Salted Caramel Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

I can bet you have seen these cookies all over the Internets!

When I read that they combine my beloved snickerdoodle cookie with a caramel center and sea salt top...I knew I had to make them for myself, and let me be honest when I say... I've never tried brown butter!

Um hello, have I been living under a rock!?

Brown butter is like heaven for bakers. It has a nutty aroma and dark chocolate appearance... Gorgeous! I'm now trying to find a 100 recipes to place brown butter in... Pasta, cakes, frosting... a baby bottle for immediate consumption?

For the cookies:
(makes 2 dozen)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon sour cream
1 cup caramel bits

For Topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon and set aside.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and put the cubed butter inside. Whisk continuously until the butter with foam on the top and brown flecks with start to appear. Watch closely, continuing to whisk, until you smell a nutty aroma and the butter is dark brown in color. Immediately remove from heat and transfer to a heat safe bowl. Cool the butter to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the browned butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Beat on medium until smooth.
Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and sour cream until completely incorporated and smooth. Slowly add in the flour mixture until the dough forms.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove dough from refrigerator and measure about 2 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the center slightly and place 5-7 caramel bits inside. Wrap the cookie dough over the caramel and roll back into a ball. Make sure the dough completely covers the caramel so it does not leak.

In a small bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Roll each cookie ball into the mixture to coat and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten the top lightly and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned yet the centers are still soft. Allow to cool on  sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are amazing! The dough has a cinnamon sugar taste, familiar to a snickerdoodle with just a hint of nutty brown butter. The caramel oozes when you bite into the warm cookie so these are best served immediately!

Recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod