Brown Butter, Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles

Nutty brown butter
A hidden caramel surprise
Cinnamon amour

Brown Butter, Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Adapted from Baking Illustrated

Ingredients:

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

About 1/4 cup Kraft Caramel Bits

Sea salt for sprinkling

*Makes about 20 cookies.  Recipe can be doubled.

Directions:

1.  Stir the 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Place the butter in a medium pan set over medium heat.  Heat the butter, which will melt then begin to foam, stirring often, just until it turns brown.  Be careful not to let it burn!  Pour the butter into a bowl and let it come to room temperature (or place it in the freezer, stirring every so often, until it cools).

3.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.  Stir the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

5.  Place the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat until creamy and smooth.

6.  Add the egg and beat until combined.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Beat until well mixed.

7.  Add the flour mixture to the bowl.  Beat on low until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

8.  Scoop 2-tbsp sized balls of the dough.  Make an indention in the center of each (like a thumbprint cookie).  Place three caramel bits into each indention.  Pinch the sides of the dough over the center, encasing the caramel.  Gently roll the dough into a ball.  Repeat for the rest of the dough.

9.  Roll each dough ball in the sugar-cinnamon mixture (from Step 1).  Shake off all excess and place each ball on the baking sheet, leaving about 2" between each.

10.  Bake for about 7 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are puffy.

11.  Remove the cookies and let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes.  *Right after you take the sheets out of the oven (before they cool), sprinkle the hot cookies VERY LIGHTLY with sea salt (a little goes a long way).

12.  Transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.  Serve!