These oatmeal scotchies have lightly crisp edges, soft and chewy centers, and sweet butterscotch morsels in every bite. Brown sugar, a touch of molasses, and cinnamon give these hearty oatmeal cookies their cozy, old-fashioned flavor. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the perfect finishing touch.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since updated it with new photos, recipe improvements, and additional success tips.
If you love oatmeal cookies and butterscotch, this combination is hard to beat. Thereโs plenty of texture from old-fashioned oats, cinnamon in every bite, and sweet butterscotch tucked into all those buttery, chewy centers.
Over the years, some readers reported that their cookies spread too much or tasted greasy. My team and I revisited the recipe over the past several weeks, testing adjustments to the flour, sugar, butterscotch morsels, and chilling time. The updated recipe uses more flour, a little less granulated sugar, and fewer butterscotch morsels, plus a full 2-hour chill.
We took a similar approach when retesting these butterscotch blondies. Butterscotch morsels contribute sweetness and fat of their own, so getting the balance right takes extra care. These adjustments help the cookies hold their shape while keeping the soft, chewy texture and butterscotch flavor we love.
Why Youโll Love These Oatmeal Scotchies
- Soft and chewy centers with lightly crisp edges
- Old-fashioned oats for hearty texture
- Brown sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of molasses for extra flavor
- Butterscotch morsels in every bite
- Dough you can prep ahead and freeze
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
Each ingredient plays a part in the flavor and texture of these cookies. Here are a few to pay particular attention to:
- All-purpose flour: The updated recipe uses 2 cups (250g) to give the cookies more structure and help control spreading. Spoon and level your flour, or use a kitchen scale.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature. It should still feel cool to the touch and give slightly when pressed. If itโs shiny, greasy, or beginning to melt, itโs too warm.
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds flavor and moisture for chewy centers. A smaller amount of granulated sugarโ1/3 cup (67g)โhelps give the edges a little crispness. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Molasses: Just 1 Tablespoon deepens the brown sugar flavor and gives these cookies that familiar old-fashioned oatmeal cookie taste. I add the same in these oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Old-fashioned whole rolled oats: Use these for the hearty, chewy texture that makes oatmeal cookies so satisfying. Skip the quick or instant oats.
- Butterscotch morsels: You need 1 and 1/2 cups (270g). Thereโs still plenty of butterscotch in every cookie, and this amount keeps the sweetness in balance.
- Flaky sea salt: Optional, but a little on top is especially good with the sweet butterscotch. I usually use Maldon sea salt.
You’ll also need baking soda, salt, cinnamon, eggs, and vanilla. All basic baking ingredients.
A Note About the Molasses
You only need 1 Tablespoon of molasses, but it makes a difference! It complements the brown sugar and cinnamon without making the cookies taste like molasses cookies.
Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap, which is too bitter and intense for these cookies. If you donโt have molasses, you can leave it out, though youโll lose a little of that deeper flavor.
Why Use Old-Fashioned Oats?
Old-fashioned whole rolled oats give these cookies the best texture. Their larger flakes stay pleasantly chewy and give the cookies plenty of substance.
Quick oats are cut into smaller pieces and absorb moisture differently, which changes the dough and finished texture. For results consistent with the tested recipe, stick with old-fashioned oats.
This Is a Thick, Sticky Cookie Dough
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then use a mixer to cream the butter and sugars before beating in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then mix in the oats and butterscotch morsels. The dough will be thick and sticky and needs to chill for at least 2 hours before shaping and baking.
Why Do You Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Chilling helps prevent excessive spreading. It firms up the butter and gives the flour and oats time to absorb moisture, helping the cookies bake up thicker and chewier.
The updated recipe needs at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Even if the dough seems thick enough to scoop right after mixing, give it the full chilling time.
Starting with properly softened room temperature butter matters, too. Chilling is important, but so is avoiding overly warm butter when you mix the dough.
Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie (40โ45g each). Arrange on lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between them. Bake until the edges are lightly browned. It’s ok if the centers still look pretty soft.
Can I Use Different Add-ins?
Absolutely. Keep the total amount of add-ins to 1 and 1/2 cups. A combination of butterscotch morsels and semi-sweet chocolate chips is especially good if you like a little chocolate with your oatmeal cookies. Other options:
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- White chocolate chips
- M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces (or try these monster cookies!)
- Raisins or dried cranberries
- Toffee bits
5 Oatmeal Scotchies Success Tips
- Measure carefully. The balance of flour, sugar, and morsels matters, especially in a cookie that previously had issues with spreading.
- Watch the butterโs temperature. Softened butter should still feel cool, with no melted or greasy spots. For more information, see details about proper room temperature butter in baking.
- Give the dough the full 2-hour chill. This is part of the recipe, not an optional step!
- Use cool baking sheets. This is a good general rule of thumb for any cookie recipe. Placing dough on a hot baking sheet can cause the cookies to start spreading before they reach the oven. Make sure they are cool.
- Donโt overbake. Look for lightly browned edges and centers that still appear soft. Let the cookies finish setting on the baking sheet as they cool.
And if you love a salty-sweet cookie, donโt forget that little sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes dough chilling)
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 32-36 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft & chewy oatmeal scotchies cookies are loaded with butterscotch chips in every bite. The centers are chewy and soft, the edges are crisp, and every bite is buttery delicious. Do not skip the cookie dough chilling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (21g/15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) butterscotch morsels
- optional: flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Add the oats and butterscotch morsels and beat until combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop cookie dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie (40โ45g each), and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, if using.
- Bake for 13โ15 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more butterscotch morsels into the topsโthis is only for looks!
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the dough is too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then continue with step 5. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here are my tips and tricks for how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Large Cookie Scoopย | Cooling Rack | Flaky Sea Salt
- Molasses: 1 Tablespoon of molasses helps give these cookies incredible flavor. Be sure to use unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand). If you don’t have any, simply leave it out. Do not replace with anything else.
- Brown Sugar: I prefer using dark brown sugar in oatmeal scotchies.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
- Updated in 2026: We updated this recipe based on reader feedback, and our own experiences over the years. Some readers reported excessive spreading and greasy-tasting cookies. We increased the flour, reduced the granulated sugar and butterscotch morsels, and extended the chilling time to help the cookies hold their shape. If you prefer the original version, use 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, and 2 cups (360g) butterscotch morsels. The original minimum chilling time was 45 minutes. All other ingredient amounts remain the same.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hello, would it be fine to scoop the dough into balls then chill in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Lola, the dough can be pretty thick and sticky, which is why we chill it first, but if you donโt mind that you can certainly try scooping and then chilling. Hope you love the cookies!
Sally, I accidentally bought (and used) blackstrap. Is my dough ruined?
Hi D, the flavor of blackstrap molasses is more dark and intense, but some bakers like the taste – we would definitely still bake it up to see how you like it!
They were excellent. I made them with my grandson (4). I divided the dough into 3 and gave him some to take home to bake with his Mom and Dad, some to my daughter and kept the last batch for myself. I got 14 cookies out of mine and they were huge lol. Would be soooo good as an ice cream sandwich. Definitely will make again. Had no issues with spreading. I left mine in the fridge for 3 hours and I would say each ball was about the size of a golf ball.
Can I substitute raisins for the butterscotch chips?
Absolutely! Or here’s our oatmeal raisin cookies recipe.
These are the best cookies Iโve ever made. Perfect texture, chewy, and full of flavor.
Can you substitute with whole wheat flour, and then would you recommend using less?
Hi Annie, we don’t recommend it, because the cookies would be very dense and have a heartier flavor.
Could you substitute the molasses with honey?!
Hi Pamela, If you donโt have any molasses, simply leave it out. Do not replace with anything else.
Can I bake these all in a cookie sheet as a pan cookies
Hi Holley, you can turn this cookie recipe into a cookie bar recipe! This cookie dough should fit into a 9ร13-inch baking pan or for much thicker cookie bars, use a 9-inch square pan. Same temperature, weโre unsure of the exact bake time though. Hope you enjoy them!
I have a full bag of butterscotch chips and about a half bag of chocolate chips. Could I add the chocolates to the butterscotch chips so I can use up the chocolate chips? Thank you.
Yes, absolutely.
Could these oatmeal scotchies be made as a bar cookie, if so what changes would have to be made to the recipe?
Hi Ric, you can turn this cookie recipe into a cookie bar recipe! This cookie dough should fit into a 9ร13 inch baking pan or for much thicker cookie bars, use a 9ร9 inch. Same temperature, weโre unsure of the exact bake time though. Hope you enjoy them!
Can you leave the molasses out, are is it very important for this oatmeal recipe?!
You can leave it out, yes.
Hi Sally! I have had such wonderful success baking your recipes. I want to make these but would like to bake it in a 9 x 13 pan and cut into bars. Do I still need to chill the dough to bake them in a pan instead of individual cookies? Thank you !!
Hi Lisa – no need to chill the dough to bake as bars! Enjoy!