A twist on the traditional chip cookies, it's a super simple, one-bowl recipe that bakes to a golden brown and has great caramel flavor from the butterscotch chips. You can bake them directly, without chilling if you want, and also freeze the dough or refrigerate it for several days.
For me, it's cookie season year-round.
There's always a reason to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, or with butterscotch chips during the holiday season.
What is butterscotch?
It's a confection that includes butter, brown sugar, and many times cream. Other ingredients can be added, like salt or vanilla.
Butterscotch flavor: what does it taste like? It's similar to caramel but mellower, with a dairy undertone from the butter and cream. I think of it as a mix between caramel and dulce de leche. It's extremely delicious and versatile!
- Easy: as mentioned before, this is a super simple one-bowl recipe for chewy butterscotch cookies that everybody loves. Perfect for gift giving, parties, game night, or just because.
- Make ahead: the cookie dough can be scooped and frozen so you can bake a fresh batch of butterscotch cookies at a moment's notice.
- Flavorings: we love them with vanilla and cinnamon, but you can add some orange zest, or some chopped walnuts in addition to the chips.
Ingredient Notes
- Butterscotch chips: They're available at some grocery stores and online.
- Sugars: the recipe uses white and brown sugar for that unique caramel flavor we all love. If using dark brown sugar, the cookies will bake to a deeper golden brown.
- Vanilla. If using vanilla paste, reduce by ¾ teaspoon.
- Cinnamon: use your favorite ground cinnamon.
- Baking soda and baking powder: make sure they're not expired.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Steps to make them
This is a traditional one-bowl cookie recipe. It can be made by hand, with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer.
- By hand: use a spatula or wooden spoon. I make it this way usually. If the butter is soft, it's very easy to mix everything by hand.
- Electric mixer: it's convenient and easy. Don't overbeat after adding the flour, or do so with a spatula.
- IMPORTANT: don't overmix after adding the flour, as it will toughen the cookies. Integrate completely but don't overdo it.
Stand mixer: use the paddle attachment and don't beat much after adding the flour mixture.
The final cookie dough is sticky but smooth, and has no dry spots.
- Cookie sheet: you can butter the baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- Baking time: if you want a soft cookie after it's cooled down, you have to remove them from the oven while the center is still soft, maybe even slightly underbaked or too soft to the touch. For me, it's 10 minutes, but it can take a minute more or less depending on your oven, the temperature of the dough, and the size of your cookies.
Butterscotch chips: I like to add most of the chips to the cookie dough and then manually add the to the scooped portions before baking. This way, the baked cookie will be more tempting.
Space: it's essential to leave space between the unbaked cookies so they can expand without touching when they bake.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chilling: you can opt to bake the cookies right after you mix the dough or to chill it first. The difference is in its consistency and sometimes flavor. The chilled dough expands less and can have a more rounded flavor as the ingredients have time to meld together. In my experience, the difference is not that big, and I usually bake half and then chill the rest.
- Freezing: another great way to make these cookies ahead is by freezing the unbaked dough. Scoop the cookie portions and place them on a baking sheet; no need to leave much space between them. Freeze until rock solid and then transfer to a bag to remove the cookie sheet and use less space in the freezer.
- Storing: keep in an airtight container or jar. If you want them to remain soft, add a few pieces of bread to the container.
- Flavorings: ground cinnamon goes well with the butterscotch flavor, but you can omit it if you want. Other flavors that pair well with it are coffee (like a tablespoon of coffee liqueur or ½ a teaspoon of coffee extract), white chocolate chips, toasted nuts like hazelnuts, pistachios, or walnuts, hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico) or almond liqueur like Amaretto, adding some shredded unsweetened coconut to the dough (reduce the flour amount).
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Butterscotch Cookies (quick and easy)
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- Beat ½ cup unsalted butter with ¼ cup white sugar and ¾ cup light brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy. You can use the stand mixer or a hand-held beater.
- Add 1 eggand 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients (1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt) and mix until a few dry spots remain. Don't overbeat at this point.
- Add 1 cup butterscotch chips and mix until no dry spots remain. I like to switch to a spatula for this part. At this point, you can use the cookie dough directly or refrigerate it for a day or two, well covered, before baking the cookies.
- Scoop portions of cookie dough and place on the prepared sheets, spacing them an inch and a half or so apart. You can press a few extra chips on the dough before baking.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until edges are firm and cookies are golden but still soft in the center. It might take a minute or two more if your cookies are larger.
- Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in tins or cookie jars.
angiesrecipes says
They look terrific with butterschotch chips!