Butterscotch "Salty Oat" Cookies Recipe

By
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold is a literary agent, author, blogger, and recipe developer who has contributed an extensive number of baking and candy recipes to Serious Eats. 
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Updated Apr. 24, 2019
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Alexandra Penfold

The crunchy salt crystals on top of a salty oat cookie really makes them special. Butterscotch chips lend an extra bit of sweetness and cinnamon gives them a hint of spice. They may not be your grandma's oatmeal cookie, but I think that she'd approve.

This recipe is adapted from Erin's 2011 cookie swap recipe.

Recipe Facts

5

(2)

Active: 30 mins
Total: 3 hrs
Serves: 24 servings

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Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups (9 1/8 ounces) old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (6 ounces) dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 11 ounces butterscotch chips
  • Fleur de sel

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl whisk together oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in egg until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in butterscotch chips.

  3. Cover bowl with the dough with plastic wrap. Chill dough in refrigerator at least two hours and up to overnight.

  4. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 375° F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball and dip it into a shallow bowl of Fleur de sel or Kosher salt, so the coarse salt sits atop the ball. Place on cookie sheet, salty side up, leaving a couple of inches of space between the dough balls. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Special equipment

electric stand mixer, baking sheets, parchment paper

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