These soft, chewy Butterscotch Cookies have a deep caramel-toffee flavor and are loaded with butterscotch chips for extra sweetness and texture.
author’s note
Trust Me — You’ll Want to Double This Batch
I love the warm, buttery taste of butterscotch, but it took me many tries to create a cookie that wasn’t dry, overly sweet, or lacking in real butterscotch depth. I tested many variations — adjusting sugars, molasses, acidity, and the butter-to-sugar ratio — until the combination of butter, dark brown sugar, and molasses delivered the rich flavor and tender-chewy texture I wanted.
When my kids tried the final version, they asked for more right away. These Butterscotch Cookies are now a family favorite. If you enjoy deep caramel notes, this recipe is for you.
Quick Tip
Brown sugar gets its color from added molasses. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar. This recipe uses both light and dark brown sugar plus extra molasses for a rich flavor and very soft, chewy cookies.
Let’s Talk Molasses
Molasses adds a soft caramel or toffee taste and helps keep the cookies soft and chewy. Choose a dark, full-flavored molasses—sometimes labeled robust or full-flavored—for best results. Avoid blackstrap molasses; it’s quite bitter and not ideal for baking.
Using dark molasses concentrates that rich, toffee-like note that defines these cookies.
Quick Tip
If you have leftover molasses, use it in gingersnaps or oatmeal scotchies for extra depth.
Dark and Light Brown Sugar
Both dark and light brown sugars are used here because each contributes different qualities. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, giving a deeper color and stronger flavor; light brown sugar brings a bit less moisture. Together they balance flavor and texture. If you prefer, you can use all light brown sugar, but the flavor will be milder.
Butterscotch Cookies Tips
- Don’t use hot butter. Hot butter will melt the sugars and cause oily cookies. Melt the butter for texture, then let it cool slightly before mixing with sugars.
- Measure molasses carefully. Overfilling the measuring spoon can overwhelm the flavor and make the dough too wet. Measure to the top of the spoon, not heaping.
- Thoroughly mix butter and brown sugar. Stir until fully incorporated. If they appear separated, keep mixing—the dough must be well combined or the cookies risk becoming greasy.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze up to 2 months.
- Freeze dough balls: Freeze shaped dough balls for up to 3 months and bake from frozen—add a few minutes to the bake time.
More Cookie Recipes:
Desserts
Funfetti Cookie Recipe
Desserts
Maple Cookies Recipe
Desserts
Salted Caramel Cookies
Desserts
Magic Cookie Bars
Butterscotch Cookies
Equipment
- Large microwave-safe bowl
- Sheet pan (15″ x 10″) lined
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons molasses (use dark/full-flavored molasses)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup butterscotch baking chips
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, then let it cool about 5 minutes. Hot butter will melt the sugars and make greasy cookies. Once slightly cooled, add the light and dark brown sugars and whisk until fully combined, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses; mix until combined.
- Stir in baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour and mix until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in the butterscotch chips. Cover the dough tightly and chill for 1 hour.
- Divide the chilled dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon portions and shape tall dough balls (height greater than width). Cover and refrigerate the balls for 5–10 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicone mat. Place 6 dough balls on the pan spaced well apart and bake 9–14 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid overbaking; removing them around 10 minutes leaves a slightly underbaked center, which yields the best texture. Let cookies sit on the sheet for 4–5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use dark (full-flavored) molasses for the best caramel-toffee flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses.
Note 2: Measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife to avoid packing too much flour, which can make the cookies dry.
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. To freeze dough, place shaped dough balls on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
Calories: 129 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 20 g |
Protein: 1 g |
Fat: 5 g |
Sugar: 17 g
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.