Homemade Oatmeal Scotchies

Classic chewy homemade oatmeal scotchies made soft with oatmeal and studded with butterscotch chips.

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I always thought oatmeal scotchies were like chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal added, but my sister corrected the error of my ways, telling me they are oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips added. Since they are her favorite cookie, she probably knows what she’s talking about. They really do taste better her way. The addition of the cinnamon and cloves highlights the buttery notes of the butterscotch.

Why do they call it butterscotch?

Butterscotch is typically made from butter and brown sugar. It is traditionally a hard candy (think Grandma’s purse during church) but is excellent as a flavor for pudding and even better as baking chips.

Butterscotch differs from caramel because it uses brown sugar rather white sugar. The brown sugar adds notes of complexity because of the molasses added back in after refining. Caramel also typically contains milk or cream, where butterscotch does not.

The butter part of the name is pretty clear, but it seems to be a little fuzzy where the scotch part comes from. Some people contend that butterscotch comes from Scotland (hence the scotch) where others think it’s because the candy is cooked at such a high temperature the sugar is “scorched”

Either way, makes for a tasty tasty treat.

Can you freeze oatmeal scotchies?

Yep! Oatmeal scotchies freeze great whether they are just baked or if you want to freeze the dough for later.

To Freeze Cookie Dough:

• Mix cookie dough according to the recipe.
• Scoop cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. They can be close together since we aren’t baking it.
• Place cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to “flash freeze” dough balls.
• Place frozen cookie dough balls into freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
• To bake, remove from freezer. Place dough balls on baking sheet at least 4 fingers apart from each other. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. (Baking time will be longer because dough is frozen).

To Freeze Baked Cookies:

• Mix cookie dough and bake according to recipe.
• Allow to cool completely
• Place baked, cooled cookies in a freezer safe container, place a piece of parchment or wax paper between each layer of cookies.
• To thaw, remove from freezer. You can thaw them quickly by placing them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 2 minutes.

Why are my oatmeal cookies flat?

There is nothing more frustrating than having your supposedly thick chewy cookies flatten out far more than they are supposed to. The main reason that cookies flatten out when they bake is the type of fat that is used.

We are using all butter in these oatmeal scotchies because butter has superior flavor to other types of fat (think shortening). However, butter also spreads more than shortening in a cookie recipe, particularly if it’s too warm. Remember, softened butter means 65-67 degrees (or soft enough to press your finger into but not smush the butter). If your butter is too warm, simply chill your finished cookie dough in the fridge for an hour before baking.

Forget to get your butter out? Here is how you can soften your butter quickly!

I always think that oatmeal makes the nicest, chewiest cookies. If you are also a fan of oatmeal, you might want to try these Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies or maybe these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

To make things a little easier in the kitchen, I’ve created a handy printable conversion chart (cause honestly, who can remember how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?). Sign up below and I’ll send it to you!

Happy Baking!

Sources:

Food52

Spoon University

Brittanica.com