Oatmeal Scotchies Recipe | The Recipe Critic
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The oatmeal scotchis are sweet and nutty, with bursts of melted caramel in every bite. This twist on a classic oatmeal cookie recipe is one you’ll want to come back to again and again!
A simple box of rolled oats can make the BEST desserts. They add a delicious texture and nutty flavor. Try the oatmeal cake, peanut butter bars or carmelitas and see for yourself!

Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies
Oatmeal scotchis are like the rebel cousin of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They’re edgy, they’re daring, and they’re not afraid to mix things up. Instead of the standard chocolate chips, these bad boys are sprinkled with butterscotch bits that add a sweet, creamy, and slightly nutty flavor to the mix. If you’ve never tried them before, then you’re in for a treat!
But it’s not just the taste that sets oatmeal scotchi apart, it’s also the texture. They’re chewy, they’re hearty, and they’re filled with oats which give them a bit of crunch. And because butterscotch chips are slightly softer than chocolate chips, they melt into the batter in a way that creates little pockets of gooey goodness. They are super easy to make and only take 10 minutes to bake. So let’s get started!
Ingredients needed
Prepare to be surprised by the simplicity of oatmeal Scotch! With just a handful of common pantry ingredients like butter, sugar, oats and toffee chips, these cookies prove you don’t need a complicated recipe to create a delicious treat. Looking for measurements? They are below in the recipe card.
- light brown sugar: This sweet, caramel-flavored sugar helps give cookies their signature butterscotch flavor and chewy texture. You can also use dark brown sugar instead, but this will slightly change the flavor of the cookies.
- Granulated sugar: The granulated sugar adds sweetness and also helps give the cookies a slightly crispy exterior.
- Butter without salt: Makes cookies rich, buttery and chewy!
- Eggs: The eggs act as a binder, holding the dough together and giving the cookies a light texture.
- Vanilla extract: Just a touch of vanilla extract adds a warm, sweet flavor that enhances the butterscotch and oatmeal flavors.
- Oatmeal: These rolled oats are thinner than traditional rolled oats, which helps them cook faster and gives the cookies a more even texture.
- Baking powder and baking soda: You need both to help the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt: A little salt helps balance the sweetness and enhances the flavor of all the other ingredients.
- All purpose flour: Gives structure to your oatmeal scotchies.
- Butterscotch Chips: The VIP of the ingredient list! These sweet and creamy chips add a rich, buttery flavor to cookies that sets them apart from traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. You will love them!
How to make oatmeal scotchies
It’s super easy, as easy as making pre-made cookies! Gather your ingredients, mix them together, then put your scotchies in the oven. The hardest part is waiting for them to be finished, even if it only takes 10 minutes!
- Preheat the oven, prepare the baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix butter and sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the two sugars with the butter until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Flour mix: In another bowl, combine rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Whisk to combine.
- Combine: Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Fold in the caramel chips by hand.
- Bake: Roll out golf ball sized balls of dough and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid overcooking; lightly undercooked cookies make the best chewy cookies!
- Enjoy: Cool on a rack and serve.

Tips for making the best oatmeal butterscotch cookies
Oatmeal scotchis are pretty simple to make, but here are some of my favorite tips to keep in mind to make it perfect.
- Measure the flour correctly: If you squeeze a measuring cup into a bag of flour, you’ll pack way too much flour (resulting in cake-like cookies with the wrong texture). To measure your flour correctly, pour flour into the measuring cup until it is overfilled. Then use the back of a butter knife to level the measuring cup at the top. You will have a perfect measure of flour now!
- Use room temperature eggs: This ensures that the eggs disperse more evenly throughout the batter, giving these cookies a lighter texture (eggs trap air). Soaking chilled eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes is a quick way to do this. Otherwise, take the eggs out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before use.
- Use real butter and beat it with the sugar: Butter gives body, texture and flavor to these cookies. By beating it with the sugars at first, you fluff the butter with air, giving the cookies that perfect base for a nice texture.
- Slightly undercooked: If you overbake these cookies, you’ll lose their soft, chewy texture and you’ll end up with a hard, crispy oatmeal cookie instead. Watch them carefully and as soon as the tops are no longer shiny, take them out!
Storing leftovers
Every time I make these cookies they always fly off the table. Be sure to catch a few for yourself (hide them if you must!) and use these tips to keep them nice and fresh.
- At room temperature: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
- Freezing Leftover Dough: Cookie dough can be portioned, added to a parchment lined baking sheet and frozen. Once frozen, they can be removed from the baking sheet and placed in a freezer ziplock bag. Remove from the freezer and cook as much as desired according to the instructions. They may need an additional 1-2 minutes of cooking time.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the two sugars with the butter until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In another bowl, combine rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Fold in the caramel chips by hand.
Roll out golf ball sized balls of dough and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid overcooking; lightly undercooked cookies make the best chewy cookies!
Serves: 24
calories265calories (13%)Carbohydrates44g (15%)Protein3g (6%)Fat9g (14%)Saturated fat5g (25%)Polyunsaturated fats1gMonounsaturated fat2gtrans fat0.3gCholesterol35mg (12%)Sodium159mg (7%)Potassium78mg (2%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar29g (32%)Vitamin A270UI (5%)Calcium25mg (3%)Iron1mg (6%)
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and serving sizes per household.