Butterscotch Cookies

This cookie recipe uses cream cheese and instant butterscotch pudding mix to create a soft, chewy texture with rich sweetness. Perfect for holidays, parties, or anytime you need a fast treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword butterscotch, butterscotch cookies, cream cheese cookies

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings cookies

Calories 129kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)
8 ounces cream cheese
.75 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2.25 cups flour (sprouted spelt flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
.50 teaspoon salt
3.4 ounces butterscotch pudding mix (1 package)
1 cup butterscotch chips (1/2 cup to 1 cup - I enjoy it both ways)

Optional for Dribbles

.50 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (for drizzle)
.50 cup white chocolate chips (for drizzle)
2 teaspoons butter (divided)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place butter, cream cheese and sugar in your stand mixer bowl. Mix until combined and creamy.
1 cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, .75 cup sugar
Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add flour, baking soda, salt and butterscotch pudding mix and mix until combined. Be careful not to over mix.
2.25 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, .50 teaspoon salt, 3.4 ounces butterscotch pudding mix
Stir in the butterscotch chips.
1 cup butterscotch chips
Take a cookie scoop and place each batter ball on the cookie sheets. (see notes about the different sizes.)
Bake for 15 - 17 minutes. Check after 15 minutes. The cookies should be slightly browned around the edges and a little soft to the touch.
Let cookies sit for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Optional

Add white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate to two separate small saucepans. Turn the heat under the pans to low and slowly melt the chocolates. I add 1 teaspoon of butter to each pan to make the chocolate really creamy.
.50 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, .50 cup white chocolate chips, 2 teaspoons butter
Spoon the melted chocolate each in its own plastic sandwich bag and cut a corner off the bag and squeeze out the chocolate over the cookie in whatever shape you like. I just did strips

Notes

Helpful tips

Take the butter out about an hour before baking, so it reaches room temperature. If you’re short on time, unwrap it, slice it into pats, and place them directly in the mixing bowl to speed things up.
No need to soften the cream cheese ahead of time — it’s already soft right out of the fridge.
Mix the dough just until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of soft and tender.
I used two different cookie scoop sizes for variety. Check out the photo below to see how each size bakes up.
I like to drizzle dark or white chocolate (or both!) over some of the cookies, because chocolate pairs beautifully with butterscotch. Christopher disagrees, so consider this step optional if you have a purist in your house.
These cookies freeze beautifully. Store them flat in an airtight container (a gallon zip-top bag works great). Pull out one or two at a time to enjoy — they’ll last longer and won’t tempt you if they’re not sitting in the cookie jar.

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