Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

 These were the ultimate Christmas cookie of 2014 and the recipe I will be leaving out for Santa tomorrow evening 😉  I made many batches to share with family and friends and they always vanished quickly.  I love a simple snickerdoodle, and by adding brown butter they are infused with a subtle, caramel deliciousness that I find irresistible.  To keep these vegan- substitute vegan yogurt for the sour cream and coconut oil (1:1 ratio) for the butter.  Although you can’t brown coconut oil (due to it’s high smoking point), using it instead of butter adds a faint and understated coconut flavor to the cookies which I adore.  Try both versions. I hope you love them as much as I do ❤

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles:

– 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour or your favorite gluten-free flour mix

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

– 1 teaspoon cinnamon

– a pinch of sea salt

– 1 cup unsalted butter

– 1 cup coconut sugar or sugar of choice (brown or white)

– 2 flax eggs or free range eggs

– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

– 1 tablespoon sour cream or greek yogurt

Heat a pan over medium heat.  Add your butter and whisk until melted.  Continue to whisk until foam appears and the butter begins to turn brown.  Watch closely! Once butter has turned from golden to a light brown, remove the pan from the heat.

~*perfectly browned butter*~

In a separate bowl add your flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and brown butter until well combined.  This step is crucial in creating the perfect texture so don’t rush.  Take your time to cream the sugar and butter together well.  Add the 2 (flax) eggs, vanilla and sour cream or greek yogurt.  Either turn your beater to low or switch to a wooden spoon and stir until the ingredients are incorporated.  Add your flour mixture in in 2 batches, stirring to combine after each addition.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour or overnight. 

After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine:

– 1/4 cup sugar of choice

– 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Using 2 Tablespoons of dough at a time, roll dough into balls.  Roll balls in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Place on cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), 2 inches apart.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes, watching as oven temperatures vary.  The cookies are done when the edges are lightly brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Enjoy