Prepare to fall in love with these **Chocolate Butterscotch Chip Cookies** – a delightful twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie that promises to become a staple in your baking repertoire. These aren’t just any cookies; they boast a perfect texture, being wonderfully soft and irresistibly chewy on the inside, while offering a subtle, satisfying crunch around the edges. Each bite is an explosion of flavor, generously packed with rich chocolate chunks and the warm, distinct notes of butterscotch chips. For an elevated experience, a sprinkle of flaky salt on top creates that sought-after sweet and salty combination that truly makes these cookies unforgettable. This versatile recipe is designed for a small batch, perfect for a quick craving or a cozy evening, but it can effortlessly be doubled to share with friends and family, or simply to keep your cookie jar full!

Craving more delicious cookie adventures? Explore our collection of tempting recipes:

• Cookie Butter Cookies
• Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Maple Pecan Cookies
• Almond Butter Blossoms
• Cowboy Cookies
• Chai Sugar Cookies
• Snickerdoodle Cookies

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Chocolate Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Crafting these delectable chocolate butterscotch chip cookies requires a few key ingredients, each playing a vital role in achieving that perfect taste and texture. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is important:

• All-purpose flour: This is the fundamental building block of our cookies, providing the necessary structure. For the most accurate measurements and consistent results, especially in baking, I highly recommend weighing your flour using a food scale. If you’re using measuring cups, remember to spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a straight edge rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can compact it and lead to dry, dense cookies.
• Baking powder & Baking soda: These are our essential leavening agents, working in tandem to give the cookies their ideal lift and contribute to that wonderful chewy texture. Baking soda reacts with the acidic brown sugar, providing an initial rise, while baking powder offers an additional boost of lightness.
• Ground cinnamon: A touch of ground cinnamon adds a delightful warmth and subtle spice that beautifully enhances the rich butterscotch flavor. It brings an extra layer of coziness to these cookies without being overpowering.
• Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness of the sugars and chips, while also bringing out and enhancing all the other delicious flavors. Never skip the salt in your cookie recipes!
• Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter gives you complete control over the salt content in your recipe. It’s imperative that your butter is at room temperature for optimal creaming with the sugars, a process that incorporates air and creates a light, airy base for your cookie dough.
• Egg: The egg acts as a binder, adding essential moisture, richness, and helping to emulsify the ingredients together, creating a cohesive dough. Like the butter, a room temperature egg will incorporate more smoothly and evenly into the mixture.
• Vanilla extract: A classic and indispensable flavor enhancer in almost any cookie recipe, vanilla extract adds a layer of aromatic sweetness that perfectly complements both the chocolate and butterscotch flavors.
• Granulated sugar: This sugar contributes to the slight crispness of the cookie edges and aids in the cookies’ spread, giving them that appealing, slightly crinkled look.
• Brown sugar: This is a powerhouse ingredient for achieving the signature soft and chewy texture of these cookies, and its molasses content perfectly complements the butterscotch flavor. The molasses adds moisture and a rich, deep caramel-like note. You can use either dark or light brown sugar, depending on your preference for a deeper or milder molasses flavor in your finished bake.
• Chocolate chunks: I personally love using dark chocolate chunks because they melt into glorious, gooey puddles of rich chocolate within the warm cookie. However, feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate chips – milk, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate chips would be delicious additions to customize your cookies.
• Butterscotch chips: The true star of the show! These distinctive chips provide that unique sweet, caramel-like flavor with delightful hints of toffee that define these incredible cookies.
• Flaky salt: Optional but highly recommended. A generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before or immediately after baking adds a gourmet touch and truly elevates the flavor profile by cutting through the sweetness and creating that irresistible sweet and salty contrast. It’s a game-changer!

For precise quantities for your chosen batch size, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page.

Substitutions & Variations to Customize Your Cookies

While this recipe for chocolate butterscotch chip cookies is perfected as is, sometimes you want to experiment or adapt to what you have on hand. These cookies are wonderfully versatile and open to creative twists! Here are some ideas for substitutions and variations to make these cookies uniquely yours:

Substitutions: It’s important to note that specific substitutions for core ingredients like all-purpose flour or chemical leavening agents (baking powder/soda) have not been extensively tested for this particular recipe. Altering these could significantly impact the cookie’s delicate balance of texture, spread, and rise. If you decide to replace any key structural ingredients, such as attempting a gluten-free flour blend or using a different type of fat, we highly encourage you to proceed with caution and be prepared for potential variations in the final product. Please do let us know your results in the comments below! Your feedback helps us and other bakers in the community learn and grow.

Variations: Butterscotch chocolate chip cookies are an excellent canvas for adding an array of delicious mix-ins that can introduce new textures and deepen the flavor profile. Consider adding approximately ½ cup of your favorite extras to the dough along with the chocolate and butterscotch chips for an even more exciting bake:

• Chopped pretzels: For an unexpected yet incredibly satisfying salty crunch that perfectly complements the sweetness of the butterscotch and chocolate.
• Toffee bits: If you want to double down on those rich caramel notes and introduce a delightful, slightly chewy and crunchy texture.
• Pecans or walnuts: For a nutty crunch and earthy flavor that pairs exquisitely with the warm, buttery notes of butterscotch. Toasting them lightly beforehand can enhance their flavor even more.
• White chocolate chips: If you’re looking to lean into the sweeter side and create a triple-chip cookie experience, white chocolate adds a creamy contrast.
• Dried cranberries or cherries: For a touch of fruity tartness and chewy texture that beautifully cuts through the richness of the chocolate and butterscotch.
• Extra spices: A little extra pinch of nutmeg, a dash of cardamom, or a mix of “pumpkin pie spice” can further deepen the warm and inviting flavor profile, especially during cooler months.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your perfect combination – the possibilities are endless!

Recommended Baking Equipment for Best Results

Having the right tools can significantly enhance your baking experience, making the process smoother, more enjoyable, and leading to even more consistently delicious results. Here’s a list of essential and recommended equipment for making these chocolate butterscotch chip cookies:

• My absolute favorite cookie sheet for consistent baking and even browning is this nonstick half sheet by USA Pan. Its unique ridged surface promotes excellent heat distribution and airflow, which is key for perfectly baked cookies. To ensure easy cleanup and prevent any sticking (even with nonstick pans), I always recommend adding a layer of parchment paper.
• A hand mixer or, if you prefer, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment will make creaming the butter and sugars much easier and more efficient. This process is crucial for incorporating enough air into the mixture, which contributes to a lighter and more tender cookie texture. While manual mixing is possible, an electric mixer significantly streamlines the process and ensures superior results.
• For creating beautifully large, uniformly sized, and wonderfully chewy cookies, I highly suggest using a large cookie scoop (approximately 3-4 tablespoons in size). This ensures that each cookie bakes evenly, prevents smaller cookies from over-baking before the larger ones are done, and gives you that professional, consistent look.
• You’ll also need standard baking essentials such as **mixing bowls** (one medium for dry ingredients, one large for wet), **measuring cups and spoons** (though a food scale is preferred for accuracy with dry ingredients), and a **whisk** for thoroughly combining dry ingredients. A **silicone spatula** is incredibly handy for scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl and gently folding in your delicious chocolate and butterscotch chips without overmixing the dough.
• Lastly, a **cooling rack** is absolutely essential for allowing your freshly baked cookies to cool properly. This prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy due to trapped steam and stops the baking process, ensuring your cookies retain their perfect texture.

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Your Cookies

Follow these simple, detailed steps to create perfectly baked chocolate butterscotch chip cookies in your own kitchen. This process is straightforward and designed for success, even for beginner bakers, ensuring you get that ideal soft and chewy result every time!

Step One (Picture 1 above) – Prepare Your Dry Ingredients: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C