These browned butter sugar cookies are the perfect combination of soft and chewy with crunchy, sugary tops. This recipe elevates the traditional sugar cookie by incorporating rich, nutty brown butter, which perfectly compliments their sweet and tender crumb. With their crisp, sugary edges and soft, chewy centers, these cookies are ideal for any occasion, whether enjoyed with a cup of tea or as a comforting snack.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a sweet treat!

Who doesn’t love a sugar cookie?

I felt inspired and took sugar cookies to the next level using brown butter and then I made them even more special by adding a crunchy sugary top!

I know most people think of sugar cookies as plain with colorful frosting for special events and I have many sugar cookie recipes that are perfect for those special events but these cookies are more for everyday snacking.

This is a recipe for sugar cookies that can be enjoyed anytime. They might become your favorite cookie to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Let’s talk more about this recipe. I love using brown butter in recipes instead of regular butter because browning butter gives it this fun nutty flavor. You need to try it. It transforms regular cookies into fancy browned butter cookies!

The cookies have an unforgettable soft chewy center with crisp edges that make a great sugar cookie.

They are perfectly tender but don’t fall apart. They melt in your mouth! Even though we used browned butter, we let it cool again in the fridge before mixing our cookie dough with it, which gives us tender browned butter sugar cookies.

I can’t get enough of the crunchy sugary topping! It gives these cookies a fun texture and it looks so beautiful. You can always use sprinkles, or leave the topping plan and frost them but I love the special added touch of the sanding sugar.

Ingredients

• unsalted butter
• all-purpose flour
• salt
• baking soda
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar
• an egg + an egg yolk
• vanilla extract
• sanding sugar or sprinkles

How to Make Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Start by browning the butter. Roughly dice the butter and add it to a large skillet or saucepan that is lighter in color. The lighter color will help to tell when the butter has properly browned. Set the skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter has fully melted, whisk it every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and it smells nutty. This will take a few minutes.

Transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl and set it aside to come to room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature, it will solidify but still be soft. This will take a few hours.

Once the brown butter has reached room temperature, preheat the oven and line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Add the cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for a few minutes until fluffy and lighter in color, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well for about a minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and there are no longer pockets of flour visible.

Put the sanding sugar or sprinkles in a small bowl. Then, use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the dough.

Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. Dip the tops of the balls into the sprinkles until they are evenly coated. Place them at least 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the sprinkles facing up.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven on the center rack until the edges are just set.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

How to Store

Store these cooled brown butter sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Cookie Recipes

• Butterscotch Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
• Chocolate Brownie Cookies
• S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

What do you think of this amazing brown butter sugar cookie recipe? What would you serve with these cookies? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy baking, friends!

Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Recipe

Can I cut these into shapes instead of rolling them into balls? No, this recipe is not formulated to be a roll out cookie dough. It’s best suited for rolling the dough into balls.

Can I skip the sprinkles and frost these instead? Yes, you can frost these instead of using sprinkles. Since the tops crack as they bake, I recommend using a thicker frosting on top to ensure a smooth texture.

Recipe Tips

• During the brown butter process, make sure to keep an eye on the butter once it has fully melted. The white solids will settle on top then the butter will start to bubble and simmer. Keep a close eye on it once it begins to foam and the scent starts to change. You want to remove the butter from the heat as soon as the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and the butter smells nutty.
• To save some time, make the brown butter the night before you want to bake the cookies so it can sit out and come to room temperature overnight.
• If you don’t have a 1-ounce cookie scoop, use a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out 2 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough instead.
• Resist the urge to overbake these. Bake the cookies just long enough for the edges to set, which will ensure a soft and chewy texture.

Print

Yield: 24 cookies

Browned Butter Sugar Cookies

These brown butter sugar cookies are the perfect combination of soft and chewy with crunchy, sugary tops. This recipe elevates the traditional sugar cookie by incorporating rich, nutty brown butter which perfectly complements their sweet and tender crumb.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sanding sugar or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Start by browning the butter. Roughly dice the butter and add it to a large skillet or saucepan that is lighter in color. The lighter color will help to tell when the butter has properly browned. Set the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, whisk it every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and it smells nutty. This will take about 5-8 minutes. Transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl and set it aside to come to room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature, it will solidify but still be soft. This will take about 2-3 hours.
2. Once the brown butter has reached room temperature, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
4. Add the cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well for about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and there are no longer pockets of flour visible.
5. Put the sanding sugar or sprinkles in a small bowl. Then, use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the dough. Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. Dip the tops of the balls into the sprinkles until they are evenly coated. Place them at least 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet with the sprinkles facing up. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just set. Cool the cookies on the sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

1. You can make the brown butter the night before to save some time. Allow it to sit out loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel until you’re ready to use it the next day.
2. Since these cookies spread quite a bit during baking, you’ll need to divide them across 3 different baking sheets. If you only have 1 baking sheet, you can bake one batch at a time, allowing the baking sheet to cool slightly before moving on to the next batch.
3. I do not recommend cutting these cookies into shapes instead of rolling them into balls. This recipe is not formulated to be a roll-out cookie dough. It’s best suited for rolling the dough into balls.
4. You can skip the sanding sugar or sprinkles and frost them. Since the tops crack as they bake, I recommend using a thicker frosting on top to ensure a smooth texture.
5. During the brown butter process, make sure to keep an eye on the butter once it has fully melted. The white solids will settle on top then the butter will start to bubble and simmer. Keep a close eye on it once it begins to foam and the scent starts to change. You want to remove the butter from the heat as soon as the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and the butter smells nutty.
6. If you don’t have a 1-ounce cookie scoop, use a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out 2 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough instead.
7. Resist the urge to overbake these. Bake the cookies just long enough for the edges to set, ensuring a soft and chewy texture.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 109mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Brown Butter Sugar Cookies appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Hi friends! I have a special recipe for you today. I am sharing my husband’s grandma’s best sugar cookie recipe! It’s a soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe that is definitely a keeper. I added in some fresh Meyer lemon zest to a batch of the cookies to spruce them up for spring. 

(more…)

The post Grandma’s Best Sugar Cookie Recipe appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Amy and I both love shoes very much so we decided to create desserts inspired by shoes we love right now. Key word right now because it is a vast world of shoes out there! Here is Amy:

Hi, lovelies! This is Amy from Club Narwhal and I am so excited to share this recipe for Lemon Sugar Cookies with Marbled Royal Icing with you. When you are done here, stop by Club Narwhal to see what our girl Zainab dreamed up!

It was love at first sight when I started reading Blahnik Baker. The name alone put me in a tizzy–shoes and baking? Pretty much the best combination ever. Because Zainab and I both adore pretty shoes and tasty baked goods, we decided to imagine what our favorite shoes might look like in dessert form.

The hardest part about the whole thing was choosing the perfect shoe. Should I go with my Target wedding shoes that I bought when I was a poor grad student? The gorgeous embroidered kitten heel from my first trip to Paris? Or maybe the chunky wedge sandal that traveled around the world with me? In the end, I decided to go with my newest pair of favorite shoes–classic T-strap pumps from Mod Cloth. I adore how the pinking shear edging and eyelets bring a little sass to their ladylike shape. On top of it all, they are coral. Swoon.

I decided to bake lemon sugar cookies with marbled royal icing–a classic recipe with a modern twist, just like my pumps. Since I am relatively new to baking, I will admit that I was terrified to try sugar cookies. But after reading Lila Loa’s amazing Vanilla Sugar Cookie recipe (this dough doesn’t spread! At all!) and Sweet Sugar Belle’s ridiculously informative royal icing tutorial, I felt ready to face my fears. And I am so glad I did.

Light, tender, and with a touch of lemon, these sugar cookies fairly melt in your mouth. The royal icing brings added sweetness and the marble design showcases the perfect amount of pizzazz. I love how this dough does not need to be refrigerated for hours before using–it rolls out beautifully straight out of the mixer!

Easy enough to knock out in an afternoon, and pretty enough to serve at a bridal shower, these lemon sugar cookies will make you smile for days. These lovely cookies taste best when eaten with your best gal pals while chatting about the story behind your favorite pair of heels.

Thanks to both Zainab and you, her tribe of fabulous readers, for letting me borrow Blahnik Baker for the day–it was a dream come true. Don’t forget to check out Zainab’s shoe-inspired dessert on Club Narwhal!

Print

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies with Marbled Royal Icing

Light, tender, and with a touch of lemon, these sugar cookies fairly melt in your mouth!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 53 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup slightly softened butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• Zest from two large lemons
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 4 (or 4½ cups) flour

For the Icing:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 bag powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup plus one tablespoon meringue powder
• ¾ cup water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For Lemon Sugar Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer to cream the butter and both sugars together. This takes about 4-5 minutes at medium speed. The butter will be light and fluffy with just a little grain from the sugar. Add the lemon zest and mix for a minute or two to combine. Things should be smelling really delicious right about now. Crack eggs into a small bowl and add them to the mixer one at a time, making sure each egg mixes thoroughly. Add vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder and mix until just combined.
2. Add the flour one cup at a time (up to 3 cups). Make sure to mix the flour completely. After the third cup, add flour in ½ cup increments (up to 4½ cups). As Georganne explains on Lila Loa, the amount of flour you add varies depending on a lot of factors. Check out her advice here.
3. I used 4 cups of flour and the dough looked like playdough. The dough should not be sticky and should hold together. Lightly flour your counter and roll the dough out very thin--about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Cut the cookies out and put on a parchment or silicon lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. These cookies are light and do not really get golden brown, even at the edges. Frost with royal icing (recipe below). Makes about four dozen cookies.

For Perfect Royal Icing

1. If you have not made royal icing before, do yourself a favor and read Sweet Sugar Belle's Royal Icing 101 post. She provides amazing and thorough step by step photo directions.
2. Combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix the dry ingredients to combine. Slowly add the water and vanilla extract. The icing will initially look sad and very wet. Whisk on medium for 5-6 minutes, until it thickens to pudding consistency. Knock the speed up to high and whisk for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the icing is very stiff and the whisk or a spatula stands straight up without falling.
3. Thin the icing with water and fill a frosting bag fitted with a #3 tip. Line and flood the cookie. Using a contrasting color, dot the icing. Pull a toothpick through the dots to create a marbled look. For more information on how to color and thin royal icing, check out Sweet Sugar Belle's video tutorials. Annie's Eats has a lovely photo step-by-step for marbling royal icing. Makes enough icing for four dozen cookies, plus some to spare.

Notes

Cookies Adapted from Lila Loa

Royal Icing Adapted from Sweet Sugar Belle

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Lemon Sugar Cookies with Marbled Royal Icing appeared first on A Classic Twist.