Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does browning butter make a difference in cookies? ›

Yes! The browned butter will have flecks of brown in it – those are the browned milk solids and they hold all the yummy flavor, so be sure to really scrape your pan down so you get to use all of them!

Let the brown butter cool sufficiently.

Using hot, melted butter will yield greasy dough and cause the cookies to spread too much when baked. By allowing the butter to solidify before adding it to the dough, you're able to bake the cookies immediately—no chill time required.

How do you know when the cookies are baked? The snickerdoodle cookies will only take about 10 to 12 minutes to bake, so be sure to keep your eye on them! It's best to rotate the cookies after about 6 minutes so that the cook evenly. The cookies are done when the edges are just set and the centres are soft and cracked.

Browning the butter gives the cookies a more intensely nutty, butterscotch flavor. Chopping the chocolate by hand creates large and small pieces for more textural and flavor contrast.

Account for evaporation: Brown butter reduces in volume by 20-25% as water content cooks off. Store for later: Browned butter can last one to two weeks in the fridge.

Stay close to your pan because the trickiest part of browned butter is getting it just brown enough—not too dark or too light. Too light, and it won't have the characteristic nutty flavor and aroma. Too dark, and it may start to taste (and look) burnt.

Watch butter closely. The color will progress from a bright yellow to a golden tan, then quickly to a deep golden brown. When you smell a nutty aroma, butter is deep golden brown and browned milk solids appear in bottom of pan, take pan off the heat. Immediately transfer browned butter to heat-proof bowl.

As the butter continues to heat up, the magic begins: The butter's amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) react with its sugars to create totally new compounds, some of which are brown and many of which have new toasty flavors. This is known as the Maillard reaction or the browning reaction.

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Browning the butter adds a rich and nutty flavor to the cookies, enhancing the overall taste and creating a more complex flavor profile. The nuttiness of the browned butter complements the sweetness of the chocolate chips, resulting in a delightful and indulgent treat.

Why do my cookies go flat when I take them out of the oven? ›

If your cookies come out of the oven looking flat, you may not have adequately chilled the dough before baking. Chilling times may vary depending on the cookie you're making, but you should typically chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours before you pop it in the oven.

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

Excess Sugar and Fat

Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking.

Browned butter adds a rich, complex flavor to any dish and, although it may sound intimidating, it's actually a very simple process. With a few quick tips, you'll soon be on your way to adding this nutty flavor and aroma to a variety of baked goods and meals in your very own kitchen.

Unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe. This is especially important in certain baked goods where the pure, sweet cream flavor of butter is key (butter cookies or pound cakes). As it pertains to cooking, unsalted butter lets the real, natural flavor of your foods come through.

During the melting process, the butter's water content evaporates, leaving only fat behind. This results in a more concentrated flavor and a softer texture in your cookies. It also helps distribute the fat more evenly throughout the cookie dough, resulting in a more uniform cookie.

This is called the Maillard (“my-YARD”), or browning, reaction. Browning butter is one example of the Maillard reaction. As butter heats up, the water in the butter evaporates and sugars and amino acids in the butter react to create new flavor compounds and turn from white to brown.