A Christmas cookie classic: snickerdoodles! But I had to add a twist (not surprising). These brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles are so buttery they melt in your mouth. Rolled in sugar and spiked with just a touch of bourbon, these cookies are a VERY good addition to your December lineup (or just year-round).
Recipe Inspo
Peppermint is still my favorite holiday flavor, but Nathan’s is cinnamon-anything. He loves snickerdoodles rolled in sugar, so I wanted to jazz up the basic recipe. Brown butter provides extra depth to the cookie (in my opinion) and it’s an easy extra step that takes them to the next LEVEL.
What are snickerdoodles?
If you haven’t tried one before, a snickerdoodle is a type of cookie made with the typical stuff: flour, sugar and salt. Then the cookie is rolled in cinnamon sugar. Cream of tartar is also included – it’s a white powder that gives snickerdoodles a specific texture. Not only does it make them chewy, but also slightly tangy.
Equipment for brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles
Here’s what you need to make these brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles:
- A stand mixer or handheld mixer – I use my KitchenAid.
- A mixing bowl – to mix our dry ingredients.
- 2 large baking sheets – one is certainly fine but two sheets will speed up the baking process.
- parchment paper – don’t use wax paper!
- 1 small bowl – to roll our cookies in cinnamon sugar before baking.
- A small cookie scoop – a spoon or tablespoon will work as well.
- A cooling rack – optional, but accelerates cooling time.
- A whisk
- A small saucepan – to brown our butter!
Ingredients for brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles
And everything you need to make these cookies:
- unsalted butter – doesn’t need to be room temperature since we are going to melt it down.
- all purpose flour – this will provide a chewy and soft texture.
- cream of tartar – this is a key ingredient to provide a tangy and chewy texture. If you don’t have this, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. (So in this case, 5 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice for this recipe).
- baking soda – to give our cookies a slight rise.
- salt
- granulated sugar – both for the dough and for rolling our cookies before baking.
- brown sugar
- eggs
- bourbon – any kind you have will work.
- vanilla extract – I also like to use vanilla paste..
- cinnamon – important!
- allspice – this is optional but I like to include allspice to complement the cinnamon. If you don’t have this, add a pinch of nutmeg or clove.
How to make brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles
Let’s make them!
Step 1
Brown the butter. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir it frequently to prevent it from burning. Keep heating until the butter foams and darkens to a shade of amber, about 3-4 minutes. Keep close watch so that it does not burn. It should smell nutty. If the butter starts to look anything darker than a medium lager beer, take it off the heat!
Remove the butter from the heat and pour it into a small bowl. Place it in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Prep the dry ingredients. While the butter cools, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 3
Prep the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooled butter, 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Beat on medium until it’s well combined. Then add the eggs, vanilla extract and bourbon. Beat on medium until the mixture becomes pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Turn the speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2-3 increments, beating until the batter is just combined. The batter will be pretty soft.
Step 5
Get ready to make the cookies. Pour the remaining granulated sugar (about 1/2 a cup) into a small bowl with the cinnamon and allspice. Stir.
Step 6
Make the cookies. With a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop out a hefty tablespoon of batter and roll it into a tight ball. Roll the cookie ball through the cinnamon sugar and make sure all sides are covered. Place the cookie on a baking sheet. Repeat.
Step 7
Repeat until you have about 8 cookies per sheet. You may have to bake your cookies in batches. Place the cookies in the oven for 8 minutes, until just set and a bit soft in the center. Let them cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Cookie Storage
After letting these cookies cool completely, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature. Consume within 1 week. You can also place these cookies in a Ziploc bag and freeze them for 1-2 months.
Other cookies to try
If you liked these brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles, try these other holiday treats:
Leave a Review
If you tried this brown butter bourbon snickerdoodles, please leave a star review below with a comment. Feel free to tag me in your instagram stories too: @caroline_hoffman.
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Brown Butter Bourbon Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or electric mixer
- 2 Large baking sheets
- parchment paper
- 1 cookie scoop
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 16 tablespoons
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 2½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar for the batter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2½ tbsp bourbon
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp all spice
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line both sheets with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir it frequently to prevent it from burning. Keep heating until the butter foams and darkens to a shade of amber, about 3-4 minutes. Then remove the butter from the heat and pour it into a small bowl. Place it in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.2 sticks unsalted butter
- While the butter cools, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.2½ cups all purpose flour, 2½ tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooled butter, 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Beat on medium until it's well combined.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and bourbon to the wet ingredients. Beat on medium until the mixture becomes a pale yellow, about 2 minutes.2 eggs, 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2½ tbsp bourbon
- Turn the speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2-3 increments, beating until the batter is just combined. The batter will be pretty soft.
- Pour the remaining granulated sugar into a separate small bowl with the cinnamon and allspice. Stir.½ tsp all spice, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Make the cookies. With a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop out a hefty tablespoon of batter and roll it into a tight ball. Roll the cookie ball through the cinnamon sugar and make sure all sides are covered. Place the cookie on a baking sheet.
- Repeat until you have about 8 cookies per sheet. You may have to bake your cookies in batches. Place the cookies in the oven for 8 minutes, until just set and a bit soft in the center. Let them cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Nathan
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