Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies
If you love the comforting flavor of oatmeal cookies but want something with a sweet, buttery twist, these Oatmeal Scotchies are the cookies for you. Packed with hearty oats, warm spices, and creamy butterscotch chips, they’re soft, chewy, and perfectly flavored in every bite.
Even if you’re not usually a butterscotch fan, you might find yourself sneaking a few extra from the cookie jar — just like my husband did! These cookies are easy to make, require no chilling time, and are the perfect treat for both everyday baking and special occasions.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy texture: The combination of butter, sugar, and oats gives these cookies the ideal chewy bite.
- Full of flavor: Butterscotch chips add a rich, caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with oats and spices.
- Simple and quick: No chilling or complicated steps — just mix, bake, and enjoy!
- Perfect for gifting or freezing: These cookies keep well and make a great homemade gift.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
- Sugar: A blend of white sugar and light brown sugar gives the perfect balance of sweetness and chewiness.
- Eggs: Two large eggs, ideally at room temperature, help bind and enrich the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor and aroma of the cookies.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and stay soft.
- Spices: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice bring cozy warmth. You can use only cinnamon or adjust the spice level to your taste.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best for this recipe.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats provide texture and heartiness.
- Butterscotch Chips: The star ingredient that gives these cookies their signature buttery sweetness.
How to Make Oatmeal Scotchies
Step 1 – Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together 1 cup softened butter, ¾ cup white sugar, and ¾ cup light brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Step 3 – Add the Wet Ingredients
Mix in 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this stage, but that’s perfectly fine — it will come together once the dry ingredients are added.
Step 4 – Add Dry Ingredients
Beat in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Then add 2½ cups all-purpose flour and mix until just combined.
Step 5 – Add Oats and Butterscotch Chips
Stir in 2½ cups old-fashioned oats and an 11-ounce bag of butterscotch chips until evenly distributed. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky.
Step 6 – Scoop and Bake
Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough, placing cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set.
Step 7 – Cool and Enjoy
Let the cookies cool for 1–2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Perfect Oatmeal Scotchies
- For a prettier presentation, press a few extra butterscotch chips onto the tops of the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Don’t overbake — remove them when the centers still look slightly soft; they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- To keep cookies soft longer, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a small piece of apple.
- These cookies freeze beautifully! Store baked cookies or unbaked dough balls in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To freeze, layer cookies with parchment paper in an airtight container and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 11 oz bag butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined.
- Stir in baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add flour and mix just until combined. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips.
- Scoop dough onto prepared sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Final Thoughts
These Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies are the kind of cookies that bring instant comfort — sweet, aromatic, and loaded with that irresistible butterscotch flavor. Whether you’re baking them for a family treat, a bake sale, or simply to enjoy with a warm drink, they’re sure to disappear fast!