Chewy Butterscotch Cookies
These soft, caramelly Chewy Butterscotch Cookies grace the goodie boxes I divvy out to my friends and neighbors for Christmas. You’ll go crazy for these crackled cookies with minimal ingredients! They’re a family favorite.
Super easy to make, these cookies appeal to all who try them! Butterscotch is the perfect flavor for those who don’t like chocolate (gasp!), nuts, mint, and on and on. Roll the sweet, buttery dough balls in sugar and bake. So simple and addictive! This is an Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe with an increased depth of flavor from brown sugar!
Why You Should Make
- These are melt-in-your-mouth cookies with caramel undertones!
- Almost everyone loves sugar cookies!
- They’re perfect for lunch boxes, after-school snacks, and even Christmas cookies. I make these every year for the holidays!
On occasion, my father-in-law would purchase chewy butterscotch cookies at their farmers’ market. Chatting up the baker of these gems, he was finally able to obtain the recipe.
We shared the love of so many foods like apple desserts, smoked fish, nuts, and caramel desserts. Though I’m told he was extremely picky and would only eat about two vegetables when he married my mother-in-law, I’m not sure if he or his son, my hubby, had a more persnickety palate. They did both agree that these Brown Sugar Cookies were phenomenal.
How to Make Butterscotch Cookies
The butter and brown sugar provide the “butterscotch” flavor. Not the artificial taste from those butterscotch chips, but more like caramel undertones.
- Have your butter and egg at room temperature for easy incorporation.
- PRO-Tip: Adding a bit of cream of tartar allows for a lovely crackled appearance. Cream of tartar is a white powder that provides a touch of acid to the batter. I also use it in my meringue cookies to stabilize the egg whites.
- Use butter, not margarine for the best butterscotch flavor.
- Brown sugar is just sugar with molasses added. Feel free to use dark brown sugar for an even richer flavored cookie, but note that the resulting cookies will be darker in color.
- Using both brown and granulated sugar provide moisture to the cookie dough, thus making for chewy cookies. These Brown Sugar Butterscotch Cookies are rich in flavor and chewy in texture!
- Roll the dough balls in sugar before baking provides a sweet, crisp bite as you take your first nibble.
- The recipe is simple and straightforward, with forming dough balls and rolling them in sugar taking the most time.
- This twist on an Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe stores well at room temperature in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. They’ll also freeze well for about 3 months.
- This butterscotch cookies recipe is perfect for any occasion. They’re part of the holiday treats I give to my neighbors, but they’re ideal for welcoming new neighbors, a family dealing with a new baby or death in the family, a holiday cookie exchange, afternoon tea, or an after-school snack!
Tips for Making Perfect Cookies
- PRO-Tip: Use a Medium Cookie Scoop (affiliate link);to get even sized cookies, and roll them between my hands to make them perfectly round. I make a double batch for the holidays.
- My dough balls are approximately the size of a walnut and this results in rather large cookies. Not like anyone around here would complain!
- If you’d prefer to have smaller cookies, use a Small Cookie Scoop (affiliate link) and reduce the baking time. There is no need to flatten the dough balls before baking, but make sure to follow the directions on whatever recipe you use.
- After scooping out the dough, roll the dough ball between your palms to make them nice and round.
- When your cookies come out of the oven, you have a chance to fix any imperfections. If there’s a cookie or two that’s not perfectly round, just use your spatula to tap the edges into shape.
- Once the cookies cool a couple of minutes, they won’t be as pliable. Don’t forget to grab your hot pad and make any alterations quickly and efficiently.
- Bake your cookies on a quarter sheet pan lined with parchment paper for easy removal and easy cleanup. Your cookies will not stick to the pan!
- PRO-Tip: Slightly under bake for chewy cookies!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Butterscotch?
Butterscotch is a flavor that comes from the combination of brown sugar and butter. It is similar to caramel, but using brown sugar instead of white, granulated sugar. Toffee, on the other hand, is cooked to a hard crack candy stage and is hard, not chewy like butterscotch and caramels.
Where Did Butterscotch Originate?
Butterscotch can be traced to Yorkshire, England, where it was first made by a candymaker, Samuel Parkinson, in about 1817.
Where Did Butterscotch Get Its Name?
There is no consensus, as some historians surmise that the Butterscotch moniker is linked to the country of Scotland. Others think that scotch is short for scorch, after the original scorched butter that was used to make butterscotch candy.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Butterscotch Peanut Butter Corn Flake Clusters from Crazy for Crust
- Big Dipper Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
- Butterscotch Blondies with White Chocolate Chips
- Classic Vanilla Spritz Cookies
- Ginger Snap Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- More Cookie Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
Butterscotch Cookies Recipe
These Butterscotch Cookies grace the goodie boxes I divvy out to my friends and neighbors for Christmas. Soft and caramelly, they're a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter (two sticks)
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- Sugar, to coat dough balls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º.
- Cream butter and sugars. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix till incorporated.
- Roll out rounded teaspoons of dough, then roll in sugar.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 9-10 minutes (if you make slightly larger cookies, it may take up to 15 minutes). I like these slightly undercooked.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 129mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
61 Comments on “Chewy Butterscotch Cookies”
the perfect round cookie! I am mesmerized how perfect they stack up!
Liz,
Your butterscotch cookie recipe has not gone cold. My fiancé a grandma had the “worlds best butterscotch cookie recipe” but it was lost along the way. He’s mentions them around Christmas time every year. So, I decided for his birthday (in June) I would test a batch and if they’re a hit – will become our tradition. After searching through many recipes your recipe seems to have the most raves. I am going to give yours a whirl. Hope they turn out as pretty am doing tast as yours. Thanks for sharing!
Kindly,
Ladybirdtab
I hope you enjoy them! I got the recipe from my father-in-law and they are simple and tasty! Thanks for stopping by!
These look amazing! How many cookies does a batch make?
Hi, Jenna,
It varies depending on the size, but on average, I’d say 3 dozen. Hope you enjoy!!!
Your bars are always perfectly cut and the cookies always hold their shape. You are a pro Liz!
Your cookies are gorgeous, they are so soft and inviting 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Lizzy,
Who could resist these delicious cookies. I could eat a plateful now.
Annamaria
These cookies look perfect, Liz! You seriously make the prettiest cookies and bars! The butterscotch flavor sounds amazing!
Hi Liz, great tip about the cream of tarter, these look delicious, we are big butterscotch fans here.
I make a similar caramel cookie, but they aren’t this gorgeous! Can’t wait to try them 🙂
I love butterscotch candies, but don’t know I haven’t gotten the chance to try cookies. Won’t you send me some?? Hahaha!
gorgeous! i love how neat your cookies are… these must be really good.. i never mind “repeat telecast”… 😉
i will be delighted if you can link this recipe to Best Recipes: My Homemade Cookies that I’m co-hosting for Jan-Feb 15 so many of our asian friends can benefit from this gorgeous recipe. https://bakingintotheether.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/cappuccino-cookie-cup-with-coffee-pudding/
i hope to see you soon 🙂
These cookies look so perfect and delicious! What a fun recipe to share with friends. Gorgeous, Terra
i havent had a butterscotch cookie in ages! I mean like a teenager. I love them and now you are making me crave them. yours look so delicious and perfectly baked
Oh, but I love cookies like this; the butterscotch flavor just gets me every time. I bet these would be perfect for a Christmas Cookie Exchange, also for an afternoon snack… also for a late night nibble… you see where I am going with this. I can not wait to make them. Happy New Year to you!
What a good sugar cookie. I’m with you in that I never liked the butterscotch chips, though I do like the cinnamon ones which are much harder to find. Somehow Liz, I can’t ever picture you taking a bad photo!
Any cookie recipe on your site, Liz, seems to be a winner. Case in point, your classic pb cookies (link included) inspired my almond butter cookie recipe. The rave reviews didn’t stop! (That was true also when I made another set of cookies from your site.)
At any rate, very much appreciate the love with which these cookies were made. Your father-in-law must have been quite a charmer to garner the recipe =)
Liz!!! these cookies are perfection!!! how do you get them so flat and perfectly round? It’s the butter and the oven temp right? but how do you get them so perfect? I seriously need to know! 🙂 Wow!!
Butterscotch, dulce de leche, caramel. I prefer all the ‘burnt sugar’ treats even more than chocolate. GREG
I’m on a butterscotch kick, Liz! And these look picture perfect, sweet and chewy! Oh how I wish you owned a bakery down the street from me! : )
This is neat work my friend. I have no idea how you manage to stay skinny with all these beautiful desserts that you are making. Every time I visit your blog I feel I’m gaining some pounds just by looking!! 🙂 . Do not worry, no dark photos showed up for me in your related posts.