Brown Butter Snickerdoodles and Cheesecake

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

· 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

· 1/3 cup granulated sugar

· 1/3 cup light brown sugar

· 1 egg

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

· 1/2 (scant) teaspoon baking soda

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 2 tablespoons buttermilk

· For coating the cookies: combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until nutty brown solids form. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the browned butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add by spoonfuls to the mixing bowl, just until combined, then add enough buttermilk to moisten the dough. Cover and chill the dough overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375. Roll the chilled dough into balls, then coat in the sugar/cinnamon/nutmeg mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat, and press cookies gently to flatten them slightly.

Bake for 8 - 8 ½ minutes, until the edges look set and the cookies are slightly cracked. Immediately remove cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Yields about 2 ½ dozen

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake

Crust:

· ¾ cup crushed snickerdoodles (about 6-8 cookies)

· ¼ cup crushed graham crackers

· 3-4 tablespoons melted butter

· 10 whole snickerdoodles

Filling:

· 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

· 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

· ½ cup dark brown sugar

· 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

· ½ cup sour cream

· 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon

· ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:

· ½ cup roughly chopped snickerdoodles

· 1 tablespoon brown sugar

· ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

· ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

· ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

For the crust:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crushed cookies, graham crackers, and melted butter. Transfer crumbs to an 8 or 9-inch spring form pan (lined with parchment paper around the sides only) and press crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan about halfway up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely in the refrigerator while you get the filling ready. Place the whole cookies around the sides of the pan

For the filling:

Pour 1/4 cup heavy cream into microwave-safe measuring cup. Add gelatin and whisk to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes; it will be thick and clumpy. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to completely dissolve the gelatin. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream and brown sugar at medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth and creamy. Add cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture and beat for several minutes until smooth and combined. Add the gelatin mixture and beat for another minute until smooth and combined.

Spoon the filling over the crust and spread it out to the edge against the cookies lining the sides of the pan, and smooth out the top.

For the topping:

In a bowl, combine the chopped snickerdoodles, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before cutting and serving.

Yields 10 servings.

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen