Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I can’t decide if I love my Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies because of the nutty aroma from the brown butter, or because of the irresistible fusion of flavors in the cookie dough. It’s packed with toasty, brown butter that is perfectly balanced with yummy molasses flavor of butterscotch and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Either way, these cookies appeal to all of our senses. These Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect combination of sweet, salty and nutty. They are slightly crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and the golden, butterscotch morsels tumbled with the semi-sweet chocolate chips create a delicious cookie that looks as good as it tastes.
And I can’t stress enough how much the brown butter is really key in this recipe. Taking a few extra minutes to slowly brown the unsalted butter adds a depth of flavor with a warm, nuttiness that you would not experience otherwise.
Just like the brown butter packs in flavor in these salted caramel chocolate chip cookies and banana chocolate chip bars, these butterscotch cookies are really taken to the next level with this simple step and I know you’ll fall in love with this chewy cookie.
- No stand mixer required, so fewer things to clean up!
- No chill time. Always the best!
- Butterscotch chips make for a very festive looking and flavorful cookie.
- You can make and bake these in 30 minutes.
- They are freezer friendly.
- And because…do we really need any more reasons to love cookies?!
Ingredient Notes
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter when browning butter. When browning salted butter the salt gets concentrated in the milk solids and can ruin the flavor.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar has more molasses, adding a deeper richer flavor.
- Granulated sugar: White, granulated sugar aerates the dough when creamed with butter for thick and puffy cookies.
- All-purpose flour: Using All-purpose flour adds to the soft, slightly chewy inside, and crispy outside of the cookie.
- Cake flour: Cake flour adds a slight cake-like texture to the cookie.
- Rolled oats: Old Fashioned Oats add more texture to the cookies. Be sure not to use the quick oats.
- Cornstarch: This helps give the cookies that delectably soft center that’s just to die for. It also helps to keep the cookies thick!
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps leaven the dough, creating a soft, fluffy cookie.
- Baking powder: Baking powder helps make the cookies fluffy.
- Salt: Salt is an essential ingredient in cookies, and enhances the final flavors.
- Eggs: Add the right amount of chewiness to the cookies. You’ll need room temperature eggs for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Butterscotch chips: Butterscotch chips are the perfect addition for a sweet and salty cookie.
- Mini chocolate chips: These semi-sweet chocolate chips are the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the butterscotch chips.
- Garnish with flaky sea salt and more butterscotch and mini chips. The sea salt flakes help balance out the sweetness of the butterscotch.
Step by Step Directions
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
- Brown the butter. Full details on how to brown butter can be found below and in the recipe card.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cooled brown butter. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the flour mixture.
- Add in the butterscotch chips and mini chocolate chips and combine.
- Scoop cookies onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.
- Garnish with flaky sea salt and more chocolate chips on top and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Make sure you use old fashioned oats, and not quick oats as they will change the texture of the cookies.
- Substitute a variety of chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chips: peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or even candy like chopped Reese’s, M&Ms, etc.
- Tips for brown butter: Use a wide, heavy bottom, light colored pan over medium-low heat. Cut the butter into pieces so it cooks evenly. Stir constantly, and never walk away. Cook until the butter resembles a light brown, hazelnut color. Be sure to watch the video below for guidance!
- Bake cookies just until edges are golden brown. To keep these cookies soft and delicious, you’ll want to be sure not to over bake them. I always say slightly under-baked is best. (Baking time can also vary depending on size of cookies).
- You can make homemade cake flour if you can’t find it in stores. Homemade cake flour: 14 Tbsp. All-purpose flour and 2 Tbsp. corn starch. Mix these together and sift them twice to get them fully mixed and aerated. This will make ~1 cup flour.
How To Make Brown Butter
It may sound intimidating, but it’s really easy, only takes a few minutes and is the backbone of these cookies. The nutty flavor compliments the butterscotch beautifully and I love it’s culinary use in baking so much! Let’s do it:
- I like to use a stainless steel skillet. This is best to easily monitor the butter’s color and gauge when the butter has browned.
- Place the unsalted butter in the cold, stainless steel skillet. Unsalted is truly best because salted butter foams more.
- Melt the butter over medium heat, or medium-low if you have a strong stove top. Swirl the pan occasionally to help the butter melt evenly. As the butter melts, it separates into butter fat and milk solids. The milk solids will naturally sink to the bottom of the pan and begin to brown as they heat up.
- You’ll notice the butter begin to foam. This is good! The foam will begin to subside.
- Use a heat resistant spatula to continually gently stir the butter. You’ll begin to see tiny specks at the bottom of the pan, constantly stir and scrape so these don’t stick. (These are the milk solids that give brown butter its yummy flavor.)
- As soon as the butter turns chestnut brown and omits a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and scrape the brown butter and all of the yummy brown bits into a heat proof bowl. It’s important to remove to a bowl immediately so the residual heat from the pan doesn’t burn the butter.
- Depending on your heat setting, this process should only take less than 10 minutes.
FAQ
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I suggest shaping the cookie dough into balls as you would when preparing to bake them. Place them on a silicone or parchment-lined sheet to freeze then store in freezer safe baggies until ready to bake. Let them come to room temperature prior to baking as directed.
How long do they last?
If you store them in an air-tight container they will last at room temperature for 3-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I make these without doing the brown butter?
I haven’t tested this recipe that way so I cannot advise. If you do try it out, leave a comment below and let us know how it tastes!
shop this post
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (yes, a tablespoon!)
- 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- garnish: flaky sea salt
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter. Set aside & cool for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the cookies.8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl: flour, cake flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.1 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup cake flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt
- Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and slightly cooled brown butter in another medium sized mixing bowl. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract until combined.1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (yes, a tablespoon!)
- Fold in the flour mixture.
- Add in the butterscotch chips and mini chocolate chips and combine.3/4 cup butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. (You should have ~10-12 cookies). The dough may be a little sticky at first but not too difficult to work with.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the centers look done but still gooey. Remove from the oven.
- Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt and garnish with more butterscotch chips or chocolate chips if desired. ENJOY!garnish: flaky sea salt
Video
Notes
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
- Store at room temperature for 3-5 days in an air-tight container.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
I love butterscotch, and these are perfect! The brown butter adds so much! Definitely keeping these in the rotation!
I’m so happy to hear this, Shannon! Thanks so much for making them and taking the time to leave a review. It means so much to me! 🫶🏻
I made these for an event for my kiddos school and they were a huge hit! These were the first cookies scarfed up! They were bigger than I expected, so I had to re-read that I should have 10-12 cookies. I’ll be making them again!
The batter on these was AMAZING!! However I didn’t loveeee the cookies once baked. They were a little too cakey for me. I think I would like more if there was more oatmeal.
hey Ashley! these are more of a cakey cookie, so sorry you didn’t love them but thank you for visiting my site an trying them out!
Amazing cookie recipe.
So different. I loved the flavors and easy to make. Very accurate instructions. Will try other recipes for sure.
Thank you !!!
I am so glad! Thank you so much 🙂
Hello, Please how many teaspoons of butter are in grams? Waiting for a response, thank you very much
Hi! Use the metric/us customary conversion toggle in the recipe card.
Thanks Tawnie these came out beautifully and the family loved them.
Yummmm! Im so glad:)
I made these with caramel chips and dark chocolate. They are delightful! Love the cakey texture with the bite from the oats. Super tasty, thank you!
that sounds yummy! i am glad you liked them 🙂 thank you!
This is the Best Recipe! I won a Blue Ribbon in my county fair for the best drop cookie with nuts last month. I added pecans and they were DELISH!
Thank you for all of your time, effort, and recipes helping us all to Bake Our Best!
I need to try with pecans, sounds amazing. Thank you!! 🙂
Cake like texture and overwhelmingly butterscotch. ? The brown butter concoction raw was preferred over the cooked cookie itself. Wouldn’t personally make again but it was fun to try a new recipe. Thank you.
Hi Terrie! Because my cookies usually call for cake flour, that’s why the texture is more cake like. You can use all purpose flour in its place if you prefer to get less of that texture. Sorry you didn’t care for the recipe but thank you for visiting my site and trying them out!
Tawnie, these are absolutely mind blowing!! These will be our new favorite cookie!!! Thank you!!!
omg I am so glad!! Thank you Nancy 🙂