Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies are an old-fashioned oatmeal cookie recipe that never lasts long in my house. This is a simple and tasty butterscotch cookie everyone adores!
Toss in a handful or two of chocolate chips for a treat that will thrill both the chocolate and butterscotch lovers in your house.
Butterscotch Cookies
Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies that stay soft and chewy for days are an instant favorite with everyone who tastes them. Soft, chewy oatmeal cookies and butterscotch chips are a perfect match. After several requests for this recipe, I am finally posting it.
If you are a family member and you’ve been waiting ever since our summer camping trip, well, what can I say? Sometimes, I get distracted by chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate!
It’s high time I show some love to my butterscotch desserts and share them with you. (The Ultimate Butterscotch Bars are proof of how awesome butterscotch can be!)
Oatmel Butterscotch Cookie Recipe
Chewy oatmeal and butterscotch chips are always a delicious combination in a cookie. (I have since discovered that these cookies are also called Oatmeal Scotchies. Cute name, right?) I have made these cookies numerous times in the past and they are always a hit.
I love oatmeal cookies but I do NOT love a dry tough oatmeal cookie. Some oatmeal cookie recipes taste great fresh from the oven but get hard and crunchy the next day.
There’s nothing wrong with a crunchy cookie. (Crunchy Brownie Crisps prove that by being an all-time favorite around here.) But I like my oatmeal butterscotch cookies nice and soft.
With this recipe, the cookies always stay perfectly chewy, sweet, and delicious even days later. Not that they usually even last that long!
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies
Want a cookie with a little more fiber? Usually, I make my butterscotch cookies with standard all-purpose flour. However, I often make these cookies with 100% fresh whole wheat and there’s not even a slight difference in the taste or texture.
I’ve noticed that whole wheat combined with oatmeal is a great combination when converting my recipes over to 100% whole wheat instead of AP (all-purpose) flour.
The taste of the oatmeal pairs so well with the slightly stronger whole wheat flavor. Both all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour work well in this recipe.
If you’re looking for a great gluten-free oatmeal cookie, try these Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies, swap the chocolate for butterscotch chips and you just might have a new favorite.
These Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfect for the chocolate lover and I’m betting that you won’t be able to eat just one or two.
Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies are a dream dessert for anyone who loves coconut. We also can’t get enough of these Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, especially at Christmas time. That combo of sweet chocolate and tart cranberries is to die for.
You’re also sure to like Orange Spice Oatmeal Cookies and my go-to classic Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Enjoyed with a cup of coffee or an ice cold glass of milk, oatmeal cookies make everything better.
Chewy, thick, Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are a treat that we’ve enjoyed for a lot of years now.
For more great oatmeal desserts, check out these Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Carmelitas, No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Bites, and Cranberry Oatmeal Yogurt Bars.
Can you tell we REALLY like baking with oatmeal around here? From breakfast to dessert, it’s a favorite ingredient for sure.
How to Make Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies get their butterscotch flavor from a generous helping of butterscotch chips. This is a classic cookie recipe that starts (like many of the best things in life) by beating together butter and sugar.
After adding eggs and vanilla, you add your dry ingredients in batches. Then, add the butterscotch chips, drop onto cookie sheets, bake and enjoy!
How To Freeze Cookie Dough
These finished cookies freeze beautifully. Let the cookies cool completely before placing them in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer.
You can also make the oatmeal cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it for later. When I bake these cookies straight from the freezer I allow an extra minute or so of baking time.
Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies are soft, chewy, and delicious treats with butterscotch chips in every bite. I hope you like this family favorite as much as we all do!
As a final word of caution – take cake not to overbake these cookies. An overdone cookie gets hard and tough and these are supposed to be chewy oatmeal cookies!
The cookies may still look underdone when you take them out but remember they will continue cooking on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes.
Kitchen Tip: I use this baking sheet, this scoop, and these cooling racks to make this recipe.
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour *
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 2/3 cups (approximately 11 oz) butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and almost fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients except the butterscotch chips. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, half at a time. Stir until fully combined. Add the butterscotch chips and stir well.
- Use a medium size cookie scoop (about a tablespoon in size) to drop the dough onto a large baking sheet lined with a silpat mat. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven before the cookies are browned and when they still look soft in the center. Let them cool on the same tray for 5-10 minutes; this will allow them to finish baking without overcooking.
- When the cookies are firm enough to handle, transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 9/14/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/6/21}
Melissa Jones says
I made these this morning…they are scrumptious!! My husband can’t get enough of them! I topped one batch with a dash of cinnamon….even better! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Meghan says
It would’ve been very nice if the maker had let us know just how many cookies this recipe makes. So often that’s left out of the idirections..
Mark Henry says
Waao…. Mouthwatering.. Wanna eat … keep posting…
Lulu says
I’ve enjoyed these as a child. For yeara I’ve been looking for the recipe. All others have failed me. FINALLY, this is it! Thank you so much.
Darlene Vance says
This recipe was absolutely perfect! We ate the first batch, within minutes. These cookies are absolutely delicious!
Carole says
Can these be frozen? The cookies, not the dough.
Felyfelu says
I made a cookie dough for butterscotch cookies .the cookies are hard
Ashley says
delicious, and so perfectly chewy!!!
Irving Middlemist says
Absolutely an amazing recipe! I have made these in the past and all my family love them. However, always a however, I also added 1cup of coconut.
Adding with the butterscotch at the end.
Even more delicious 👍
Sheila Snyder says
These sound absolutely delicious! I want to make them right now, however, I’m a little short of butter. Could I use 1/2 C butter & 1/4 C Crisco?
Mary says
I think that would probably work fine, however I haven’t tested it that way myself.
Nancy says
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Sarah Hitchcock says
Simple and Delicious!!
Laurie says
This recipe sounds good but it does not mention how many cookies it makes.?
Does anyone who has made these and have followed the recipe know the question I have. on here referring to the oatmeal butterscotch cocoanut cookie recipe? I would like to make them soon.🙂
Ann Padovani says
These were easy for my Grandaughter age 9 and they were awesome!!
Kimberly G says
I made these cookies tonight and they’re delicious. My batch made about 4 dozen cookies. Oatmeal can be too plain, but with the butterscotch, it really kicks the cookies up a notch.
Clorgie says
Interesting. That’s twice as many as the recipe now says it yields, which would explain why even the 9-minute cooking time wasn’t nearly enough. I ended up at 13 minutes or so
Sophie says
Love love love
Mary says
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Sophie!
JIll says
How many servings does this recipe make?
Mary Younkin says
This recipe makes 24 cookies, Jill.
Norma muck says
These are so tasty. They may replace the chocolate chip cookies I often bake..
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the cookies, Norma!
Gymnasium K says
Can you replace the butterscotch chips with dried cranberries (Craisins)?
Mary Younkin says
Sure, the recipe is very adaptable.
Laurie says
I made these cookies exactly as printed and they were totally flat, but tasty. I remade them using 1/4 cup more flour and half butterscotch chips, half milk chocolate chips and they were awesome. If you want soft and chewy, add 1/4 cup of flour!
Mary Younkin says
I can’t even guess what might have gone wrong, Laurie. I’ve made them many times and they always turn out nice and chewy.