This Chocolate Butterscotch Cookie recipe combines two flavors meant to be together. The chocolate cookies are soft and chewy with a crackly top. The home-made butterscotch is drizzled into the center of each cookie ensuring every bite is full of flavor and sweetness.
These delicious little cookies came to be from me trying to figure out what to do with leftover butterscotch from a separate recipe. I wanted these cookies to be soft and chewy while also having a crunchy texture on the exterior. The contrast of the crunchy sugar shell and the soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior is the perfect structure for a cookie like this. A rich, but not overpowering chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder. Using chocolate chips to flavor these ended up taking too much away from the star of the show – the butterscotch.
If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with chocolate. However, I’ve found myself becoming more and more enamored with butterscotch as of late. When I finished my Easy Butterscotch recipe, I knew I had to start incorporating it wherever I could. I remembered these little sugar cookies with colorful royal icing centers from one of my favorite bakeries in my hometown of Traverse City, Michigan. Every bite you’d get a little bit of that sweet royal icing center which balanced so nicely with the crumbly cookie. So I thought, who wouldn’t love a little butterscotch filled chocolate sugar cookie?
How to make Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies
Dough – This can be done by hand or in a stand mixer.
Refrigeration – I found that these cookies look and taste better when they’ve been refrigerated. I would refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour, this will make them easier to roll in sugar. But you can prepare everything the day before, including the butterscotch. If they aren’t refrigerated, the cookies will flatten a little when baked.
Baking Cookies – I like to bake the cookies 1 dozen at a time, this ensures an even bake. You will know these are done when the top and sides begin to crack. Remove from oven and immediately make indents into the tops.
Butterscotch – Using a teaspoon measuring spoon will make each cookie have an even amount of butterscotch. It’s the perfect size for the proportion of the cookies. Recipe linked here. Butterscotch can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm it up over low heat on an oven for about 3-5 minutes, whisk and stir and it’s ready!
Tips and Tricks
- How do I make Butterscotch? The recipe is included in the notes section of the recipe, and linked as well. It’s super simple to make, and you’ll have leftovers for other yummy desserts. You can use butterscotch chips from a bag, but let me assure you, home-made butterscotch is the way to go.
Happy Baking!
If you do try these Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies, I’d love for you post a photo and tag me on Instagram, @LakeShoreBakes or #LakeshoreBakes so I can see your delicious creations. And be sure to leave a comment, I’ll always respond! Happy baking!
PrintChocolate Butterscotch Cookies
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies 1x
Description
Delicious little chocolate sugar cookies with a ooey gooey butterscotch center.
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butterscotch sauce (recipe in notes)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling cookies)
Instructions
- In a small bow mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or stand mixer, combine the room temperature butter and brown sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix together until fully combined, scraping the sides of bowl if necessary.
- Add in the flour mixture and mix until fully combined. Remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour. During this time make the butterscotch (recipe in notes), and set aside until ready to use. If needed, warm it back up again over low heat or in a microwave until pourable again.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Remove dough from refrigerator and using a 1/2 tablespoon – 1 tablespoon measure out 12 cookies. Roll each sugar cookie ball in sugar and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes until the cookies begin to crack. Remove from oven and using the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon make indents on top of each cookie. Use the same teaspoon to measure out butterscotch into each circular indent.
- Allow to cool 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
Buttescotch Recipe (makes about 1 cup butterscotch): Combine 2/3 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar and butter cut into 4 slices over low/medium heat. Stir until butter is fully melted. Turn heat up to medium and continue stirring, about 5-7 minutes the mixture will start to thicken and bubble. Take off heat once it reaches 225 degrees F (use a candy thermometer or swipe a finger across the spatula, if it holds a clean line it’s done). Add vanilla and salt, stir to combine.
- Cook Time: 16 minutes