Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as it cooks; once it becomes golden brown and smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat. Allow the brown butter to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cooled brown butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs individually. Mix in the vanilla extract and, if desired, the non-alcoholic vanilla extract or apple juice.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for the coating.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll each into a ball. Coat each ball thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place the coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Don’t overbake.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; adding a slice of bread to the container helps keep them soft. Both the dough (formed into balls and coated) and the baked cookies freeze well; freeze dough balls spread out on a tray before transferring to a bag, and bake from frozen with a minute or two added to the time. Let cookies cool fully on the baking sheet to help them set for the best chewy texture. Serve with coffee, chai, vanilla ice cream, or apple cider for a cozy treat.