Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

I imagine the reason I started baking snickerdoodles as a kid was because the house was totally void of chocolate and /or peanut butter.  Snickerdoodles are pretty much crunchy sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon and sugar.  They do have one unusual ingredient and that is cream of tarter.  I have no idea why my not-so-domestic Goddess mother would have cream of tarter in the pantry....but she did. Strange.

If you have never played around with browned butter, you need to start.  It's oh so tasty!  The first time I experienced it was at Cat Cora's Kouzzina in Orlando.  Think Brussels sprouts caramelized in browned butter then splashed with fresh lemon and topped with melty Parmesan.  Heaven!  Yep, I'm pretty sure my ten year old self never ever dreamed I'd say that about Brussels sprouts.  Ever.

I am in love with these cookies.  The brown butter makes a HUGE difference in taste.  I've always heard it described as tasting nutty.  I'm not really sure if that is how it tasted to me.  I find that it is just really fragrant and rich.  It's worth the effort, trust me.

BROWN BUTTER SNICKERDOODLES
Yield = 18 large cookies

2 1/2C flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1C butter
1 1/4C brown sugar, dark
1/2C sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1tsp vanilla
1tbl sour cream

ROLLING MIXTURE
1/4C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

1.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt.

2.  Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  The butter will foam and sputter and that is okay.  Just keep whisking through this process.  After a few minutes the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the pan.  Continue to whisk and remove the butter from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown.  You'll know it is ready when it starts to smell nutty.  Kind of like those yummy cinnamon almonds they sell at the mall. Be careful because it can go from zero to dark thirty in a flash.  When you get to the right color take the butter off the heat, move it to another container and set aside to cool a bit.

3.  Using a mixer, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and yolk, vanilla and sour cream.

4.  Add dry ingredients until just combined.

5.  Chill the dough for about 2 hours.

6.  Form dough into balls and roll into sugar and cinnamon mixture.

7.  Bake at 350 for about 14 minutes.

Enjoy!!