Golden browned butter, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract make up these browned butter sugar cookies. They are soft, thick, and perfectly buttery + sweet.
Sugar cookies might just be my favorite non-chocolate-chip cookie (tied with peanut butter … and snickerdoodle… ok never mind, clearly I love them all equally). These browned butter sugar cookies are packed with golden browned butter flavor, are no-chill, and bake up in 10 minutes flat. You will love the aroma + flavor that these amazing cookies exude.
What you’ll need to make these browned butter sugar cookies:
Salted butter, browned
Granulated sugar
Large eggs
Baking soda
Salt
Pure vanilla extract
All purpose flour
Coarse sugar for rolling, optional
Browning the Butter
Now browning butter is fairly self-explanatory. You will simply place your butter in a small saucepan over medium to high heat and wait until it melts and turns golden brown in color. The tricky part is that you need to keep an eye on it… like the entire time, once it is melted. Your butter can bubble over if the heat is too high, in which case you will lose some of the liquid and be unsure of how much is remained in the pan. I actually did this while I was making the cookies because I got distracted and forgot the butter was on the stove! So don’t make my mistake, keep an eye on that butter and give it a gentle stir so you can see how golden it is getting once it starts to bubble up.
Generally 2-3 minutes is plenty of time on my stove, but make sure that you understand your stove’s heat so that you don’t end up with butter that overflows, or worse, burns. Your butter is done when it turns a nice golden color, and is aromatic in scent. You will want to pour your butter into a small to medium sized dish, making sure to use a spatula and get all of those amazing browned butter flecks from the bottom of your pan. Let your butter cool slightly on the counter while you gather up the remaining ingredients for the cookies.
The Cookie Dough
This cookie dough is super easy, requires two bowls + one baking sheet, is no-chill, and is absolutely phenomenal in flavor. Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and flour are all you need for truly amazing sugar cookies, and browning the butter really ups the ante with flavor.
In a standing mixer or by hand, combine the browned butter and the sugar, mixing until it is combined, about 20 seconds. Add the egg and the vanilla, mixing again until it in fully combined. Add the dry ingredients at this point; your baking soda, salt, and flour. Give the dough a good mix and allow it to fully absorb the flour, about 30-60 seconds.
Using a three tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough balls out and roll them in coarse sugar. Placed them on a nonstick baking sheet and bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes. If you are using a smaller cookie scoop, like a two tablespoon, you will bake them for 8 to 10 minutes instead. Bake them on the lower side if you want them slightly gooier, and on the higher side if you want them a bit more crunchy.
Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose sub, and it’s cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would all-purpose flour.
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
I hope that you love these incredible browned butter sugar cookie! If you love sugar cookies in general, be sure to also try these varies:
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies (with Cream Cheese Frosting and Sugared Berries)
Churro Sugar Cookies (with Cinnamon Buttercream and a Homemade Caramel Filling)
Funfetti Sugar Cookies (LOADED with sprinkles … and then rolled in some more)
Brown Sugar Cookies (with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting)
Happy Baking!
XO,
Heather
Browned Butter Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Salted Butter, browned and slightly cooled
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
Instructions
- Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium to high heat. As soon as it melts, be sure to keep a close eye on it. The butter can bubble over if the heat is too high, in which case you will lose some of the liquid and be unsure of how much remains in the pan.Your butter is done when it turns a nice golden color, and is aromatic in scent. You will want to pour your butter into a small to medium sized dish, making sure to use a spatula and get all those amazing brown buttered flecks from the bottom of your pan. Let your butter cool slightly on the counter while you gather up the remaining ingredients for the cookies.
- Preheat oven to 375° F.In a standing mixer or by hand, combine the browned butter and sugar until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add both eggs and the vanilla, mixing until throughly combined, another 30 seconds. Add baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix until well combined, 30-60 seconds. Dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, make dough balls with all of the dough. Roll in coarse or granulated sugar if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden on the edges. If using a smaller cookie scoop like a 2 tbsp, bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Enjoy!
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