Oatmeal Scotchies have a thick and chewy center with crisp edges. Each bite is loaded with creamy butterscotch, crunchy toffee, and a hint of cinnamon!
Try these coconut or caramel oatmeal cookies next.
Oatmeal Scotchies
If you’ve never had Oatmeal Scotchies, you’re in for a treat. After making butterscotch cookies, I knew I had to try an oatmeal version—and I’ve tested this one over and over to get the perfect chewy texture and bold flavor.
There are a few ingredients and little tricks that take them over the top. And while I am a huge oatmeal cookie fan, I find myself constantly craving this version!
Oatmeal Scotchies Ingredients
Here’s a few tips on some of the ingredients:
- Toffee bits: While not typical, I like adding milk chocolate toffee bits.
- Butterscotch Chips: Press extra on top at the end for a bakery-style look.
- Molasses: I love dark molasses, but in a pinch you can use pure maple syrup.
- Brown sugar: I use both light and dark brown sugar, but just one will work.
- Old Fashioned Oats: Quick oats don’t work for this recipe.
Variations
Use half butterscotch chips and half milk chocolate chips for a fun twist in your Oatmeal Scotchies!
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temp eggs. They mix in better. Here’s how to warm them quickly.
- Spoon and level flour. Packing too much flour in makes the cookies cakey.
- Roll even-sized balls. If you have a kitchen scale, get each cookie to 40g.
- Slightly underbake Oatmeal Scotchies for a soft and chewy center.
Storage
- These Oatmeal Scotchies are softest on days 1–2 but last up to a week.
- Freeze dough balls and bake from frozen—just add a few extra minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
- Gingersnap Cookies perfectly spiced
- Magic Cookie Bars with M&Ms, caramel, and chocolate
- Brown Sugar Cookies with a crisp sugar coating
- Animal Circus Cookies with cream cheese frosting
- Avalanche Cookies no baking required!
Oatmeal Scotchies
Oatmeal Scotchies are thick, chewy, and packed with caramel flavors, cinnamon spice, butterscotch chips, and crushed toffee. Delicious!
Equipment
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses see note 1
- 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats not quick oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1 cup all-purpose flour see note 2
- 3/4 cup butterscotch baking chips divided
- 1/2 cup toffee bits optional, see note 3
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a very large, microwave-safe bowl and set aside for 5–10 minutes to return to room temperature. It’s important that the butter isn’t hot when you add the sugar or it will melt the sugar and make the cookies greasy.
- Once butter is cooled back to room temperature, stir in the light brown and dark brown sugar. Whisk until well combined (about 1 minute). Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses, scraping every bit of molasses out of the measuring cup into the dough. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Add oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and optional cinnamon. Mix well. Stir in the flour and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Gently stir in 1/2 cup (91g) butterscotch chips and toffee bits.
- Cover the bowl tightly and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a pan with parchment paper or use a nonstick liner.
- Roll large balls of dough, a leveled 2 tablespoons in size (40g). You should get about 20–22 cookies. Place 6–8 cookie balls on the prepared sheet pan to give the cookies plenty of room to spread. Chill the tray of cookies in the fridge for 5–10 minutes. (The dough gets warmed being handled.)
- Bake for 9–14 minutes, erring on the side of underbaking, which keeps them soft and chewy (I like them right at 10 minutes). The cookies will continue to slightly bake out of the oven, so take them out as soon as the edges start to lightly brown.
- Optional: Within 1–2 minutes of pulling the tray out of the oven, add the remaining 1/4 cup butterscotch chips onto the tops of the cookies. This ensures even placement of chocolate and also makes them look pretty. Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Repeat, baking remaining dough balls until all cookies are baked.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Use dark molasses (sometimes labeled as “robust” or “full-flavored”). I have tested these cookies with Grandma’s®. In a pinch, use pure maple syrup.
Note 2: If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour and scoop, you will pack in way too much flour, resulting in the wrong texture of cookie. To accurately measure the flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until it’s overfilled. Then level it off using the back of a kitchen knife. (Video visual here).
Note 3: I love adding milk chocolate English toffee bits for a bit of extra sweetness, but it’s uncommon in Oatmeal Scotchies recipes. If you’re not a fan of sweet cookies, leave it out with no additions or changes.
Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, though they lose texture and flavor over time. They’re best on days 1 and 2.
Freezing dough: While freezing baked cookies works okay (there is some texture loss), I prefer to freeze the dough. Place dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer frozen dough balls to an airtight container/bag separated by parchment paper; freeze up to 3 months. You can bake straight from the freezer; just add 1–3 minutes to the cooking time (or thaw in the fridge and bake according to directions).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are absolutely amazing! The best Oatmeal Scotchies I have ever had. I made them with gluten free flour (better batter or cup 4 cup) and they turned out great! The toffee bits and molasses are total game changers for so much flavor. Your instructions and notes are super easy to follow and helpful. Thank you!!!
I am thrilled to hear this! Thanks Michelle! 🙂
sorry just saw this now will be making this soon can i use coconut oil and flax eggs instead as am a vegan i never had oatmeal scotchies before perfect for my office snacks will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hope you love them!