Double Butterscotch Cookies are rich, chewy cookies made with both instant butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips. This easy cookie recipe yields about 36 to 40 cookies and takes approximately 35 to 50 minutes, excluding any optional chilling time.
Every bite has a tender center, lightly crisp edges, buttery caramel flavor, and pockets of melted butterscotch. The pudding mix helps create a soft texture while the chips provide the unmistakable double-butterscotch finish that makes these cookies especially satisfying.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
These cookies are designed for anyone who loves the deep, buttery taste of butterscotch in a soft homemade cookie. Using two forms of butterscotch gives the recipe its name and its memorable flavor: pudding mix works inside the dough, while chips create sweet, creamy pockets throughout each cookie.
The texture is just as appealing as the flavor. The edges become lightly golden and set, but the centers remain tender and pleasantly chewy when the cookies are removed at the right moment.
This is also a practical recipe for a cookie platter. The dough comes together in one mixing bowl plus a small bowl for the dry ingredients, and the yield is large enough for sharing, gifting, or filling a cookie jar.
If you enjoy cookies with a brighter, fruitier profile, you may also like these citrusy shortbread thumbprints alongside this caramel-flavored batch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Softened unsalted butter provides richness and helps the sugars cream properly. Let the butter soften at room temperature until it gives slightly when pressed, but do not melt it, since melted butter can make the dough spread too quickly.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar contributes sweetness and helps the edges brown, while packed light brown sugar brings moisture and a mild molasses note.
- Instant pudding mix: One 3.4-ounce, or 96-gram, package of dry instant butterscotch pudding mix reinforces the flavor and supports the soft texture.
- Eggs and vanilla: Two room-temperature eggs bind the dough, and one teaspoon of vanilla rounds out the butterscotch.
- Flour, baking soda, and salt: These ingredients provide structure, lift, and balance.
- Butterscotch chips: Use 1 1/2 cups for a slightly less sugary cookie or up to 2 cups for a more abundant chip-studded result.
For the best results, measure the flour carefully. If using volume measurements, spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top rather than packing it down.
For another cookie with a comforting, traditional profile, compare the ingredient approach with these oatmeal raisin cookies with pecans.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment so the cookies release easily and the bottoms brown gently instead of sticking to the pan.
Step 2: Place the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is noticeably lighter, fluffy, and creamy.
Step 3: Add the dry instant butterscotch pudding mix directly to the creamed butter mixture and beat until evenly distributed. The dough base may look thick, but that is expected at this point.
Step 4: Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition so the first egg is incorporated before adding the second. Blend in the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This distributes the leavening and salt evenly before the dry ingredients enter the dough.
Step 6: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing only until the ingredients are combined. Stop as soon as no obvious dry flour remains, since excessive mixing can make the cookies less tender.
Step 7: Fold in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of butterscotch chips with a spatula or wooden spoon. If the dough seems unusually soft or spreads while scooping, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
Step 8: Scoop rounded tablespoons or approximately 1 1/2-tablespoon portions onto the parchment-lined sheets. Leave about 2 inches between portions so the cookies have room to spread into rounds.
Step 9: Bake each batch for 8 to 10 minutes. Look for lightly browned, set edges and centers that still appear slightly soft; the centers should not look wet, but they should not be fully firm either.
Step 10: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack, where they will finish setting while retaining their chewy centers.
Pro Tips for Chewy Cookies
The most important rule is to avoid overbaking. These cookies continue cooking from the residual heat of the pan, so waiting until every part looks firm in the oven can result in dry cookies after they cool.
Instant pudding mix is essential for this formula. Do not substitute cook-and-serve pudding, because it is designed to be prepared with heat and does not behave the same way in cookie dough.
Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the creamed butter and sugars. If you forgot to set them out, place the uncracked eggs in warm water for a few minutes, then dry them before using.
If your kitchen is warm or the butter was especially soft, chill the scooped dough briefly. A 20- to 30-minute chill can help the cookies hold a thicker shape without changing the ingredient amounts.
Choose the amount of chips based on your preference. The lower 1 1/2-cup quantity gives the cookie more room for its buttery dough to shine, while 2 cups creates a very generous butterscotch flavor in every bite.
Chopped pecans or walnuts are a common variation. Add approximately 1/2 to 1 cup if you want gentle crunch and a toasted nut flavor, keeping in mind that nuts will make the cookies slightly more substantial.
For a different soft-baked cookie idea, take a look at these old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookies, which bring a spiced oat texture to the dessert table.
Storage and Make-Ahead Advice
Cool the cookies completely before storing them. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature, using parchment between layers if you are stacking them while they are still especially soft.
For the best texture, enjoy them within several days. If the cookies firm up slightly, a short rest in a sealed container can help preserve their moisture, although they should not be reheated until crisp.
The dough can also be portioned before baking. Arrange scoops on a parchment-lined tray, chill them until firm, and transfer them to a freezer-safe container; bake from chilled portions as needed, watching the first batch closely for timing.
When preparing cookies for a mixed dessert tray, their golden color pairs beautifully with dark chocolate treats such as these flourless chocolate cookies.
Serving Ideas and Flavor Variations
Serve these cookies slightly warm for the softest centers and the most fragrant butterscotch aroma. A glass of cold milk, a cup of coffee, or black tea balances the sweetness especially well.
For a simple presentation, pile the cookies on a cake stand and scatter a few extra butterscotch chips around the base. You can also place them in small parchment bags for an easy homemade gift.
The recipe is already rich, so additions should be chosen with care. Toasted pecans or walnuts add contrast, while using the lower chip amount keeps the sweetness more restrained.
Do not replace the pudding mix with an untested pudding style or remove the flour without changing the formula. The listed ingredients work together to create the intended soft, chewy structure.
Double Butterscotch Cookies with Rich, Chewy Flavor
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
- Beat in the dry instant butterscotch pudding mix. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then blend in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing only until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of butterscotch chips. If the dough is very soft or sticky, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Drop rounded tablespoons or approximately 1 1/2-tablespoon scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned while the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. They will finish setting as they cool.
Notes
Final Thoughts
Double Butterscotch Cookies deliver a generous dose of buttery caramel flavor in a soft, chewy package. The combination of instant butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips makes the cookies flavorful from the center outward, while the lightly browned edges provide just enough contrast.
For the ideal result, cream the butter and sugars thoroughly, mix the flour only until combined, chill the dough if it feels too soft, and remove the cookies while the centers still look slightly underdone. After five minutes on the baking sheet and a final rest on a rack, they will settle into the rich, tender texture that makes this recipe a keeper.
Make the full batch for a holiday cookie exchange, weekend baking project, or everyday treat. Once you taste that chewy butterscotch center, you may find yourself keeping this recipe close whenever a dependable cookie craving appears.