In the Oven: Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Let’s make some cookies! Everything is better with brown butter, right? Posting date is September 29.

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Yield: 24 cookies

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
23⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons
cinnamon, divided
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated
sugar, divided
1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat swirling the pan occasionally, until the foam subsides and the butter turns nut brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the browned butter through a strainer directly into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium-low speed to release the heat and bring it to room temperature, 5 to 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs and milk and whisk lightly.

Once the butter is cooled, turn off the mixer, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar, and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for a few seconds. Turn the mixer to low and stream in the egg mixture. Continue beating on medium speed until thoroughly combined, 30 to 45 seconds.

Add the flour mixture in three parts, beating after each addition for 10 to 15 seconds, or until just barely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and gather the dough into a mound in the middle. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a wide-mouthed bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cinnamon until the mixture is uniform in color.

Using a small 2-tablespoon-size ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, scoop the dough into balls and roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture. (Alternatively, measure the dough using a tablespoon and use your hands to form it into a ball before rolling in the cinnamon sugar mixture.) Place the cookies about 11⁄2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are cracked and the fissures are set. (We prefer our snickerdoodles chewy. If you want a slightly crunchier cookie, bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, but still take care to not overbake the cookies.)

Set the pans on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.