I have never met a snickerdoodle I didn’t like, but these are especially endearing: the browned butter gives them a nuttiness, a trait absent in traditional snickerdoodles, and the splash of Bourbon enhances the caramelly brown sugar and vanilla notes — not unlike how the presence of coffee in chocolatey baked goods will heighten the chocolate flavor without imparting a hint of coffee. What’s more, because you brown the butter, you don’t have to soften it, and because brown butter is a liquid fat, you don’t have to bust out your stand mixer to make the dough! Win win. After you brown the butter, this essentially is a one-bowl job. I should note, the original recipe calls for using a stand mixer, so if you prefer to use a mixer, go for it. I made the recipe both ways — mixed by hand and mixed in my stand mixer — and I didn’t notice a difference in texture or flavor. I also made the recipe once without the bourbon, using a tablespoon of vanilla in its place, and the cookies were still delicious, as equally nutty and toasty thanks to that magical brown butter. My kids gobble these up, and I have no doubt Santa will appreciate your brown-buttered, bourbon-spiked take on this Christmas classic, too. Jesse Szewczyk’s Cookies: The New Classics — it’s a beauty!
How to Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodles, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: The first step is to brown the butter: Place two sticks of butter in a saucepan and begin melting it over medium heat. Watch it closely! This takes just about 3 to 4 minutes total, and during that time, the butter will bubble up, and the bubbles will transform from big to small. When the hue of the butter darkens slightly, remove it from the heat and transfer it immediately to a heatproof bowl. The brown butter needs to cool for 20 minutes. While it cools, whisk together the dry ingredients. Then add the cooled butter, the whisked eggs, the vanilla, and the bourbon, if using. Mix until you have a cohesive dough ball. Divide the dough into 2 tablespoon or 50-gram portions. Roll each portion into a ball, dip into a bowl of cinnamon and sugar; then transfer to a plate or tray. Bake 8 balls at a time. The balls will puff up as they bake… … then collapse as they cool. They are truly irresistible. 4.7 from 18 reviews As with all baking, for best results use a scale to measure the ingredients. Adapted from Jesse Szewczyk’s Cookies: The New Classics
Jesse’s notes:
Any whiskey or dark, spiced rum can be used in place of the bourbon. The dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge several days before baking. If too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. (I like to portion the softened dough; then stash the dough balls in the fridge.) The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
