This Brown Butter Toffeedoodle Cookie takes our family favorite Snickerdoodle cookie to a whole new level! Rich browned butter, a sprinkling of toffee bits, then dipped in cinnamon sugar. It is a soft, buttery, and delicious cookie!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you were lucky enough to have a Starbucks toffeedoodle cookie when it was in their lineup then you do not need to be convinced of why you need to make this recipe. You already know how incredible it is!
But if you missed out on this treat when it was at Starbucks, let me share why you will want to make this at home! This recipe is a twist on the traditional Snickerdoodle cookie, which is a soft, buttery cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar. In this updated version I brown the butter to bring out the rich butter flavor even more. Then the cookie is studded with toffee bits which adds a caramelized brown sugar flavor.
It's no surprise that these were a hit at Starbucks, as they are excellent when paired with a great cup of coffee!
These are the perfect cookie for the holiday season and they also are lovely on a brunch dessert tray. But really you don't need a special occasion for these cookies. They make a great snack on just a regular day.
Ingredient Information
Butter - Use high-quality butter for the best-flavored cookies. This recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you substitute salted butter then reduce the salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon.
Vanilla Extract - Pure vanilla extract makes the best-tasting cookie. My favorite brand for this recipe is Rodelle. The flavor makes a big difference in the cookies.
Cream of Tartar - This is a key ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies, as it transforms them from regular sugar cookies into snickerdoodles by adding tanginess and chewiness.
Eggs - It is best to use room-temperature eggs when making cookie dough, as they have less viscosity which allows them to mix better into the batter.
Toffee bits - You can use any English toffee bits (the ones without chocolate coating), or even crush English toffee candy. I like to use the Heath Bits O' Brickle because they are widely available and easy.
Step-By-Step Directions
Step One: Brown the butter
Let's start with how to brown butter. If this is your first time browning butter, don't sweat! It's a pretty simple process that transforms regular butter into a golden liquid that is full of flavor.
Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon slices so that it melts evenly.
Place the butter in a stainless or ceramic skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously until the butter turns golden brown. Watch it carefully because once it starts to turn golden it can burn easily.
There will be darker bits in the bottom of the pan. Do not strain them out. They hold lots of flavor!
Pour the brown butter into a freezer-safe dish and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Stir, then freeze for an additional 10 minutes in order to turn the butter back solid. You can also cool in the refrigerator if you aren't in a rush.
Step Two: Beat together wet ingredients
It is best to use an electric mixer so the sugar and butter get really fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Once the butter mixture is fluffy, add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat another minute or two.
Step Three: Add dry ingredients
Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Once mixed, add to the sugar batter.
It is best to mix in the flour mixture on a low speed. This keeps it from flying everywhere, and also allows you to not overmix. If you overmix the dough you will end up with flat, crispy cookies.
Step Four: Mix in toffee bits
Finally, mix in the toffee bits. I do this part by hand, gently folding the toffee into the batter.
Step Five: Refrigerate dough then portion
Refrigerating your cookie dough before baking results in cookies that are thick and fluffy. This is because the fat solidifies as the dough cools, and the sugar absorbs some of the moisture in the dough. Both of these factors result in the dough taking longer to spread out while baking, which keeps the cookie from becoming too thin and flat.
For big, gourmet-style cookies, use a 4 tablespoon cookie scoop or a ¼ cup measuring cup.
Roll each cookie into a ball, then dip in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Unlike regular snickerdoodles, where the entire ball is covered in cinnamon sugar, we just want a little bit of the sugar topping these cookies. So I dip the ball of dough into the cinnamon mixture, instead of rolling it all the way around.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place about 3-inches apart on the sheet.
Step Six: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies at 375°F for about 9 minutes, or until you start to see some browning on the outside of the cookie. The middle should still look just a little bit raw. They will set up as the cookies cool.
These are the best cookies! You are going to love them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown butter is delicious in a variety of cookie recipes. However, it is not always an equal swap. Most cookies require an extra tablespoon or two of liquid when using brown butter.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
You can freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 5 months if stored in an airtight container. First, place the balls in the freezer on a flat surface for 2 hours. Then transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. The dough does not have to be thawed before baking. Place on a cookie sheet following the standard directions. They may need a couple of minutes longer to cook than the refrigerated dough.
More Dessert Recipes
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Recipe
Brown Butter Toffeedoodle Cookie Recipe
Recipe by:Ingredients
- 1 cups unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (358g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup toffee bits
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously as the butter melts, until it turns a golden-brown color and begins to smell nutty. This usually takes 8-10 minutes depending. Watch the butter carefully so that it doesn't burn.Remove from heat and pour into a large freezer-safe container and place it into the freezer for 10 minutes. Stir the butter, then freeze for an additional 10 minutes, or until it cools completely and has turned solid.
- In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla, and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated and no longer visible.
- Add the toffee bits to the bowl and mix on low speed or by hand, until they are distributed throughout the batter.
- Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Mix ¼ cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
- Scoop dough into quarter cup portions (see the notes for directions on making smaller cookies). Roll each portion into a ball, then place in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat the top and sides of the dough ball, leaving the bottom without any added sugar.
- Place on a baking sheet with 3 inches of space between each ball of dough. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie are just beginning to turn brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for several minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer a cooling rack and cool completely.
Notes
- When cooling the brown butter you can also place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- If you do not have cream of tartar, increase the baking soda to ¾ teaspoons and also add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- This recipe is for large, bakery-style cookies. For smaller cookies, use a 2 tablespoon scoop to portion. Place the cookies 2-inches apart on a baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Yield: 32 cookies
- To give the cookies more of a bakery-style appearance, place some individual toffee bits on the top and sides of each ball of cookie dough prior to baking.
Lina
The flavor is good but the cookies came out very cake like & fluffy… any suggestions? I didn’t substitute any of the ingredients.
Erin
Hi Lina! The most common cause of a cake-like cookie is using too much flour. You can weigh the flour for an exact measurement, or use a spoon to scoop the flour from the container and transfer it loosely to the measuring cup. Scooping flour directly with your measuring cup will result in too much flour being added. Another possibility is that the batter was beaten for too long after the flour was added, which causes gluten to form in the dough.
Lina
Thank you soo much! I bake cookies often but these are my boyfriend’s new favorite so I will be making them regularly from now on. I’m making another batch this week
Jay
Tastes exactly like the Starbucks Toffeedoodle. Thank you because I love it and I've missed this cookie ♥️
Erin
I am so happy to hear that and am glad you were able to be reconnected with such a delicious cookie!
Jen
Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookie and I didn’t think there could be anything better, but these are sooooo good! I love the brown butter flavor!
Erin
I am right there with you - snickerdoodles are the best! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!