These delicious homemade butterscotch cookies are great to serve at parties or as a simple family treat. Super easy to make and just a handful of common baking ingredients, these are a family favorite.
I absolutely adore these cookies! They have such a wonderful, homestyle baked flavor and they are perfect for any time of year.
There are a huge hit with my family, and we make multiple batches during the holidays for when family and friends stop by.
If you are looking for a warm and tasty homemade butterscotch cookie recipe, give this one a try! I’m sure you’re going to love them.
Make sure to bookmark or pin this recipe so you can find it the next time you want to bake butterscotch cookies.
Butterscotch is brown sugar based, and that means it has a rich sweet flavor with molasses notes. It’s a wonderful flavor that is perfect for homemade cookies.
Cookie Tip
Try this recipe: No butter pumpkin cookies
How to Bake Homemade Butterscotch Cookies from Scratch

These cookies are such a hit during the holidays that me and the boys bake multiple batches. Both for anyone who stops by, and to give to family members.
Every year they tell me how much they look forward to these wonderful little cookies. And it’s so much fun seeing them enjoyed so much.
Not only do they taste amazing though, they are also super easy and quick to make. Prep time is just a few minutes and bake time is right around fifteen minutes.
The only equipment you need is a mixing bowl, mixer, and a cookie sheet.
Have you ever had a problem with your cookies coming out flat? To help ensure fluffy cookies, bake at a high enough temperature and chill your cookie dough before baking. Works like a charm, and no more flat cookies.
Cookie Tip
Related: Cinnamon butterscotch cookies
Ingredients

The great thing about this recipe is that all you need are traditional baking ingredients. No complicated or hard to find ingredients needed!
Ingredients List
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Soda
- All-Purpose Flour
- Shortening
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Butterscotch Chips
Brown Sugar: This is what makes our cookies butterscotch! The sweet and deep flavor of brown sugar can’t be substituted. But you can go with dark or light brown sugar. Both produce great results.
Shortening: I prefer to use shortening in my traditional style cookies recipes. It produces a great flavor and texture. But if you need an alternative, you have a few options. Go with butter, ghee, or even lard.
Flour: All-purpose flour is my preferred type for this recipe. It produces a great texture and allows you to have height with your cookies. If you need a replacement, try bread flour or even cake flour. The protein level is higher, but it still works quite well.
You can also use a half a cup of crushed nuts and a half cup of butterscotch chips in your cookies. The nuts add a wonderful, earthy flavor that tastes amazing!
Cookie Tip
For more flavor inspiration: Flavors that pair with butterscotch
Simple Recipe Instructions

When it comes to baking cookies from scratch, I love simple and quick recipes that still produce a ton of great flavor.
And this recipe checks all of those boxes. It’s a very straightforward recipe with just a few simple steps. And since you only need one mixing bowl and your cookies sheet, cleanup is just as quick.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Grease your cookie sheet with butter or non stick cooking spray. Or you can line it with parchment paper.
Step 3: Add your shortening and brown sugar to your mixing bowl. Mix until creamy.
Step 4: Mix in your egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step 5: Add your flour, baking soda, and butterscotch chips. Stir in by hand until well combined.
Step 6: Drop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough onto cookie sheet. Leave two inches between cookie mounds.
Step 7: Bake 12-15 minutes.
Step 8: Cool on a wire rack, then serve and enjoy!
Another great recipe: Butterscotch brownies

Easy Butterscotch Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar packed
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- ½ Cup Shortening
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½-1 Cup Butterscotch Chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease your cookie sheet with butter or non stick cooking spray. Or you can line it with parchment paper.
- Add your shortening and brown sugar to your mixing bowl. Mix until creamy.
- Mix in your egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add your flour, baking soda, and butterscotch chips. Stir in by hand until well combined.
- Drop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough onto cookie sheet. Leave two inches between cookie mounds.
- Bake 12-15 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack, then serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Liv’s Butterscotch Cookie Recipe Notes
- Sometimes I add crushed nuts to my cookies. The subtle crunch and earthy flavor goes so well with butterscotch. You could completely replace your chips, or go half and half. Give it a try the next time you make them.
- I’ve even topped these with cream cheese frosting before. It was quite good and easy to whip up the frosting while the cookies baked.
- Store your cookies covered in an airtight container at room temperature.