Crisp on the outside and chewy gooey in the center, these gluten free Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies are an easy way to take basic cookies to the next level.
We love these cookies all year long, but especially in the fall, when the flavor of butterscotch goes so well with all the fall flavors we crave.
This was inspired by my our Perfect Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, and pairs really well with this amazing Oat Milk Hot Chocolate. I have been pairing those two together all week for a mid-morning treat!
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Ingredients
Using simple, easy-to-find ingredients make these cookies a breeze to mix up! We changed the balance of sugars and flavors a bit to make these extra-special.
Unsalted Butter - be sure your butter is at room temperature before getting started. I find that 20 minutes is enough to bring down the temperature enough.
Granulated White Sugar - just a touch so they're not overly-sweet.
Light Brown Sugar - a little more brown sugar gives cookies extra "chewiness" and a touch of that molasses-y flavor we love in cookies.
Vanilla Extract - we love to amp up our cookies with an extra dose of vanilla extract. It enhances the flavors so beautifully.
Large Eggs - use room temperature eggs or a vegan egg substitute if you prefer.
Gluten Free Flour Blend - we almost exclusively use King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour blend when baking. You can ready why on this post comparing gluten free flour blends.
Baking Soda - gives cookies just enough rise and air.
Kosher Salt - or coarse salt is a little saltier than table salt and will enhance the flavors in the cookies just right.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - or use a large dark chocolate baking bar (like from Trader Joe's) and chop up for a more rustic and gooey chocolate.
Butterscotch Chips - these are easy to find, typically right next to chocolate chips at your local grocery store.
Kosher Salt - if you're like me and you like sweet and salty desserts, then a sprinkle of kosher or coarse salt on your cookies really amps up the flavor and gives these sweet cookies just the right balance.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
These cookies are simple to throw together, however, I do have some special tips to ensure you get an amazing cookie dough every time.
Start with room temperature unsalted butter and mix with sugars and vanilla for 8 full minutes on medium speed. This method creates air and makes a huge difference in getting perfectly crisp on the edges, gooey in the center cookies every time.
Add eggs and mix until fully combined and dough is smooth.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and then pour all into the butter/sugar mix all at once. Mix lightly (if using gluten-free flour, over mixing is not as big of an issue) just until flour streaks are gone.
Add butterscotch chips and chocolate chips to the cookie dough and mix just until evenly distributed.
Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, place dough balls about 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake cookies on center rack at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes. Careful to watch the cookies so they're just starting to brown on the edges and gooey in the center.
Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes. Then move to a cooling rack. The cookies will set more while cooling.
Hint: to keep your cookies from spreading too much, cover dough with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Scoop and bake as usual. This step is not necessary (and I didn't do it for the cookies in the picture) but it does make for a thicker cookie, if you prefer.
Substitutions
We've got all sorts of dietary restrictions around here, so we know how to make these cookies with all sorts of substitutes. Here's a few ideas:
- Gluten Free - replacing the flour is the only necessary substitution you'll need to make these cookies gluten free. However, always check ingredients to ensure they're gluten free.
- Dairy Free - to make these cookies dairy free, swap the butter for a plant-based butter, such as Smart Balance. The butterscotch chips typically have milk in them, but I found this great, dairy free, vegan replacement, so try these and let me know how they taste!
Also be sure to grab dairy-free chocolate chips. Those are pretty easy to find, just read ingredients. I like Trader Joe's and Costco (when they have them).
- Vegan - make the same substitutes as listed above, and then swap the egg for your favorite egg substitute. We like a flax egg, like in our Vegan Baked Donuts recipe.
If you are strictly gluten free or have Celiac disease, please be read all ingredients and be sure to use equipment that has not been used with regular flour foods. Especially if you bake for someone with allergies, just check with them for suggestions before getting started.
Variations
This cookie recipe is pretty fantastic just as it is, but we have a few fun ideas to change things up if you're in the mood.
- Fancy - go for flaky sea salt sprinkled on top to avoid the crunch of coarse salt and still give that gentle saltiness to balance the sweetness.
- Cookie Cake - use our 30 minute gluten free cookie cake recipe, and add butterscotch chips for a fun cake switch!
- Drizzle - melt 1 cup of butterscotch chips with 1 tablespoon of vegetable (or coconut) oil until smooth. Drizzle the tops of the cookies once they're cooled for a fun and pretty cookie!
If you like cookies with fun add-in, check out our Gluten Free Crumbl Copycat Oreo White Chocolate Cookies!
Equipment
There's not a lot of special equipment needed to make these cookies, however there are a few items I love and use every time I bake cookies. First is my OXO Large Cookie Scoop.
Why do I love large cookies? Because you get both crisp and chewy textures in every cookie.
The other tool to ensure perfect cookies (with perfectly baked bottoms) is parchment paper, or better yet, a silpat mat. A silpat mat can be washed and used over and over and creates the perfectly baked cookie bottom.
Storage
Room Temperature
If you're eating your cookies within a day or two, the best way to store baked cookies is in a large zip top bag WITH a piece of bread in the bag (gluten free bread if you need to).
Why? The cookies will breathe in the moisture from the bread and keep them fresh much longer. Mine will last sealed at room temperature for a week and taste like they were made that day!
Freezer
I love frozen baked cookies. My mom used to freeze cookies in our house so we wouldn't eat them. Turns out, we just turned into frozen cookie lovers!
To freeze cookies after they have been baked, simply place cooled cookies in a zip top bag and place the whole bag in the freezer. Gluten free flour will not hold up as well and they will get crumbly after about a week though.
How to freeze cookie dough
I LOVE to freeze cookie dough. Simply portion the dough using a cookie scoop onto a large parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove and place the dough balls into a zip top bag and freeze.
Pre-freezing the balls will keep them from sticking together. Simply remove a couple cookies and bake 13-14 minutes at 375°F and you can have warm, gooey cookies every night!
Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ cups gluten free flour blend or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt for sprinkling on top optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 8 minutes. Yes, 8.
- Turn mixer off, add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until dough is smooth.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture all at once. Mix on low just until flour is blended, not a second more. This takes my Kitchen Aid mixer about 10 times around the bowl.
- Add butterscotch chips and chocolate chips and mix for about 3 seconds, until chips are evenly distributed.
- Using a 3 tablespoon scoop place dough balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake on center rack for 10-12 minutes, until lightly brown on the edges and still soft in the center. They may look underdone in the center, that's ok! Just don't over bake.
- Allow to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
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