Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies (Scotchies)

Why you should make these cookies

• Very easy to make: you simply mix the ingredients in one bowl. I recommend an electric mixer to make the process easier and faster, but you can make them by hand with a whisk, a large bowl, and some arm muscle.
• Flavor: the mix of sugars and butter makes delicious cookies. They have a caramel undertone and just enough sweetness to let the flavors of the oats and walnuts come through.
• Chewy texture: if stored properly, the texture remains wonderful for a few days. The key is baking them just until they are dry but slightly soft in the center.
• Make ahead: you can keep the cookie dough refrigerated for up to a day before baking it. Or freeze the unbaked cookie balls for up to a month and bake them directly, no need to thaw them!

Ingredients

• Oats: they give crunch to the top layer. I use old-fashioned rolled oats (traditional oats) because they have more texture, but you can use instant or quick-cooking oats.
• Sugar: at the moment, I'm using only brown sugar for these cookies, but we have used that magic combination that is white and brown sugar together, and it also works well and makes the cookies a tad crunchier.
• Butterscotch chips or morsels: are readily available at most supermarkets and online, Hershey's butterscotch chips and Nestle butterscotch morsels.
• Unsalted butter.
• Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) works well. 
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine. 
• All-purpose flour.
• Baking soda: make sure it's active and not expired.
• Milk: you can use whole milk or alternative ones like almond milk.
• Egg: fresh, large.

Type of oats

There are 2 types of oats good for making oatmeal cookies:

• Rolled oats - also called traditional or old-fashioned oats, are medium-sized and shaped like irregular discs (image below). It's the one in the box we grew up with that is used to make porridge, the best granola recipe, or oatmeal muffins. This is the most commonly used oat and a sure way to get good results.
• Instant oats - also known as quick oats, are more processed than the ones above. I find that they lack enough texture, but you can use them.

Baking

Chips: you can mix all the butterscotch morsels into the dough or leave some of them to add manually to each scoop.

The flavor will be the same, but having the chips on top makes the flavor more easily recognizable (suitable if you're serving or gifting several types of cookies) and maybe prettier. However, they are rustic cookies.

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 an oven thermometer (like the OXO 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. 
• Measuring the cookies: Use an ice cream or cookie scoop so that you're cookies bake evenly. Leave roughly a 1 or 2-inch separation between each (depending on the size), so they can spread comfortably during baking.
• Refrigerating the dough: I don't chill it and bake the cookies directly. The texture is fantastic. But the type of oats you use might differ from mine as they can vary depending on what part of the world you live in and what brand you buy. You should not have issues with quick-cooking oats because it hydrates quickly. With rolled oats, I recommend you test a few cookies first and see how they come out. Letting the dough rest from 1 hour to a day might help to make moister and softer cookies. The oats will soften with the extra hydration time. 
• Baking: if making the cookies immediately, simply scoop and bake. If the cookie dough has been refrigerated for several hours to a day, it will be firmer, even after it comes to room temperature. Lightly press the top of each cookie before baking. When the dough is stiff, the cookies don't spread as much.