These chewy Oatmeal Scotchies have a butter and brown sugar base and are packed full of butterscotch pieces! Soft, buttery, and chewy, these are classic cookies that are so simple to make! Includes a how-to video below the recipe!
Oatmeal Scotchies
Today’s cookies are similar to oatmeal cookies, but slightly richer, slightly sweeter, and with a butterscotch base flavor. However, I didn’t just take my oatmeal cookie recipe (beloved as it is), toss some butterscotch chips into the cookie dough, and call it a day.
That would have been easy, sure, but today’s recipe required a bit more work than that. Oatmeal scotchies revolve around butterscotch flavor. Sure, the butterscotch chips that we’re adding are the most obvious way to drive that flavor profile home, but there’s more to be done with the cookie dough overall.
Butterscotch, as you may already know, is made by melting together sugar and butter. It’s similar to caramel in this way, but made exclusively with brown sugar instead of granulated (so technically my caramel popcorn might be more appropriately called butterscotch popcorn, but I digress). Knowing that this melted butter and brown sugar combo is key to butterscotch flavor, you might be able to guess how today’s recipe starts off…
Classic Cookie Ingredients 👆🏻
While we’re doing some things differently with these oatmeal scotchies than we’d be doing with a traditional oatmeal cookie recipe, the ingredients largely remain the same (with the exception of the chips, of course). Here’s how we’re using them to make a soft, chewy cookie with a strong butterscotch flavor…
Start with melted butter
I love using melted butter in my cookies because it 1) makes for an easy dough — everything can be stirred together by hand and, 2) enriches every molecule of your cookie dough with buttery flavor and makes for a chewier, more flavorful/buttery cookie. In this oatmeal scotchie recipe it serves yet another purpose. We’ll be combining the melted butter with sugar to give these cookies a butterscotch-flavored base.
A “true” butterscotch would require melting the sugar along with the butter, but keep in mind that you don’t want to melt your sugar here (more on that in the tips section below).
All brown sugar
Since butterscotch is made with brown sugar instead of granulated, that’s what we’re using. I like to use a blend of both light and dark brown sugar, but if you only have light brown sugar on hand then just use that (substitute the dark brown sugar in the recipe for light brown). Using all dark brown sugar could also work, but these already sweet cookies will be even sweeter.
Then, of course, we’ll need to add some butterscotch chips…
Tips for Oatmeal Scotchies
- Make sure your butter has cooled until it’s no longer warm to the touch before adding your sugar. Adding sugar to hot butter can melt your sugar, leaving you with a greasy cookie dough that spreads into thin, messy cookies.
- For best results use all room temperature ingredients.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for about 10-15 minutes.
- Some oatmeal scotchie recipes also use orange extract or orange zest. If desired, reduce the vanilla extract to ¼ teaspoon and add ½ teaspoon orange extract or the zest of one orange to your cookie dough (add with wet ingredients).
- Don’t substitute instant oats for old-fashioned or the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
- For round cookies, roll the dough between your palms briefly to make smooth cookie dough balls before placing on baking sheet. Totally optional and totally for looks, but who doesn’t like a pretty oatmeal scotchie?
- Reserve a few butterscotch chips and gently nestle them into the tops of your cookies within 1-2 minutes of them coming out of the oven. Again, this is just for looks, but it makes them look extra nice!
Enjoy!
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Oatmeal Scotchies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled until no longer warm to the touch
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¾ cup (150 g) dark brown sugar¹ firmly packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup (230 g) + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 3 cups (270 g) old fashioned rolled oats²
- 1 ½ cups (255 g) butterscotch chips plus additional for topping if desired
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl and stir until well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, ¾ cup (150 g) dark brown sugar¹
- Add eggs and vanilla extract, stir well.2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).1 ¾ cup (230 g) + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely incorporated.
- Add oats, stir until combined. Finally, stir in 1 ½ cups butterscotch chips.3 cups (270 g) old fashioned rolled oats², 1 ½ cups (255 g) butterscotch chips
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least one hour,
- Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350F (175C).
- Drop cookie dough by 2 Tablespoon-sized scoops onto parchment paper lined baking sheets³, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
- Bake cookies in 350F (175C) preheated oven for 12-13 minutes or until edges are beginning to look golden brown. Centers may look slightly underdone when cookies are finished baking, they will cook completely as they cool on the baking sheet (don’t over-bake or the cookies will be dry).
- If desired, press additional butterscotch chips into the surface of the cookies within 2 minutes of them coming out of the oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Lauren NY
FINALLY! An oatmeal Scotchie recipe where the cookie holds it shape and does not fall flat! Easy to make. Tastes great. This one is going in the book!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it’s a hit for you, Lauren! Enjoy 😊
Stacy
These were easy and got so many compliments at a work function, I already know I will be making them again soon!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Stacy! 🙂
Taylor
Can the dough be refrigerated overnight
Sam
Yes that is fine, enjoy!
MommaJomma
Part 1 Review!
Super fun and easy to make! The dough tastes delicious! I didn’t have any dark brown so I used all light brown and I came to find out my dear hubby used our Old Fashioned Oats to make the kids heir breakfast instead of the instant packs with brown sugar. I did see that you said that the cookies would be dry and crumbly, however this has happened before with a different recipe and our cookies were still delicious. The only difference was that the oats weren’t as defined as the Old Fashioned. I am hoping for another success because I am using what I have. I will come back and update! Thank you!
Amy
I made this recipe for my husband. These cookies are his favorite and was a hit. They maintain softness and chew even days after they were made. I love all the recipes you have. I’ve made quite a few of them and all were a success.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Amy! The softness really is quite incredible with these cookies. 🙂
Patti Connor
all I have is dark brown sugar. can I use just that?
Sam
Hi Patti! Yes, the cookies will just be darker in color and a bit richer/sweeter, possibly a tad bit flatter as well. Enjoy!
Carmen
These cookies are wonderful! You must try them if you like butterscotch.
Robin
These look delicious. What size cookie does this recipe make? I’m looking to make them on the bigger side – like the gourmet cookies I’ve seen. How would I adjust the time/temp if I increased to 3T per cookie? Or, would that turn out too big?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Robin! We’d recommend following our big soft oatmeal cookies recipe and adding butterscotch chips 😊
Brenda
Would it change things too much to add a cup of chopped pecans?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Brenda! We think that will work fine. Let us know how they turn out for you 😊
Nici
OMG. Major heart eyes for this recipe!
Alan
Hello Sam. I made these tonight and they’re delicious! And perfectly chewy. I followed the recipe exactly and the videos are always helpful. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe and that you found the video helpful, Alan! I hope that you enjoy your scotchies! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Emily K
I made these twice because they were so good that we ate them all in one night!! I love all your recipes and videos! Keep up the great work!
Emily K.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Emily! I am so glad that they were such a hit and that you enjoyed the oatmeal scotchies. Thanks for trying my recipe! 🙂
Sarah
I made these today and they are melt-in-your-mouth good! I had been eyeing oatmeal scotchie recipes for a few months waiting for the right time to make them and when I saw that you had posted them I decided it was time. I’ve had success with every recipe of yours that I’ve tried! This was no exception. Thanks for posting!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Sarah! I am so glad that you enjoyed the scotchies. Thanks for being a fan of my recipes. I appreciate it! 🙂
lisa g.
Thank you for this delish recipe! I’ve read many of these recipes but yours looks the best. Can’t wait to make them.
Do you have a cookbook?