Butterscotch Cookies
These butterscotch cookies are slightly chewy on the outside, while tender and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. Just one bite and you’ll be hooked!
As a baking blogger, I’ve made a lot of cookie recipes in my day. In fact, I have 11 pages (and counting!) of cookie recipes on my website and even wrote a cookie cookbook.
Today’s butterscotch cookie recipe has easily become one of my favorite cookies to make lately. I don’t know if it’s the chewy yet soft texture of these cookies, the butterscotch chips in every bite, or the simple fact that these bring up so many childhood memories that make them so incredible.
Do me a favor and make them for yourself. Maybe you can explain what makes it impossible to eat just one of these butterscotch chip cookies!
Ingredients for This Recipe
Nine basic ingredients are all that stand between you and the world’s best butterscotch cookies. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe:
- All-purpose flour: I recommend spooning and leveling out the flour rather than scooping it straight from the bag. This will ensure that you don’t measure out too much by mistake.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies a slight lift and prevents them from being too dense.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness from the butterscotch chips and sugar.
- Butter: Should be softened to room temperature before making this recipe.
- Sugar: I used a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar has a slight caramel flavor to it that complements the butterscotch chips nicely.
- Eggs: Also need to be at room temperature before making the cookies. Place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes if you forgot to set them out ahead of time.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract will give the strongest flavor.
- Butterscotch chips: The star of the show! You’ll need one 11-ounce package to make the cookies.
How to Make Butterscotch Cookies
To make this butterscotch chip cookie recipe, you’ll first need to whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Then, beat together the butter and sugars in a stand mixer that’s been fitted with a paddle attachment.
Only cream the butter and sugars together until well combined, or about 1 to 2 minutes. You don’t want to over beat the butter and sugars because it can incorporate too much air into your dough, resulting in cakey cookies.
To the butter mixture, add the eggs and vanilla. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined, then mix the butterscotch chips in last at a low speed.
At this stage, you’ll have to be patient. The dough needs to be chilled for about two hours before it can be scooped and baked. Make sure to cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.
Once the dough has chilled, line three large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheets using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop.
The butterscotch chip cookies will need to bake for about 10 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are golden and the tops have just set.
Remember that the cookies will continue to cook in the center as they cool on the baking sheet, so be careful not to over bake them.
Storage Instructions
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last about one week. The cookies can also be frozen for up to three months, either as raw cookie dough balls or once they’ve been baked.
Can I Add Other Mix-Ins?
Yes! I used 11 ounces of butterscotch chips total, but it would be fine to mix and match the mix-ins as you see fit. But try the cookies with butterscotch chips first — you can’t beat the classic cookie!
Baking Tips
- I recommend using unsalted butter in baked goods because the amount of salt in salted butters can vary between brands.
- All of your ingredients need to be room temperature before making this recipe.
- Do not skip chilling the dough. If you don’t chill the cookie dough, the cookies will flatten out in the oven and won’t be nice and chewy.
More Easy Cookie Recipes to Make!
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodles
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Butterscotch Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230 grams; 2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup (200 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 (11-ounce) package (311 grams) butterscotch chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract, one at a time, until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then mix in the butterscotch chips on low-speed until fully incorporated.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once the dough is almost chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
First time trying this type of cookie and first time making them…super easy to make and super delicious!!! I made a few batches for an event and not a single one was left! Everyone loved them!!
My cookies taste amazing but they spread super flat while baking and were sort of greasy. I’ll try again though because the flavor is great!
Did you double check that you used the correct amount of flour and butter? If so, you may try chilling the dough longer and see if that helps.
The best chewy cookie recipe I’ve ever found! I used salted caramel chips because it’s what I had on hand and that even worked.
So delicious that I’ll be adding them to my Christmas cookie baking list!!
Hey. About how many cookies does this recipe yield? I can’t find it posted anywhere.
It yields 42 cookies. The servings are listed right above the ingredients in the recipe card 🙂
Hi there
Butterscotch cookies looks good!
Question:
After you scoop the dough and drop in the baking sheet, did you press down the dough to flatten? Because the cookies looks flat and thin after baking.
Many thanks
Hi, Lisa! You don’t have to press them down, the cookies will spread in the oven as they bake.
Hi, I’m in Australia and have never seen butterscotch chips. What can I substitute them for. Could I cut up some jersey caramels? Thanks
Hi, Christine! I’m not familiar with jersey caramels, but they may melt and not work well for these cookies. You can use any other kind of mix in, like white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.