Pioneer Woman Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Pioneer Woman brown butter sugar cookies are an easy bakery-style cookie made with nutty brown butter, flour and sugar, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes. This make-ahead soft sugar cookie recipe fits holiday cookie trays, Christmas food gifts, Thanksgiving dessert tables and baking days with kids.

Pull the butter off the heat the moment it smells nutty and turns golden brown, because that is where all the caramel flavor comes from. Wait a minute too long and it burns, which leaves the cookies tasting bitter.

Rolling each scoop of dough in sugar before it chills gives these cookies a sparkly, crackled top that plain sugar cookies lack. Using a big 1/3-cup scoop also makes them bakery-sized, so the centers stay soft while the edges turn lightly golden.

Pioneer Woman Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

415

kcal

Brown butter makes the dough rich and nutty, and a quick roll in sugar gives each cookie a crackled top. A short chill keeps them from spreading, so they bake up thick with soft centers.

Ingredients

• 1 c. (2 sticks) salted butter
  

• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 2 tsp. baking powder
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 1 1/3 c. sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
  

• 2 large eggs
  

• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  

Directions

• Prep the pan: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then set it aside for the chilled dough later.
• Brown the butter: Melt 1 cup salted butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until medium golden brown. Immediately transfer it to a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, then let it cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together in a large bowl. Then set it aside while you cream the butter.
• Make the dough: Cream the cooled butter with 1 1/3 cups sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined.
• Scoop and chill: Put the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on a shallow plate, then scoop the dough with a 1/3-cup scoop straight into the sugar. Roll each one to coat well, set it on the prepared baking sheet, press the tops lightly flat and chill for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven: While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F. That way it is fully hot when the cookies go in.
• Bake the cookies: Arrange the dough mounds on 2 unlined baking sheets about 3 inches apart and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They are ready when the cookies are just set and the edges are lightly golden.
• Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Then move them to wire racks to cool completely.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted?

Yes, unsalted butter works fine. Just bump the kosher salt up to 3/4 teaspoon, since the salted butter was adding some of the seasoning.

How long do these cookies stay fresh?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They are softest on the first day or two, so I wouldn't count on them lasting longer.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the scooped dough balls keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If they chill longer than the 15 minutes, wait until right before baking to roll them in sugar.

Can I mix the dough without a stand mixer?

A hand mixer does the same job for creaming the butter and sugar. You can also beat it by hand with a wooden spoon, though it takes a few extra minutes to get light and fluffy.

Why did my cookies spread too thin?

The most common cause is warm brown butter that was not fully cooled before mixing. Let it cool the whole 30 minutes and don't skip the 15-minute chill, since cold dough holds its shape in the oven.