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Butterscotch chocolate chip cookies mix a buttery caramel taste with melty chocolate and a finishing splash of sea salt to balance things out. You'll have the dough ready fast, and while they bake the whole place smells like caramel treats. If you’re into desserts that are chewy in the middle, crunchy on the outside, and both sweet and salty, these are what you should grab for your next snack or dessert time.
I made these first for a movie night at home and now my crew keeps asking for more. The mix of butterscotch and chocolate with that sprinkle of salt is just crazy good and super popular anytime I share.
Irresistible Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: makes the cookie base scoop it in gently and level it off never pack it down
- Unsalted butter: gives creaminess and chew just grab some cold or room temp whatever's handy
- Baking soda: lets the cookies spread out and get golden double check yours isn’t clumpy
- Salt: adds flavor to the dough plus extra flakes on top for contrast
- Vanilla extract: really rounds out all the flavors real vanilla makes a difference
- Brown sugar: brings that deep caramel taste go darker for more molasses flavor
- Semisweet chocolate chips: give you gooey spots that aren’t too sweet go for dark shiny chips
- One large egg: holds everything together works best when it's not straight from the fridge
- Sea salt for finishing: toss this on while cookies are warm for the best melt and flavor
- Butterscotch chips: star of the show—they melt into pockets of caramel go with a brand that melts smoothly
- Optional walnuts: want crunch or nutty vibes? Fresh big pieces work well
- Granulated sugar: keeps things light and sweet just use fresh sugar
Simple Step-by-Step
- Cool and Top with Salt:
- Give the cookies five minutes on the baking sheets so they finish up in the middle. Shift to a wire rack when they're mostly set and toss sea salt on while still warm. Let them cool all the way if you can wait.
- Bake:
- Pop one pan at a time into a 350 degree oven. Bigger cookies will need about twelve minutes to get golden on the bottom and set on the edges. Medium cookies finish up in closer to nine minutes. Don't let them go too long or they’ll dry out.
- Scoop Dough:
- Plop dough onto your parchment-lined trays using a scoop or a big spoon. Leave lots of space in between since they’ll spread. You can stick a few extra chips on top to make them look fancy.
- Add Chips and Walnuts:
- Fold in both the butterscotch and chocolate chips plus any nuts if you want them. Just stir 'til everything’s spread out—don’t overdo it or they’ll turn dense.
- Stir in Dry Ingredients:
- Sprinkle over the flour, baking soda, and salt and gently mix with a spatula or the mixer on low. Stop once you can’t see any dry flour so the cookies stay soft, not tough.
- Mix in Egg and Vanilla:
- Crack in the egg and drizzle in the vanilla extract. Mix on low until everything just comes together and looks smooth—don’t beat it too long.
- Cream Butter and Sugars:
- Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium until light and fluffy. This usually takes about three minutes. Try not to have any plain butter lumps left by the end.
- Prep Baking Sheets:
- Get two pans and cover them with parchment so nothing sticks while baking. Makes clean-up a breeze, too.
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My top pick for add-in is always the butterscotch chips. They melt into pools of caramel goodness in every bite. I made a batch for a family get-together once and folks were shocked I didn’t buy them at a bakery—everyone came back for more.
Easy Storage Ideas
Pop extra cookies in any container with a tight-fitting lid and keep them on the counter. They’ll be nice and soft for about four days. Slip a slice of bread in with them so they don’t dry out. For freezing, just scoop the dough, freeze solid on a tray, then toss in a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer, just tack on a couple extra minutes in the oven.
Handy Swaps
Not a huge fan of butterscotch? Use a little less or try white chocolate instead. Pecans swap in great for walnuts. Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour to make these work for everyone, or grab plant-based butter and your favorite egg substitute to go dairy-free.
Fun Ways to Serve
These cookies rock with a cold glass of milk—dairy or almond! Try 'em as the cookies in an ice cream sandwich for summer cravings. I also like to break leftovers over yogurt parfaits or dish them up sundae-style.
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Backstory
Butterscotch chips got big in mid-century American kitchens, when the first sweet baking chips showed up on store shelves. Chocolate chip cookies have been around ever since Ruth Wakefield baked them up at the Toll House Inn. The mashup of both flavors, then finishing with sea salt, is a newer trend that’s really caught on thanks to home bakers and shops everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use only chocolate chips or butterscotch chips?
Of course! You can toss in just chocolate, just butterscotch, or both. Go with whatever you feel like.
- → Why add sea salt on top?
The salty touch brings out the sweetness and balances the flavors for a more interesting bite.
- → Should butter be cold or room temperature?
You can grab butter straight from the counter or fridge—room temp just makes it blend with sugar a little easier.
- → How do I avoid overmixing the dough?
Once your flour and the chips are in, stir gently. Don’t keep going, or you’ll end up with tough cookies.
- → Can I add nuts or other mix-ins?
Definitely! Walnuts or pecans give the cookies extra crunch if you want to change up the texture.
- → How do I achieve chewy centers?
Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges look set but the middles are still soft, then cool them on the baking sheet for best results.