Cinnamon Sugar Butter Cookies

Snickerdoodle’s more laid-back cousin, these cookies skip the cream of tartar and lean hard on dark brown sugar for a caramel-rich, chewy middle. The low 300°F (150°C) oven is the trick. It lets the cookies set slowly so they stay soft in the center without spreading into thin wafers.

Do not overmix the dough once the flour goes in. Overworking develops gluten and turns what should be tender cookies into tough pucks. Mix on low just until the streaks disappear.

Roll the dough balls generously in the cinnamon sugar so they bake up with that classic cracked sugar crust. A heavy coat is what gives these their snickerdoodle-style looks.

Pull them at 18 minutes if you like a softer cookie, 20 if you prefer a crispier edge. They’ll look underdone in the middle. Trust it. They firm as they cool.

Pro Tips

• Use softened, not melted, butter. Melted butter makes the cookies spread thin and lose their puffed shape.
• Pack the dark brown sugar firmly when measuring. The molasses is what gives these cookies depth.
• Transfer to a cool surface immediately after baking so the bottoms don’t overcook on the hot pan.
• Store with a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft for days.

Variations

• Add ½ teaspoon ground cardamom to the sugar coating for a Scandinavian spice twist.
• Press a thumbprint into each ball before baking and fill with apple butter once cooled.
• Swap half the cinnamon in the coating for pumpkin pie spice in the fall.