Salted Butterscotch Cookies

Lately I’ve been thinking about regrets. The good news for me is that I’ve barely got any. The bad news for you is that I’m going to share them:

  • Shaving my arms at age six.
  • Spending my college tuition refund check at Charlotte Rousse, Forever 21, and on a God awful “A” embroidered long sleeved tee.
  • Wearing a God awful “A” embroidered long sleeved tee. It only worked on Laverne.
  • Letting my 4th grade class pets, two gerbils, run around in and on top of my neighbor’s mailbox. Because when they suddenly died that following Tuesday, I cursed myself as their murderer. So did the rest of my 4th grade class.
  • Not auditioning for any play or musical because of a paralyzing fear of failure.
  • Stirrup pants.

  • Not seeing Titanic for a 23rd time in theaters. Because Jim Cameron could have used another ten spot.
  • Treating my real-life debit card like a round of Mall Madness for four years in college.
  • Trick or treating as Baby Spice at age 14 in a flannel onesie. Because there’s a lot of confusion when you show up at a neighbor’s doorstep with Posh, Sporty, Scary, Ginger, and…a morbidly obese baby.
  • Not reading any of my assigned books in English class.
  • Instead reading People and Seventeen.
  • Scratch that last one. People taught me everything I need to know about life, love, and which rehab facility Dr. Drew is at.
  • EBAY.
  • The Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow memorabilia I bid on relentlessly in high school.
  • Glitter gluing all of the walls in my bedroom. Twice.

One thing I don’t regret? Baking these.

The ultimate in chew. Like a caramel cream candy- soft, supremely sweet, slightly gummy in that underbaked way, and if that wasn’t enough- I sprinkled them, warm from the oven, in salt crystals.

The play of salty and sweet lingers, rich, like toffee on the tongue. Dark brown sugar is the only thing I used in this recipe, lending nothing but moisture and deep molasses-like taste. Remember the time I told you about my secrets to making The Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookies? Check it again. I used the same principles here- melting the butter and then chilling the prepared dough (to let it rest) in the fridge for at least 24 hours before rolling dough balls onto a sheet pan and eating them raw…umm I mean baking them.

Oh, and tossing butterscotch chips in there helped too. A perfectly pleasing mouth discovery mid-bite.

Salted Butterscotch Cookies

  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 – 2 cups butterscotch chips

Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave for one minute. Let cool slightly (about 4-5 minutes).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Now, in the bowl of a standing mixer( or a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat the melted butter and sugar until well combined. The butter should be completely absorbed by the sugar and the mixture should look uniform in gritty texture. This should take about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 1 full minute to incorporate.

The mixture should be light, somewhat fluffy, and satiny.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture on low speed. This process should take no more than a minute and a half. Do not overbeat or you will end up with tough, bread-like cookies.Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a few times to ensure the batter has no pockets of unmixed flour.

Mix in the butterscotch chips. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP AND THE KEY TO THE CHEWIEST COOKIE: Cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 48 hours. The longer you let the dough rest in the refrigerator, the chewier and better tasting they’ll be. Even thirty minutes makes a marked difference. Trust me on this one.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325°. Remove the dough from the fridge. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You do not need to use parchment, the cookies will not stick, but it does make for a quick and easy removal. To make sure that you’re forming large dough balls that are all uniform in size (for even cooking), I suggest forming all of the balls before beginning to bake them. In your palm, roll heaping  tablespoon-sized amounts of dough. Place 9-10 on a cookie sheet. Do not overcrowd the pan or the cookies will bump into each other and won’t cook as well.

Using two fingers, gently press the dough onto the cookie sheet. If you do not slightly flatten the cookies, the edges thin too quickly as they bake in the oven and that results in an overly crispy edge and undercooked center.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the cookies are shiny on top and just beginning to turn a golden brown. I like to take them out on the very early side. Always always always err on the side of underbaking them, as you can always just let them sit on the cookie sheet out of the oven for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool. Since the cookie sheet retains its heat for a short while after it comes out of the oven, it will continue to bake the cookies and set the centers.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

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27 thoughts on “Salted Butterscotch Cookies

  1. Amy @ Second City Randomness

    You’re soooo right about melting the butter completely. I’ve done it and can’t turn back!

    And every month as I pay out another student loan check, I curse myself silently about how I wasted my refund checks. Seriously… could I have not taken out more than necessary? Good to know I lived more lavishly in college than I do now…

    And I had an “A” long sleeve t-shirt. It was mint green. From American Eagle I believe…

    I was so cool.

    Reply
  2. Kelly

    Now this is MY KIND OF COOKIE!!! I don’t like chocolate in my cookies but now this is right up my alley!!! I am saving this for sure! Maybe I will make Keith make me some cookies now that I am down to one hand!

    Reply
  3. Liz @ Tip Top Shape

    I really enjoyed this recipe. As well as your regrets. Is it bad to enjoy someone else’s regrets?? Well..yours were just too funny not to enjoy, haha. I had to laugh at the stirrup pants. Believe me, we ALL regret wearing those.

    Reply
  4. Gracie

    I’ve never heard that tip for chewier cookies! I’ll have to keep it in mind because I’m definitely a lover of a soft, chewy cookie. The only problem is I don’t think I’ll have 48 hours worth of patience :/

    Reply
  5. Lara (Thinspired)

    Oh. my. gosh. These look amazing.

    I love your list of regrets ;) I have to admit, I own a pair of Gwyneth Paltrow’s jeans…that I bought as an adult. I don’t regret it, though…I am a huge fan :)

    Reply
  6. Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman

    That’s it. Enough is enough…time for you to open a bakery. On the East Coast. In Virginia. Next door to me. OK?

    Also: I went through a major Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow phase, too. I still wish I had Gwyneth’s hair.

    Reply
  7. Cindy

    oh my heart broke for you over the hamster one. What on earth happenend????? seems innocent enough.

    I agree with Tracey…bakery. SOON. Mail orders please!

    and I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo stoked I just picked up a bag of butterscotch chips…for just such an occassion. Salty/ caramel is the perfect combo! Nicely done my friend!

    Reply
  8. foodiefresh

    I think we all do silly things in college and before…I know I did! Your cookies sound delicious. I say “sound” because the photos aren’t showing up for some reason…Probably something on my end though.

    Reply
  9. Bec

    Oh yum! Those cookies look so good. Got some major cravings going on now.
    Funny about the spice girls trick or treating!! I was obsessed with them when I was younger and always dressed up in terrible tacky costumes as Baby Spice. :P haha.

    Reply
  10. Abbie Rd

    Just wanted to say, this recipe is my staple cookie now. I made (a lot of) them for a friend’s 30th birthday last year (he’s obsessed with butterscotch) and EVERY SINGLE ONE dissapeared. When I ask if people want chocolate chip or butterscotch now, butterscotch is always the enthusiastic winner. So we’ve got a new classic. Your recipe is bookmarked and practically on speed dial in my kitchen.

    But lets be honest…I just throw the whole damn bag of chips in there.

    Reply
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  14. Yvonne

    The dough after refrigeration was very stiff to rollout into balls. Should I let it come to room temperature before baking the cookies

    Reply

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