Delish Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

These are the cookies I make when I need cheering up or when the neighbors text “you baking today?” and I don’t have the energy for anything fussy. Think chewy middles, caramel-crisp edges, and those sweet little pops of butterscotch and toffee in every bite. They’re buttery without being greasy, sweet without knocking you over, and just salty enough to keep you coming back for another. Also: no mixer if you don’t want to. A whisk, a bowl, and a half hour to chill the dough is pretty much it.

My husband calls these bribe cookies. He’s not wrong. I sent a batch to work once and he came home with a new rake, a borrowed ladder, and a neighbor willing to dog-sit. Our kiddo dunks them in milk until the glass looks like a snow globe. On road trips, we wrap two with a smear of peanut butter and call it lunch. I once stashed the last three in the freezer behind the frozen peas and somehow they still found them. So yes, they’re a staple, and yes, I’m hiding a fresh bag of toffee bits as we speak.

How to Make It

Melt a cup of unsalted butter and let it cool till it’s warm but not hot to the touch. Whisk in 1 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar till it looks like wet sand that got fancy. Add 1 large egg plus 1 extra yolk (trust me on the yolk—chewiness!), and a good 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss the dry into the wet and stir just until the flour disappears. No need to overachieve—overmixing makes tough cookies and we are not those people.

Fold in 1 cup butterscotch chips and 1 cup toffee bits. If you’re a nut person, 1/2 cup chopped pecans is dreamy. Scoop the dough into golf-ball-ish scoops (about 2 tablespoons), tuck a few extra chips on top if you’re extra, and pop the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes so they don’t pancake in the oven.

Bake at 350°F on a lined sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, just till the edges set and the centers still look a little puffy and pale. The magic happens while they cool. Hit them with a tiny sprinkle of flaky salt if you’re into contrast. Yield’s around 22–24 cookies, depending on how generous your scoops are and whether you “sampled” the dough. I see you.

✔Ingredient Notes

This module dynamically pulls in recipe-specific ingredients. Follow this exact bullet styling (HTML bold labels only).
– Unsalted butter: Melt it, then cool it so it’s not hot—warm butter melts sugar nicely without scrambling your eggs. Brown it for a nuttier vibe if you’re feeling fancy.
– Brown sugar: Moisture and chew. Light brown keeps it mellow; dark brown leans deeper caramel. Both work.
– Granulated sugar: Helps the edges get that delicate crisp. Skipping it makes a cakier cookie—not bad, just different.
– Egg + extra yolk: The yolk is chew insurance. If you skip it, you’ll still get cookies, just less plush.
– Vanilla extract: Real deal if you can. I’ve used paste, too—those little specks make me feel like I have my life together.
– All-purpose flour: Classic structure. Weigh if you can; too much flour = dry, puffy domes. Aim for about 280g.
– Cornstarch: Secret soft factor. A teaspoon or two is all you need to keep centers tender.
– Baking soda: Lift and spread control. If your box is ancient, your cookies will sulk—use fresh.
– Kosher salt: Balances the sweet. I add a pinch of flaky salt on top because I’m dramatic like that.
– Butterscotch chips: Sweet, buttery pops. They can scorch if exposed, so tuck extras into the dough, not just on top.
– Toffee bits: Little caramel crunch. The baking aisle ones are perfect; chocolate-coated toffee works too but changes the vibe.
– Pecans (optional): Toast first if you can. If nuts are a no-go, skip without worry.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Melt butter and cool until just warm to the touch.
2. Whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy and combined.
3. Whisk in egg, extra yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then fold into wet ingredients just until combined.
5. Fold in butterscotch chips, toffee bits, and optional pecans; scoop 2-tablespoon balls and chill 30 minutes.
6. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone; cool on the sheet 5 minutes before moving to a rack.

What to Serve It With

– A cold glass of milk or a creamy oat milk if that’s your lane.
– Hot coffee with a splash of cream—dunking highly encouraged.
– Vanilla ice cream for quick cookie sundaes.
– A salty snack board—pretzels plus these cookies is chaotic good.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Chill the dough. I know, I know—but it keeps the cookies thick and chewy instead of spreading into frisbees.
– Don’t overbake. Pull them when the centers still look a little soft; they’ll finish on the sheet.
– Use fresh baking soda. If your cookies bake up flat and sad, that’s suspect number one.
– Weigh your flour if possible. Too much flour equals dry cookies; too little equals puddles.
– Save a few chips for the tops. It makes them look bakery-fancy with zero extra skill.
– Rotate the pan halfway if your oven has hot spots. The back row always misbehaves.

✔Storage Tips

Room temp: Keep cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days. Toss in a slice of bread if they start to feel tired—works like a charm.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months; thaw on the counter or warm 3–4 minutes at 300°F. Freeze dough balls on a sheet, then bag—bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.
Cold cookies for breakfast? No judgment. They’re oddly perfect with black coffee straight from the fridge.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap butterscotch chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips if that’s what’s in the pantry.
– Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon for cozy fall vibes, or a pinch of espresso powder to tame the sweetness.
– Use dark brown sugar for deeper caramel notes; cut granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons if you want slightly less sweet.
– Gluten-free: Use a good 1:1 baking blend with xanthan gum; chill a bit longer for best structure.
– Nut-free: Skip the pecans and add extra toffee or a handful of crushed pretzels for salty crunch.
– Dairy-free: Use plant butter sticks and dairy-free chips; texture stays great, just watch spread and chill well.

Frequently Asked Questions