Soft Brown Butter Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 24 cookies (about 8–10 servings)
• Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling)
• Cook Time: 24 minutes (2 x 12-minute batches)
• Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup (50 g) for rolling
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp for dough, 1 1/2 tsp for coating)

Do This

• 1. Brown butter in a light-colored saucepan until deep golden and nutty; cool 10–15 minutes.
• 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl.
• 3. Beat browned butter with 1 1/4 cups sugar and brown sugar, then mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
• 4. Stir dry ingredients into wet just until a soft dough forms; chill 30 minutes.
• 5. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• 6. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Scoop 1 1/2 Tbsp dough balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart.
• 7. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look puffy and soft. Cool on sheet 5 minutes, then on a rack.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Browned butter adds deep, nutty, toffee-like flavor that makes these sugar cookies taste special.
• Soft, thick, and chewy centers with slightly crisp, cinnamon-sugar edges.
• Simple pantry ingredients; the technique does the heavy lifting on flavor.
• Perfect for holidays or everyday baking, and they stay soft for days.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

For the Brown-Butter Sugar Cookie Dough

• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brown the butter

Add the 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter to a light-colored saucepan or skillet. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will start to foam and the milk solids will sink and begin to brown. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty and caramel-like, 5–8 minutes from the time it fully melts.

As soon as the butter is browned (watch closely; it can burn quickly), pour it into a heatproof mixing bowl, making sure to scrape in all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it cool at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes. It should be warm but not hot before you add the sugars.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

While the butter cools, in a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon until well combined. This ensures the leavening and seasoning are evenly distributed so your cookies bake up evenly with no dense pockets of flour.

Step 3: Combine brown butter and sugars

To the slightly cooled browned butter, add 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar and 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until the mixture looks thick, slightly lightened in color, and grainy but cohesive.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again on medium speed for another 1–2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl once or twice, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and a bit lighter in color. This step helps build structure and chew in the cookies.

Step 4: Bring the dough together

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in two additions. Mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain and a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If needed, finish folding with a spatula to incorporate any flour at the bottom of the bowl.

The dough should be soft but not runny. If it seems very loose and warm (browned butter was still hot), let the bowl sit at cool room temperature for 5–10 minutes before chilling.

Step 5: Chill the dough

Cover the bowl tightly (with a lid, plate, or plastic wrap) and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Chilling helps firm the dough so it is easier to scoop and roll, and it also improves the flavor and texture—yielding thicker, chewier cookies that do not spread too much.

If chilling overnight, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping, just until it becomes scoopable.

Step 6: Preheat and prepare the cinnamon sugar

When you are almost ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small shallow bowl, combine 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar with 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Stir until the cinnamon is evenly dispersed and no streaks remain. This will be your rolling mixture for the cookies.

Step 7: Shape, coat, and bake the cookies

Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon, portion the chilled dough into balls (about 30 g each). Roll each portion between your palms to smooth, then roll generously in the cinnamon sugar to coat all sides.

Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 10–12 minutes. The cookies should be puffed, with edges just set and slightly golden, but centers still soft and a little underbaked-looking. They will continue to firm up as they cool.

Step 8: Cool and serve

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes; this helps them set without overbaking. Then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely, or enjoy slightly warm for the softest, gooiest texture.

Repeat with the remaining tray of cookies, re-rolling any dough balls in cinnamon sugar if needed. Serve as is, or with a glass of milk, coffee, or tea. The cinnamon-sugar crust and the brown-butter aroma are especially lovely while still a bit warm.

Pro Tips

• Use a light-colored pan for browning butter: It is much easier to see the color change, so you can stop at perfectly golden brown instead of accidentally burning it.
• Do not skip the chill: Even 30 minutes in the fridge makes a big difference in keeping the cookies thick and soft instead of flat and crisp.
• Pull them while they still look a little underdone: The centers should look soft and puffy when you take the cookies out. They will set as they cool, giving you that perfect chewy middle.
• Adjust cinnamon to taste: For a stronger cinnamon flavor, add up to 1 tsp cinnamon to the dough instead of 1/2 tsp, or sprinkle extra cinnamon sugar on top right out of the oven.
• Weigh your flour if you can: Using 281 g of flour helps avoid dense cookies from packing too much flour into the measuring cup.

Variations

• Brown-Butter Snickerdoodle Style: Add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar to the dry ingredients and reduce baking powder to 1/2 tsp for a classic snickerdoodle tang with the richness of browned butter.
• Cardamom-Cinnamon Twist: Replace 1/4 tsp of the cinnamon in the dough and coating with ground cardamom for a slightly floral, cozy spice profile.
• Maple Drizzle: Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 Tbsp pure maple syrup and a splash of milk. Drizzle over cooled cookies for a maple-caramel accent.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Place a small piece of bread or a marshmallow in the container if you want to keep them extra soft.

For longer storage, the baked cookies can be frozen in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.

You can also freeze the dough: Scoop and roll dough balls (do not roll in cinnamon sugar yet), place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, let the dough balls sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, roll in fresh cinnamon sugar, and bake, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time if needed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per cookie (1 of 24): about 150 calories, 7 g fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 13 g sugars, 2 g protein, and 0.5 g fiber. These values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredient brands and cookie size.