These cookies come out with crisp golden edges and soft, chewy centres packed with both melty chocolate and sweet butterscotch chips. The hearty oats and a hint of cinnamon add warmth and homey comfort.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love how the edges turn golden-crisp while the centres stay soft and slightly gooey—exactly how I want a cookie to behave. The combination of butterscotch and semi-sweet chocolate chips gives a rich sweetness balanced by the oats and a touch of cinnamon. I also like that most of the ingredients are everyday pantry items, so I can pull this together quickly, and it always seems to be a hit no matter who I serve it to.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of Ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened
¾ cup (159 g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
¾ cup (159 g) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (249 g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (300 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet (or milk or bittersweet) chocolate chips
1 cup (170 g) butterscotch chips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
Fold in the oats, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips until evenly distributed.
Using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (or a medium cookie scoop), drop rounded dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centres are set but still soft—avoid overbaking because the cookies continue to firm up as they cool.
Remove from oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Servings And Timing
Yield: Approximately 36 cookies.
Prep Time: About 15 minutes.
Cook Time: Around 12 minutes per batch.
Total Time: Around 27 minutes (not including optional chilling of dough).
Variations
Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
Swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips for a sweeter twist.
Stir in ½ cup shredded coconut for additional chew and a tropical hint.
Substitute part of the brown sugar with maple syrup for a deeper caramel-like flavour.
Add ½ teaspoon nutmeg or all-spice for a holiday-spiced version.
Storage/Reheating
I store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, I freeze the baked cookies or the un-baked dough balls: for dough, I scoop the balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen dough, I add 1-2 minutes to the bake time. To reheat baked cookies, I warm them in the oven at 300 °F (≈150 °C) for about 3 minutes, or microwave for ~10 seconds for that fresh-out-of-oven feel.
FAQs
How do I make these cookies extra chewy?
I find that using more brown sugar relative to white sugar helps chewiness, and taking them out of the oven when the centres are still just set (rather than fully firm) keeps them soft as they finish on the baking sheet.
Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats?
Yes, though I’ve found quick oats absorb more moisture and can lead to a softer, less chewy texture. Using old-fashioned rolled oats gives a better chew and structure.
My cookies spread too much — how can I prevent that?
If the butter is too soft or warm when you mix, or if the dough is very warm before baking, cookies may spread excessively. To control spreading I chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes (or longer) before baking and make sure the dough is not too warm.
Can I skip the cinnamon or change spices?
Absolutely. The cinnamon adds a warm background flavour that I like, but it’s optional. You could omit it or swap for ½ teaspoon nutmeg or all-spice for a different twist.
Can I make these cookies ahead of time and freeze them?
Yes — you can freeze both the dough and the finished cookies. For dough, scoop into balls and freeze in a bag; when ready, bake directly from frozen (adding a minute or two). For baked cookies, freeze in an airtight container and thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.
Conclusion
I believe these oatmeal butterscotch chocolate chip cookies bring together everything I want in a homemade treat—sweetness, chewiness, rich flavour and simple ingredients. Each bite has the warm, comforting notes of oats and cinnamon, the buttery sweetness of butterscotch, and the melty goodness of chocolate. Whether I’m baking for family, friends or simply treating myself, this recipe has quickly become one I return to again and again.
Crispy-edged, chewy-centred oatmeal cookies packed with melty chocolate chips and sweet butterscotch chips, with warm notes of cinnamon for a comforting treat.
Total Time:27 minutes
Yield:36 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened
¾ cup (159 g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
¾ cup (159 g) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (249 g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (300 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (170 g) butterscotch chips
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon (if using).
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
Fold in the oats, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips evenly.
Drop rounded tablespoons (or use a medium cookie scoop) of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden and centres are set but soft.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chilling dough for 30 minutes helps prevent excessive spreading.
Cookies continue to firm up after removing from the oven, so avoid overbaking.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
You can use white chocolate chips or add nuts/coconut for variations.
