This year I participated in the first annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.  Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil and Julie from A Little Kitchen organized this event, which brought together over 400 food bloggers who made and sent cookies all over the world.  I’m a huge fan of events like this that bring together our community, it was so nice to get to meet new people in such a delicious forum!

For my contribution to the swamp, I made Brown Butter Snickerdoodles.  Snickerdoodles are one of my all time favorite cookies, something about their subtly spiced flavor makes my heart warm.  I tweaked my usual recipe a bit to include brown butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, which gave them (I think) a delicious twist.  I just hope that the three dozen I sent out were eaten as quickly as the ones I made for Dan and I.

Easily the most fun part of this swap was getting cookies in the mail.  I love all packages, and seeing what my fellow food bloggers came up with COMPLETELY put me to shame.  All three of the packages I received were adorable, I have big shoes to fill next year.  It was such a pleasure, thank you to to Lindsay & Julie, and to the three ladies who sent me cookies, Vickie, Beth, and Mary!

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Makes 6 dozen cookies

5 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 sticks salted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp cream of tartar

2 tsps baking soda

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsps cinnamon

In a small pan, heat two sticks of butter over low heat.  Stirring occasionally,  cook until browned.  Set aside.

Mix together flour, salt, sugar, cream of tartar, and baking soda.  In a mixer, cream the remaining butter and sugar.  Add browned butter, then add eggs, one at a time.  Slowly add in dry ingredients.  Mix until well incorporated.

Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Grease a baking sheet and heat the oven to 400*.  Mix together cinnamon, sugar, and salt.  Using a small spoon, scoop balls of dough, roll them in the sugar mixture, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until firm/golden brown.  Let cool for a minute, then move to a rack.

As you’re baking, if they start to come out looking too brown around the edges, drop the temperature to 375.