Chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, these Butterscotch Cookies only get better with time! You’ll love the sugar coating and rich butterscotch flavor.
If you’re obsessed with baking cookies, these Chocolate Macadamia Cookies need to be on your list! If you want to stick with butterscotch flavor, try our Butterscotch Blondies for an easy recipe!
Why these Cookies are Best
These cookies are chewy and crunchy, especially the day after baking. They taste great as a dessert, snack, dipped in your morning coffee–whatever! Just like a buttercotch candy baked into delicious cookies.
With brown sugar and browned butter, this recipe creates perfect butterscotch flavored treats in no time.
The brown sugar coating is similar to the cinnamon sugar coating on snickerdoodles!
Why brown butter?
One of the keys to creating that authentic butterscotch taste in this cookie recipe is using browned butter.
Heating butter on the stove brings out a toasty, almost nutty flavor in the unsalted butter. That added dimension of flavor and aroma interacts with the brown sugar to create a taste that can only be described as “heavenly.”
Take the next step and try my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies next!
Ingredient Notes
Today’s cookies use your basic ingredients, but make note that you will brown the butter first.
- Butter- we choose unsalted butter for best results and control of flavor. Follow our guide on how to brown butter (we answer any questions you may have about this process). No time to brown the butter, you can use melted butter too, just know that you’ll miss out on some of the nutty flavor.
- Brown sugar- gives the chewy texture.
- Baking soda and baking powder- make sure these are not expired.
- Vanilla- use pure vanilla extract or make your own homemade vanilla.
Step by Step Instructions
- Make the browned butter.
- Make the cookie dough.
- Roll cookie dough in brown sugar topping.
- Bake.
Fresh from the oven, Butterscotch Cookies are delightfully chewy with a little crunch thanks to the sugar topping.
They are even better on day two!
The outsides get crispy, making them perfect for dipping into my coffee. You have my full permission to enjoy cookies for breakfast. And make yourself an extra cup of coffee in the afternoon for more cookies!
How to Store Cookies
Once cooled, keep these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or ziploc bags. They’ll keep for a week, but good luck not eating them all within a couple of days.
Can you freeze butterscotch cookies?
Yes, Butterscotch Cookies keep beautifully in the freezer! They’ll lose some of their crunchiness after thawing but the flavor will still be good.
Use our guide on how to freeze cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Not in this butterscotch cookie recipe. The molasses in the brown sugar is essential for creating the caramel-y, buttery flavor.
Yes, but I love the added element of texture it adds to Butterscotch Cookies.
I do not recommend this as other fats won’t brown like butter does and the flavor won’t be the same. Browning happens when the milk proteins in butter begin to cook, so non-dairy substitutions won’t recreate the taste the same way.
Sure thing! You can use electric handheld beaters for cookies or use a heavy wooden spoon to cream everything together really well.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Oatmeal Raisin Cheesecake Bars
- Brookie Cookies
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- Apple Hand Pies
- Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Butter Cookies
- Raspberry Lemon Cookies
Easy Cookie Recipes
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Butterscotch Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed (divided)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Heat butter in small skillet on medium heat. Allow to froth up, then brown. Here is a great article on how to brown butter (for today's cookies you want the butter to JUST begin the browning process) Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, add browned butter plus 1 3/4 cups brown sugar. Mix on medium speed, add salt, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder.
- In small bowl, mix 1/4 cup reserved brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar together. Using a 1 Tablespoon small scoop, scoop up dough (will be consistency of play-doh) and roll into a ball. Then roll in sugar mixture.
- Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in airtight container for up to one week.
- Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Pour yourself a glass of milk and get ready to enjoy the best ever Butterscotch Cookies you’ve ever tasted!
I must have done something wrong. My cookie dough was way too soft and wet and I know I measured carefully. I haven’t baked them yet, but it was such a lot of work I’m very disappointed.
The dough did firm up after a bit, so it wasn’t a
problem. I also found that refrigerating the dough overnight and then baking made them better – more flavorful and better texture.
Had anyone tried using 1 to 1 gluten free flour?
Uh…… Under “How to Make…” you have us rolling the cookie dough balls in a brown sugar /cinnamon mixture – yet there is NO cinnamon listed in the ingredients.
How much would you recommend adding? The recipe looks scrumptious & at the cost of ingredients I’d hate to blow it by over/under flavoring them.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Confused in Alberta, Canada LOL
Do you think I can add macadamian nuts & white choclate. Or would they be too heavy.
Sounds great! This will be my next week cookie recipe!My kids get a fresh batch every week!
You don’t have to defend yourself to us! We love your cookies! These look delicious – they’re full of my favorite ingredients. Thanks for sharing on Sweet Indulgences Sunday.
WOW ! this is great blog ,delicious recipe . butter scotch is my favorite recipe thanks for sharing this blog…………gluten free
That is the happiest looking photo of cookies and milk I’ve seen! No such thing as too many cookie recipes…
Looks good.
We’d love you to share your recipes with us at
Simply Delish Saturday
I just made these! It was on another blog and she called them “Brown Sugar Cookies” but they DO taste like butterscotch and they are the BOMB!!! SO good!
http://thebiggreenbowl.blogspot.com
I love all things butterscotch. Wowza these sound delish!!