One thing I’ve done in a lot of my baking is replaced portions of white sugar with brown sugar. This does two things. First, it adds flavor. Brown sugar has molasses in it, which has a rich, dark flavor that is both distinctive and delicious, at least in small doses. Second, it adds moisture, and I find that cookies and other confections I make with brown sugar tend to stay softer and chewier for longer.
Plus, my partner loves brown sugar. He’s been on a quest for ages to find a kind of brown sugar candy that rivals “just eating a spoon full of brown sugar” and hasn’t yet managed to find it. If you have ideas on that front, let me know!
So, when a brown sugar version of basic sugar cookies came across my social media feeds, I knew I had to try it. In concept, it’s basically just a sugar cookie, but with dark brown sugar to give it that rich molasses taste.
Fair warning: these cookies spread out a lot when you bake them. Chilling them thoroughly before baking helps a bit, but they’re still going to be super thin. Keep that in mind when you space them on your cookie sheets! They end up a little crispy around the edges and nicely chewy in the middle, which is really the best of both worlds when you think about it.
Brown Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- Cookie Scoop
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2⅓ Cups Flour
- 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- ¾ Tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ Tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter Softened
- 2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs One egg + one yolk, specifically.
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup White Sugar
- ½ Tbsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the cookie topping by combining the white sugar and cinnamon, and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
- With your mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Add the flour and brown sugar mixture and mix until combined; it will pull together into a cookie dough fairly quickly.
- Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough and roll them into smooth balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat them.
- Place the dough balls in the fridge and chill for at least 45 minutes to cut back on how much they spread out while baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Arrange your dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 2" apart to allow for spread. Bake for 11 minutes.
- When baked, slide the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool and set.