Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies are crispy, chewy brown butter cookies packed with butterscotch and chocolate chips and topped with flaky sea salt. These bakery-worthy treats are surprisingly simple to make and are perfect for gifting during the holiday season.
We love to make a batch of these warm cookies and enjoy them with our oat milk hot cocoa. Whether enjoyed as a snack or a special dessert, these butterscotch chip cookies are sure to satisfy your sweet craving.
Looking for other cookie recipes for this holiday season? Try our Salted Caramel Chip Cookies, Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Salted Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
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Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Texture - The cookies are crispy and lightly crispy on the outside with gooey butterscotch and chocolate chips on the inside.
- Flavor - The brown butter, brown sugar, and butterscotch create a rich and deep flavor medley.
- Time - It takes just 10 minutes of prep, 1 hour to chill, and about 12 minutes to bake.
- Effort - Just brown the butter, mix the ingredients, scoop the cookie dough, then bake!
Key Ingredients
- Butterscotch Chips - Butterscotch chips provide extra caramelized sweetness. We recommend high-quality butterscotch chips for best results.
- Flour - All-purpose flour provides the structure for the cookies.
- Brown butter - We brown the butter to give the cookies a uniquely nutty aroma.
- Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds complexity and depth to the cookie dough. For a stronger vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste.
- Sugar - We use both brown and granulated sugar. Brown sugar contributes moistness while granulated sugar provides sweetness and allows the cookies spread while they bake.
- Baking soda and powder - Baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents that allow the cookies to rise properly and create a tender texture.
- Egg - Egg binds the cookie ingredients together.
- Chocolate chips - We recommend semi-sweet chocolate chips because they are perfectly sweet and rich.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Milk or White Chocolate chips - Use white or milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet to make the cookies extra sweet.
- Caramel chips - Swap the butterscotch chips for caramel chips for a deeper brown sugar flavor.
- Gluten-free - Use 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour to make these cookies gluten-free. While we haven't tested it with this recipe, we recommend trying it with this gluten-free flour.
Variations
- Nuts - Add walnuts, pecans, or you favorite nuts for hearty crunch.
- Milk - Enjoy the cookies beside or dipped in your favorite milk.
- Butterscotch extract - Add butterscotch extract for extra butterscotch flavor or use it instead of butterscotch chips for a a lighter butterscotch flavor.
- Toffee bits - Add toffee bits in addition to the chocolate and butterscotch chips for a deeper caramel flavor and more texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prepare oven and baking sheet - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make brown butter - Heat a skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Then add sliced butter to the pan and whisk as the butter cooks. The butter will foam then start to brown and form small brown flecks. It will be golden and have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a measuring cup to confirm the liquid measures a half cup. (Photo 1, 2, and 3)
- Whisk butter and sugar - In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. (Photo 4)
- Whisk butter and sugar - Whisk browned butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Then reduce speed to low and add the vanilla and egg until combined. (Photo 5 and 6)
- Mix dry ingredients - Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until just mixed. Then, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure all the ingredients are combined. Do not over-mix or the dough will become dense. (Photo 7 and 8)
- Mix in chips - Then fold in chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. (Photo 9)
- Scoop - Then, Use a cookie scoop, spoon, or measuring cup to scant scoop and form ¼ cup dough balls. Alternatively, make smaller cookies by forming 2 tablespoon (1¼ inch) dough balls. Place them on the baking sheet with at least 2 inches of space around each one to make room for spreading. (Photo 10)
- Chill - Cover the baking sheets loosely with wrap (e.g. a clean dish cloth, plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, foil, etc.) and refrigerate for at least one hour or as long as 2 days. This will allow the butterscotch flavor to develop.
- Bake - Then, bake the cookies on the middle rack one tray at a time for 10-12 minutes. The edges will be deep golden brown and the tops a light golden brown as a result. For a crispier cookie, bake for 1-2 minutes longer. (Photo 11)
- Remove and cool - Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool until they are set. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough. Top with flaky sea salt, if desired. (Photo 12)
Pro tip - Use high-quality butterscotch chips and chocolate chips for the best texture and flavor.
Storage
Store Butterscotch Chocolate Chip cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. You can also freeze these cookies for up to 1 month in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to enjoy them, thaw them in the refrigerator or on the counter. To warm, heat the oven to 300°F and warm on a baking sheet for a couple minutes or warm briefly in the microwave.
Baking Tips
- Use a baking sheet for even baking and line it with parchment paper to minimize sticking and cleanup time.
- Once the butter is browned, remove it from the heat right away to prevent burning. The butter can burn very quickly!
- Don't over-mix ingredients to ensure the cookies spread evenly and have a light texture. Over mixing can make the cookie dough tough.
- For a soft center, bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. For a crispier cookie, bake for an extra 1 to 2 minutes.
Butterscotch Cookie FAQs
Brown butter adds a uniquely nutty and toasty flavor to the cookies.
Butterscotch chips have a deeper brown sugar flavor and result in a richer and more complex cookie flavor.
Cookies can become dry if they are over-baked. They can also become dry if there is not enough moisture in the dough. Always double-check that you used the correct amount of eggs, butter, and brown sugar.
Your cookies will be too flat and spread if they have an incorrect flour, sugar, and butter ratio.
There are several factors that determine whether cookies will be chewy or crispy. The main factors are the baking time and temperature. If you want chewy chocolate chip cookies, bake them at a lower temperature for a shorter amount of time. The cookies will also be chewier if you use brown sugar instead of white.
Did You Like This Recipe?
Love this easy butterscotch chip cookies recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below. If you are looking for a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, check out our Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.
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📖 Recipe
Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoon butter room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cups chocolate chips
- ¾ cups butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Prepare oven and baking sheet - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make brown butter - Heat a skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Add the sliced butter to the pan and whisk as the butter cooks. The butter will foam then start to brown and form small brown flecks. The butter will be golden brown and have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into a measuring cup to confirm the liquid measures a half cup. It’s okay if it’s slightly over.10 tablespoon butter
- Whisk butter and sugar - In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla and egg until combined.¼ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Mix dry ingredients - Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until just mixed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure all the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix or the dough will become dense. Fold in chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ cups chocolate chips, ¾ cups butterscotch chips
- Scoop - Use a cookie scoop, spoon, or measuring cup to scant scoop and form ¼ cup dough balls. Alternatively, you can make smaller cookies by forming 2 tablespoon (1¼ inch) dough balls. Place them on the baking sheet with at least 2 inches of space around each one to make room for spreading.
- Chill - Cover the baking sheets loosely with wrap (e.g. a clean dish cloth, plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, foil, etc.) and refrigerate for at least one hour or as long as 2 days. This will allow the butterscotch flavor to develop.
- Bake - Bake the cookies on the middle rack one tray at a time for 10-12 minutes. The edges will be deep golden brown and the tops a light golden brown. For a crispier cookie, bake for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Remove and cool - Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool until they are set. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough. Top with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Notes
- Store these cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. You can also freeze these cookies for up to 1 month in a freezer safe bag. To warm, heat the oven to 300°F and warm on a baking sheet for a couple minutes or warm briefly in the microwave.
- Use high quality butter with a higher fat content.
- Use a baking sheet for even baking and line it with parchment paper to minimize sticking and cleanup time.
- Once the butter is browned, remove it from the heat immediately to prevent it from burning. The butter can burn very quickly!
- Use high-quality butterscotch chips. They have the best texture and flavor.
- Don't over-mix ingredients to ensure the cookies spread evenly and have a light texture. Over mixing can make the cookie dough tough.
Jackie
Hi
How much Toffee Chips can I add to this recipe.
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Jackie, you can add about a half cup of toffee bits to your cookie dough. If you love toffee, be sure to check out our Miso Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies!