Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies are bakery-style brown-butter cookies with a crisp edge and a chewy center, studded with butterscotch and chocolate chips and finished with flaky sea salt. They’re easy to make, full of rich flavor, and a lovely treat to gift or serve during the holidays.
These cookies pair wonderfully with a warm drink — try them with oat milk hot cocoa for a cozy combination. Whether served as a snack or dessert, the brown butter and mix of chips deliver a deeply caramelized, comforting flavor.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Texture – Crisp edges with a soft, slightly gooey center thanks to the melted chips.
- Flavor – Brown butter, brown sugar, and butterscotch chips create a layered, caramel-forward profile.
- Time – Quick active prep (about 10–15 minutes), plus 1 hour chill and 10–12 minutes baking per sheet.
- Effort – Simple steps: brown the butter, mix, scoop, chill, and bake.
Key Ingredients
- Butterscotch chips – Provide deep caramel sweetness.
- All-purpose flour – Gives structure to the cookies.
- Brown butter – Browning the butter adds a nutty, toasty aroma and richer flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances and rounds the flavors.
- Sugars – A mix of brown and granulated sugar keeps the cookies moist while allowing proper spread.
- Baking soda and baking powder – Balanced leavening for lift and tenderness.
- Egg – Binds the dough and contributes to texture.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet chips balance the sweetness of the butterscotch.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and baking details.
Substitutions
- White or milk chocolate chips – Use these in place of semi-sweet for a sweeter cookie.
- Caramel chips – Swap for butterscotch chips for a richer brown-sugar note.
- Gluten-free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if needed; results may vary slightly.
Variations
- Nuts – Fold in toasted walnuts or pecans for added crunch and flavor.
- Butterscotch extract – A small amount can boost butterscotch flavor without extra chips.
- Toffee bits – Add toffee for extra caramel crunch and texture.
- Serve – These cookies are excellent with milk, coffee, or hot cocoa.
How to Make Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prepare oven and pan – Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown the butter – Melt sliced butter in a skillet over medium heat, whisking as it foams and develops brown flecks and a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and measure to ensure you have about 1/2 cup of liquid browned butter.
- Mix sugars and butter – In a mixing bowl, whisk the browned butter with granulated and brown sugar until light and slightly fluffy. Add vanilla and the room-temperature egg and combine.
- Add dry ingredients – Fold in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt just until combined. Scrape the bowl and avoid over-mixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in chips – Gently fold in the chocolate and butterscotch chips.
- Scoop – Form dough balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. For large bakery-style cookies use about 1/4 cup of dough; for smaller cookies use about 2 tablespoons. Space dough on the pan with at least 2 inches between each.
- Chill – Cover loosely and refrigerate the dough on the baking sheet for at least 1 hour (up to 2 days) to develop flavor and help control spread.
- Bake – Bake on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes, until edges are deep golden and tops are light golden. For crisper cookies, add 1–2 extra minutes.
- Cool and finish – Let cookies cool on the pan until set, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
Pro tip: Use high-quality butterscotch and chocolate chips for the best texture and taste.
Storage
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature; to refresh, warm in a 300°F oven for a few minutes or microwave briefly.
Baking Tips
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for even baking and easy cleanup.
- Remove the browned butter from heat immediately to avoid burning — it can go from browned to burned quickly.
- Do not over-mix the dough; overworking flour develops gluten and can make cookies tough.
- Adjust baking time to control chewiness: shorter time for softer centers, longer for crispier cookies.
Butterscotch Cookie FAQs
Browned butter adds a nutty, toasty depth that enhances the caramel notes from the butterscotch chips.
Butterscotch chips tend to have a more pronounced brown-sugar and vanilla profile, which produces a deeper, slightly more complex sweetness than many caramel chips.
Over-baking is the most common cause. Also check that ingredient amounts (butter, egg, and brown sugar) are correct, since those add moisture.
Excessive spreading usually comes from an imbalance of flour, sugar, and butter or from dough that’s too warm. Chilling helps control spread.
Baking time and sugar choice affect texture. Shorter baking at a slightly lower temperature and using more brown sugar favors chewiness; longer baking and more granulated sugar yield crisper cookies.
📖 Recipe
Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter (to brown)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet recommended)
- 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown the butter: melt sliced butter in a skillet over medium heat, whisking as it foams and browns. When it has brown flecks and a nutty aroma, remove from heat and measure about 1/2 cup of the liquid browned butter.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the browned butter with granulated and brown sugar until lighter in texture. Reduce speed, then add vanilla and the egg and mix until combined.
- Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until just combined. Scrape the bowl and avoid over-mixing.
- Fold in the chocolate and butterscotch chips.
- Scoop dough into balls (about 1/4 cup for large cookies or 2 tablespoons for smaller ones). Place on the prepared sheet with 2 inches between each.
- Chill the scooped dough on the pan, covered loosely, for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
- Bake on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes until edges are deep golden and tops are light golden. For crisper cookies, bake 1–2 minutes longer.
- Cool on the pan until set, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
Notes
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. Rewarm in a 300°F oven for a few minutes or microwave briefly.
Baking tips: Use parchment-lined baking sheets, remove browned butter from heat immediately, and avoid over-mixing. High-quality chips and butter improve texture and flavor.
Nutrition (per cookie)
Calories: 283 | Carbohydrates: 56 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 5 g