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When I set out to make the perfect recipe for butterscotch cookies, the goal was to develop the best flavor and the perfect cookie texture. Mission successful! I used my tried-and-true methods learned over my years as a baker to make a cookie that is chewy in the center, crisp on the edges, packed with butterscotch flavor, and delivers on presentation, too.
You will love these Butterscotch Chip Cookies
Butterscotch cookies are addictive, if made right. Like any baked good, you can run into some issues that result in a less than desirable cookie. If you’ve ever had a cookie that spread too much or came out too hard, you know the frustration! That’s why you’re going to love this recipe! I dedicated time in the kitchen to tackling all of the most common issues home bakers run into and making sure the steps of this recipe don’t lead you astray.
To start, we’ll use the perfect ratio of butter and brown sugar, because we want a moist cookie (not a dry, crumbly one).
Next we’ll use generous sized dough balls so our cookies won’t spread too much, and when they do spread they’ll make a thick and chewy cookie.
Finally, we’ll load them up with butterscotch chips, on the outside too, so all of the butterscotch chips don’t sink to the bottom of the cookie.
What’s even better? You don’t need to chill the dough! In a lot of my cookie recipes, I am adamant that you must chill the dough, but this is the ultimate easy cookie recipe with no chilling required. Another win for butterscotch cookies!
These cookies come out golden brown, with chewy centers, crisp edges and dotted with butterscotch chips inside and out. They always receive rave reviews, so be prepared to be asked for them over and over again. Keep reading for tips on storing, freezing dough and more!
Butterscotch Cookie Recipe Ingredients
A short list of simple ingredients comes together to make chewy butterscotch cookies that your friends and family will beg for over and over again. Keep reading for more tips and the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Butterscotch chips
- Unsalted butter: room temperature
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs: room temperature
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Butterscotch Cookies
These homemade cookies are so much butter than storebought, but they look like they were made in a bakery! Keep reading for storing tips and more, and get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Follow these simple steps for cookie perfection:
- Prep oven and cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and 1 cup of butterscotch chips. Set aside.
- Begin mixing wet ingredients. In a separate bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. You want this mixture to be fluffy and pale in color.
- Add remaining wet ingredients. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. The dough will be thick. I like to finish mixing the flour into the dough by hand with a spatula.
- Form cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to form golf ball sized cookie dough balls, roll into a smooth ball between your hands. Press the remaining butterscotch chips on the outside of the dough balls. This will make it so there are butterscotch chips on top of each cookie when it bakes. Place about 8 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat at a time.
- Bake. For 2 Tbsp sized dough balls, bake cookies for 10-13 minutes. Adjust the bake time accordingly for smaller or larger cookies.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before removing.
Butterscotch Chip Cookie Variations
My easy recipe for butterscotch cookies is a family favorite, and I know it will become a go-to in your house as well! The perfect combination of flavor and texture, my personal preference is to make the cookies as-is, but here are some ideas if you want (or need) to change things:
- Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute half of the butterscotch chips for your favorite chocolate chips.
- Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies: If you want to try oatmeal cookies with butterscotch flavor, use my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and just sub the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips.
- Swap the butterscotch chips: If you want to change it completely, you can swap the butterscotch chips for any other flavor like chocolate or peanut butter chips.
- Gluten-free Butterscotch Cookies: If you want to make these gluten free, just swap the flour for gluten-free flour. I prefer King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.
How to Store Cookies with Butterscotch Chips
These cookies keep well, just store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A trick to keep the cookies soft for days is to place a piece of bread in the container. The moisture from the bread will be absorbed by the cookies.
Another great part about this recipe is it freezes well. You can make the balls of dough and freeze them ahead of time, then bake when ready. Just follow these easy steps:
- Portion the dough into cookie dough balls (through step 6 above).
- Place them on baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
Butterscotch Cookies Recipe FAQs
Butterscotch is typically made from a combination of brown sugar, butter, heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Butter and brown sugar are melted together until they caramelize, and then milk/cream, vanilla, and salt are added. It is then typically cooked to the desired consistency depending on whether it will be used for a sauce, flavoring, candy, etc.
The texture of cookies, whether chewy or crispy, is influenced by several factors, including ingredients, baking time, and temperature. In this recipe, we use a combination of brown sugar and butter to create the perfect balance of chewy center and crispy edge. Making larger cookie dough balls can also result in chewier centers, which is why we use golf-ball-sized dough balls in this recipe.
More Cookie Recipes
- Cookies & Cream Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Funfetti Cookies
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Butterscotch Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, 360 grams
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 11 or 12 oz bag butterscotch chips, 312 grams
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 226 grams
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, 266 grams
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, 50 grams
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and 1 cup of butterscotch chips. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. You want this mixture to be fluffy and pale in color.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, beat for 30 seconds.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. The dough will be thick. I like to finish mixing the flour into the dough by hand with a spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop to form golf ball sized cookie dough balls, roll into a smooth ball between your hands. Press the remaining butterscotch chips on the outside of the dough balls. Place about 8 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat at a time.
- For 2 Tbsp sized dough balls, bake for 10-13 minutes. Adjust the bake time accordingly for smaller or larger cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before removing.
