Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Skillet (or Cookies!)
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I’m fully in my brown butter snickerdoodle era right now. 😍
I mean, snickerdoodles are already one of the best cookies out there with their soft, chewy centers and cozy cinnamon-sugar coating. But when you swap regular butter for rich, nutty brown butter? Game over.
Taking a few extra minutes to brown the butter adds so much depth and flavor to the dough. It gives these skillet snickerdoodles a warm, caramel-like richness that makes them taste extra special without any complicated steps.
The result? A giant cookie that’s buttery, soft, chewy, perfectly cinnamon-spiced, and completely irresistible. And if you serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top? Absolute perfection.
For more brown butter reader favorites, be sure to try my Chocolate Dipped Brown Butter Cookies, Brown Butter Caramel Snickerdoodles, and Brown Butter Blondies. And PS: I have this entire blog post on how to brown butter!
Table Talk with Tawnie
You all know I love making recipes with brown butter. It immediately makes every baked good 10x better! One of my top favorite cookies is a classic snickerdoodle, so I thought, why not make a brown butter snickerdoodle…in a SKILLET! It’s a great recipe because you can make it in a cast iron, but also roll it into cookies if you want a classic cookie. The flavor is totally addictive, and best served with vanilla bean ice cream. Thank me later! 😉
- All-purpose flour: As always, it’s essential to make sure you’re using the spoon and level method to measure your flour when baking (you can also use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients).
- Cream of tartar: This ingredient provides the classic snickerdoodle tang and assists with leavening. When combined with baking soda, cream of tartar reacts to produce carbon dioxide gas. This reaction helps the cookies rise and spread properly, giving them their characteristic texture and appearance.
- Butter: Make sure to use unsalted butter and visit this post on how to brown butter for an easy tutorial. You’ll also need softened butter to grease the skillet.
- Egg and egg yolk: Adding an extra egg yolk helps create a richer, chewier cookie. You can save the egg white for breakfast the next day! Also, make sure your eggs are at room temperature so they will mix more easily with the rest of the wet ingredients.
- For rolling/topping: Cinnamon and sugar impart the classic snickerdoodle flavor on the outside.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Brown the butter
Brown the butter. Then allow it to cool slightly, ~10-15 minutes.
Mix wet ingredients
Whisk in the sugars. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
Add dry ingredients
Add in the dry ingredients and fold just until combined. The cookie dough will be thick! Be sure not to over-mix!!
Press into pan
Press the cookie dough down into your skillet. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping on top.
Bake & enjoy!
Bake for ~30-35 minutes. Allow to cool. Then slice and serve with vanilla ice cream and ENJOY!!
Expert Tips
- Properly measure the flour: As with any baking recipe, make sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need. See this baking tip video for an easy tutorial.
- Don’t over-mix: Mix the dough until combined. Over-mixing can develop too much gluten, making the cookies tough. To combat this, I like to fold in the dry ingredients until no more dry flour pockets are left.
- Cream of tartar: Don’t skip the cream of tartar. It gives snickerdoodles their classic tangy flavor and chewy texture. It also reacts with baking soda, helping the cookies rise.
- Don’t over-bake: Since the cookie skillet is made in a cast-iron pan, it will continue to cook once removed from the oven. Pull it out when it appears mostly set. When making this recipe into cookies, the snickerdoodles should be removed when they barely start turning golden around the edges.
- To make cookies: Make the cookie dough as directed. Scoop the dough using a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop, roll the dough balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture (you might need to make a little extra mixture for rolling). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and bake at 350°F for ~10-12 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake. Swirl a cup around the cookies when still warm to make perfect circles. They will almost appear underbaked, but they’re perfectly soft and chewy as they cool. Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the cookies, and enjoy! Yield ~20-24 cookies.
Variations / Substitutions
- Chocolate chip snickerdoodle cookie skillet: Add semi-sweet chocolate chips to the snickerdoodle cookie dough for a chocolatey twist.
- Nutty snickerdoodle cookie skillet: To add crunch and nuttiness, incorporate chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds into the cookie dough. Toast the nuts beforehand for extra flavor.
- Caramel swirl snickerdoodle cookie skillet: Drizzle caramel sauce over the cookie dough before baking and swirl it in with a toothpick or top with chopped caramel pieces.
- Pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookie skillet: Incorporate pumpkin pie spice into the cookie dough for a cozy fall vibe.
- Nutella swirl snickerdoodle cookie skillet: Swirl Nutella into the cookie dough before baking for a rich, chocolate-hazelnut flavor throughout.
- White chocolate cranberry snickerdoodle cookie skillet: Mix dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into the cookie dough for a festive, tangy variation perfect for the holiday season.
Storage / Freezing
- Store at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
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Ingredients
- 1-2 Tbsp. softened butter (to grease the skillet)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cut into 1 tbsp. pieces)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled )
- 2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt (if using table salt, use ~1/4-1/2 tsp. )
- 1 tsp. baking soda
For the cinnamon sugar mixture
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Vanilla ice cream for serving (some would say optional, but I strongly encourage it 😉)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- *To make this skillet into snickerdoodle cookies, see the recipe notes below.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the softened butter all over the bottoms and sides of a 10-inch skillet. Set aside.1-2 Tbsp. softened butter
- Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter. Allow the butter to cool slightly, ~10-15 minutes. Start Timer1 cup unsalted butter
- Combine sugars: Add the sugars to the cooled browned butter and whisk until combined. Some of the mixture may get stuck in the whisk; just give it a tap to get it all out.1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- Add wet ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine until smooth. Be sure to break up any large clumps of brown sugar if you find any.1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, 2 Tbsp. whole milk, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- Fold in dry ingredients: Add in the dry ingredients and fold just until combined. The cookie dough will be thick!2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking soda
- Press into pan: Turn the cookie dough out into the prepared pan. Press the cookie down into an even layer.
- Add topping: Combine the cinnamon and sugar topping together and sprinkle some over the tops. You don't have to use all of it; you can reserve some for serving.1 Tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Bake: Bake for ~30-35 minutes Start Timer or until mostly set and the top is golden brown. The middle may sink as it cools, that's just the nature of this recipe…you didn't mess up!
- Enjoy: Allow to cool for ~30-45 minutes Start Timer before cutting into wedges (errrr, if you can wait) and then serve with vanilla ice cream. If you slice into the cookie skillet too soon, it might look raw, so that cool time helps the crumb set up. I've found the cookie is chewy and delicious once it has cooled completely, then I'll pop a slice in the microwave and enjoy it smothered with ice cream!Vanilla ice cream for serving
Notes
- Store at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- To make cookies: Make the cookie dough as directed. Scoop the dough using a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop, roll the dough balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture. (you might need to make a little extra mixture for rolling). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and bake at 350°F for ~10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Swirl a cup around the cookies when still warm to make perfect circles. They will almost appear underbaked, but they’re perfectly soft and chewy as they cool. Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the cookies, and enjoy! Yield ~20-24 cookies.
- This recipe was updated with new photos in June 2026 (same recipe, just new photos😊)
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
Saw this on Instagram a few days before father’s day. Had everything to make it and snickerdoodles are my husband’s favorite. This was so easy to put together and delicious like most of your recipes. Hubs said I can definitely make it again, haha. Ice cream definitely takes this to the next level, don’t skip that part!
So glad you came across this recipe 🙂 thank you!! happy it was enjoyed!
This recipe is amazing. The brown butter adds such flavor and depth. I made the skillet cookie and my family could not stop eating it. I had to make it again immediately because one recipe only lasted 1 day given how beloved it was!
I made this recipe as cookies and they tasted amazing!
Absolute perfection!! If I could give this recipe more than five stars, I would. I loved the chewy texture of this snickerdoodle skillet cookie with just the right touch of cinnamon. And the brown butter flavor was divine! This was a yummy comforting treat that we’ll turn to time and again!!
soo glad you enjoyed this one! thank you Tamara!
I must have done something wrong because the cookies were hard as rocks, but, the skillet was sort of soft in the center. The flavor was amazing though! I will have to try this again!
oh no i am so sorry! Did you scoop and level the flour?
This was my first time making a c🍪🍪kie skillet & it was so amazing.
Thanks for sharing!😊
it looks great! thank you soo much!
Very good and flavorful! I left out the cream of tartar and the cinnamon-sugar coating, added Hershey kisses, and served with s’mores ice cream for a different flavor twist. 26 mins was perfect–definitely no more. If you use salted butter, cut down the salt to 1/2 t.
We really loved this cookie skillet. Easy to make and baking time was just right. So soft and tender. Impressive looking, too. Five star dessert!
BEST SNICKERDOODLE EVER!!! Even better with ice cream!
Delicious, I love cinnamon and I’ve never browned butter before but I could taste the difference!