Irresistibly Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies: Your New Favorite Butterscotch Cookie Recipe

Discover how to bake the most delicious and perfectly chewy Oatmeal Scotchies with this incredibly easy-to-follow recipe. These classic cookies combine the hearty goodness of oats with the rich, sweet allure of butterscotch chips, creating a treat that’s impossible to resist. Ideal for any time of year, whether you’re packing lunchboxes, preparing for a holiday gathering, or simply craving a warm, homemade delight, these butterscotch oatmeal cookies are a true crowd-pleaser. Their simple ingredients and straightforward process make them a favorite for both experienced and novice bakers alike. Get ready to fill your home with the comforting aroma of freshly baked cookies and enjoy a truly nostalgic taste.

Oatmeal Scotchies offer a delightful spin on traditional oatmeal cookies, elevated by the distinctive, caramel-like flavor of butterscotch chips. This recipe is celebrated for its simplicity, relying on common pantry staples that come together quickly for a fuss-free baking experience. The combination of wholesome oats and decadent butterscotch creates a cookie with an unparalleled depth of flavor and a wonderfully soft, chewy texture that appeals to everyone. From bake sales to holiday platters or just an everyday snack, these cookies evoke a comforting, nostalgic feeling that’s truly hard to beat. Children especially love to get involved in making these buttery, sweet treats, much like they enjoy helping with our Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe.

Why We Adore This Oatmeal Scotchies Recipe

• Unmatched Chewy Texture – These cookies boast soft, tender centers that melt in your mouth, perfectly contrasted with slightly crisp, golden edges. The rolled oats contribute significantly to this satisfying chewiness, making each bite a delightful experience.
• Rich Butterscotch Flavor – The star of the show! Sweet, creamy butterscotch chips provide a unique, caramel-like richness that sets these cookies apart from any other. This distinct flavor profile makes them an unforgettable treat for anyone who tries them.
• Incredibly Easy to Make – You don’t need to be an expert baker to achieve fantastic results with this recipe. With straightforward instructions and common ingredients, you can whip up a batch of these delectable cookies in no time.
• Perfect for Any Occasion – From everyday lunchbox surprises to elegant holiday dessert trays, or simply a cozy afternoon snack, Oatmeal Scotchies fit every moment. Their comforting taste and inviting aroma make them universally loved.
• Conveniently Freezer-Friendly – Planning ahead is a breeze! Both the cookie dough and the baked cookies can be frozen, allowing you to enjoy a freshly baked treat whenever a craving strikes, without the extra prep work.
• A Truly Nostalgic Treat – For many, the taste of Oatmeal Scotchies brings back warm memories of childhood and homemade baking. Sharing these cookies is like sharing a piece of comfort and joy.

Key Ingredients for Perfect Oatmeal Scotchies

Each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor and texture in these cookies. Using quality ingredients at the right temperature is key to success.

• Unsalted Butter – Using softened unsalted butter is crucial. It adds incredible richness to the cookies and ensures they have that desired soft, chewy texture. Room temperature butter creams better with sugars, creating an airy base.
• Brown Sugar – This contributes significantly to the cookies’ moisture content and imparts a deep, molasses-rich, caramel-like flavor, enhancing the chewiness that makes these cookies so popular.
• Granulated Sugar – Balances the sweetness from the brown sugar and butterscotch chips, and also helps the cookies spread slightly during baking, giving them a delightful texture.
• Large Eggs – Act as a binder, holding all the ingredients together, and add essential structure to the cookie dough. Ensure they are at room temperature for optimal emulsification with the butter and sugars.
• Vanilla Extract – A staple in nearly all cookie recipes, vanilla extract enhances and rounds out all the other flavors, adding a warm, sweet, and aromatic depth to the cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour – Provides the foundational structure and stability for the cookies. Measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to avoid dense cookies.
• Baking Soda – The leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and spread just enough, resulting in a soft, light interior.
• Salt – A pinch of salt is vital to balance the sweetness and elevate all the other flavors, preventing the cookies from tasting one-dimensional.
• Cinnamon – Adds a wonderful warm, spiced note that perfectly complements the hearty oats and the sweet butterscotch, adding an extra layer of complexity.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – These are key for the classic hearty texture of oatmeal cookies. Avoid instant oats, as they absorb liquid too quickly and can lead to a different texture.
• Butterscotch Chips – The defining ingredient! These chips melt into pockets of rich, buttery sweetness, creating the signature flavor that truly makes these cookies stand out as “Oatmeal Scotchies.”

Easy Step-By-Step Instructions to Bake Oatmeal Scotchies

Follow these simple steps to bake a batch of warm, chewy, and utterly delicious Oatmeal Scotchies that your family and friends will love.

• Step 1. Prepare Your Baking Station: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This step ensures easy cleanup and prevents the cookies from sticking.

Step 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisking ensures these ingredients are evenly distributed, which is crucial for uniform cookie texture and rise. Set this dry mixture aside for later use.

Step 3. Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate, larger bowl, use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Mix until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes. This process incorporates air, contributing to the cookies’ final texture. Then, add the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until just combined. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract, ensuring it’s fully incorporated into the wet ingredients.

Step 4. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the prepared dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on a low speed until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and lead to tough cookies. Mix only until no streaks of dry flour remain.

Step 5. Fold in Oats and Chips: Once the base dough is ready, gently fold in the old-fashioned rolled oats and the butterscotch morsels by hand using a spatula. This gentle mixing prevents crushing the oats and ensures the chips are evenly distributed without overworking the dough.

Step 6. Scoop and Space: Use a cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons in size) to portion out the dough. Drop these dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, ensuring you space each scoop about 2 inches apart. This spacing is essential to allow the cookies to spread properly without merging into one another.

Step 7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake the Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies in your preheated oven for 12-16 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they are ready when the edges are lightly browned and the centers are just set but still look soft. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot sheet for about 5 minutes. This allows them to finish baking and firm up slightly without over-browning. Afterward, carefully transfer the cookies using a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these warm, inviting cookies as they cool!

Proper Storage for Fresh Oatmeal Scotchies

Proper storage is essential to keep your Oatmeal Scotchies fresh and delicious for as long as possible.

Room Temperature: Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their delicious chewiness for up to one week. To keep them extra soft, you can add a slice of bread to the container – the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.

Freezing Baked Cookies: For longer storage, cooled cookies can be placed in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash-frozen until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe sealed container or heavy-duty freezer bag, layering parchment paper between cookies to prevent sticking. They can be stored for up to three months.

Freezing Dough: You can also scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake for a few extra minutes (approximately 15-18 minutes) until golden.

Thawing: Simply let frozen baked cookies thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. You can also warm them slightly in the microwave for a fresh-from-the-oven feel.

Pro Tips for Baking the Best Oatmeal Scotchies

• Achieve the Perfect Creamed Mixture: Always use room temperature butter and eggs. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, airy base for your cookie dough. Cold ingredients won’t combine as smoothly and can result in a lumpy, inconsistent dough.
• Avoid Overmixing the Dough: After adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix on low speed only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough, dense cookies rather than the desired tender and chewy texture.
• Chill for Thicker Cookies: If you have time, chilling the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or even up to an hour) can significantly improve the cookies. Chilled dough spreads less in the oven, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies with a richer flavor.
• Proper Spacing on Baking Sheets: Ensure you leave about 2 inches of space between each scooped cookie dough ball on your baking sheet. This critical step allows the cookies to spread evenly without touching or merging during the baking process, ensuring uniform cooking.
• Watch for Doneness, Not Just Time: Baking times can vary depending on your oven and cookie size. Start checking your cookies a few minutes before the recommended time. Look for lightly browned edges and centers that are set but still look soft. Overbaking will lead to dry, hard cookies.
• Slightly Underbake for Chewiness: For the ultimate chewy texture, remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set and golden, but the centers still look slightly soft or underdone. They will continue to bake and firm up on the hot baking sheet during the resting period.
• Enhance Flavor with a Pinch of Sea Salt: Sprinkle a tiny bit of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. This adds a gourmet touch and beautifully contrasts with the butterscotch’s sweetness.

Delicious Variations and Add-Ins

While Oatmeal Scotchies are perfect as is, you can always customize them to suit your taste or what you have on hand.

• Nutty Crunch: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for an extra layer of crunch and nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with butterscotch.
• Chocolatey Twist: Swap out half the butterscotch chips for semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips to create a delicious oatmeal butterscotch chocolate chip cookie.
• Spice It Up: Enhance the warm flavors by adding a pinch of nutmeg or allspice along with the cinnamon.
• Dried Fruit Fusion: For a different kind of chewiness, consider adding ¼ cup of dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Scotchies

Here are some common questions about baking and enjoying Oatmeal Scotchies.

• Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats? While old-fashioned rolled oats are recommended for their chewy texture and structure, quick oats can be used in a pinch. However, they will result in a softer, less chewy cookie texture.
• Why are my Oatmeal Scotchies spreading too much? This can happen if your butter was too soft (melted), your oven temperature is too low, or you didn’t chill the dough. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature but not melted, and verify your oven temperature with a thermometer.
• Can I make these cookies gluten-free? Yes! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Make sure to also use certified gluten-free oats.
• How long do butterscotch chips last? Unopened butterscotch chips typically last for 6-12 months beyond the printed date if stored in a cool, dark pantry. Once opened, it’s best to use them within 3-6 months.

More Irresistible Oatmeal Recipes

If you love the comforting taste of oats, be sure to try these other fantastic recipes:

• 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
• No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
• Oatmeal Cake
• Oatmeal Bread

We truly hope you give this amazing Oatmeal Scotchies recipe a try! There’s nothing quite like a homemade cookie. We’d absolutely love to hear how they turn out for you. Please remember to leave a comment and a star rating after you bake them and share your experience. Your feedback is invaluable!