies
    Calories 170 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking sheet
    • Mixing bowls
    • Measuring spoons
    • Measuring cups or a food scale
    • Pot or pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the dough:

    • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter browned and cooled
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 oz your favorite chocolate bar chopped into tiny bits

    For rolling:

    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the bottom turns brown and it gives off a nutty aroma.
    • Pour the butter into a large heat-resistant bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
    • In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.
    • Add the sugars to the butter and cream together for 2 minutes.
    • Into the bowl with the sugars and butter, add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Mix after each addition.
    • Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just enough to combine everything.
    • Add the chocolate bits and mix to incorporate them into the dough.
    • Let the dough sit while preparing the sugar mixture and lining cookie sheets with parchment paper.
    • In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1-2 teaspoon cardamom, and 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on your flavor preference).
    • Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and then roll into the sugar mixture so that the entire dough ball is covered in the sugar/cardamom/cinnamon.
    • Bake the cookies at 350°F for approximately 9-11 minutes. The bottoms and edges should be just slightly tan. If you prefer a crunchier cookie, bake for an additional minute or so, until the bottoms are a darker golden.
    • Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.
    The provided nutrition information is an estimate, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Cookies

    • Soft M&M Sugar Cookies
    • Easy Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
    • No Bake S'mores Cookie Recipe
    • Edible Chocolate Cookie Dough

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      December 27, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      Snickerdoodles have been my favorite cookies for as long as I can remember. I've tried a lot of them throughout the years. When I tried these, I was completely blown away. The cardamom and cinnamon aroma fills the air as you take that first bite. The small chunks of chocolate dissolve on your tongue as the perfect amount of sweetness and spice dance across your taste buds. If you're looking for the perfect cookie, look no further.

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        December 29, 2020 at 10:36 am

        Yay, I appreciate your kind words 🙂 so glad you love these snickerdoodles!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Kayla

    Hey, I'm Kayla! I'm a self-taught baker, recipe developer & food photographer in Chicago! This blog is a way for me to share recipes, tips, and everything I love related to baking & photography. If you have any questions or want to connect, I'd love to hear from you!
    About Kayla →

    Featured On

    Sur La Table logo
    Good Morning America logo

    Bake & Learn With Me!

    Summer Recipes

    • Fresh Blueberry Peach Crisp Recipe
    • Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling
    • Lemon Zucchini Cupcakes
    • Easy Homemade Banana Cream Pie
    • Cherry Amaretto Ice Cream
    • No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

    Trending Recipes

    • No Bake Cheesecake Bites
    • Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
    • Mini Brownie Bites
    Join the #BrokenOvenBakers!

    Be a part of our fun & supportive baking community where we choose a theme and share our bakes on Instagram every month!
    August's Theme: Stone Fruit!

    Baking & Photography Essentials!

    Did you try a recipe?
    Tag @brokenovenbaking and #brokenovenbaking on Instagram & Facebook!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    About Me
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Service
    Accessibility Policy

    Let's Connect!

    Newsletter
    Work With Me

    Contact

    Contact Page
    Baking Collaboration

    At no cost to you, I may earn from qualified purchases made through affiliate links on my website.

    Copyright © 2022 Broken Oven Baking Company LLC