Butterscotch Cookies

Which Recipe?

My sister was in town. “Which recipe shall we test while you’re here?” I asked, and we spent the next little while reminiscing about coming home from school to find Grandma’s warm cookies on the counter and the smell of fresh baking in the air. 

My sister has more of those memories than I do because she was just five years old when Grandma moved in with us. I was 14, but one particular treat stood out to both me and my sister--Butterscotch Cookies. Even just saying the name made our mouths water, and we decided it would be the one we would test. 

We pulled out the recipe card, started gathering ingredients, and saw that shortening was first on the list. Ironic isn’t it that shortening would be a main ingredient for butterscotch cookies?  That’s when we decided to do a true test. We would make two batches, one that followed the recipe exactly and another with butter as the base.  

How to make Butterscotch Cookies

Making side-by-side batches called for two mixers, which meant we also ended up testing KitchenAid vs. Bosch. Which machine would cream the fat and the sugar faster? Ready, set, go!

Bosch won that race. There was a texture difference in the creamed mixture as well. The shortening version was drier, not quite as creamy, but that seems typical for shortening. 

We added the rest of the wet ingredients, and both machines created a smooth and fluffy mixture. The butter version did seem soupier, which was a little concerning, but we carried on. 

Once the dry ingredients were added, the dough stiffened up into something much more like cookie dough. 

Each batch received the same amount of pecans, but now I wish we’d toasted some of them first. I have a feeling that toasting the nuts would have elevated the taste of these cookies even more, but that will have to be for next time. 

We weren’t sure whether the cookie sheet was supposed to be greased or ungreased, so we avoided that dilemma by using these silicone liners. Parchment paper came out when we needed one more pan. We scooped the dough onto the lined pans using a medium scoop, and they were ready to go into the oven. 

The question was, at what temperature? And for how long? Neither of these essential pieces of information was written on the card. 

Our solution was to bake one pan of each batch at 350 degrees and the other at 375. We checked for doneness at eight minutes, but the cookies were very much underdone. Twelve minutes ended up being the perfect time in my 350-degree oven.

As for 375, the outside edges of the cookies started to turn crispy long before the inside was done. Our conclusion: 350 is the right temperature for this recipe.   

Once the first batches came out of the oven, it was clear that the butter-based cookies spread more than their shortening-based counterparts. Below, they are pictured on the same cooling rack, with the shortening-based cookies at the top. As you can see, they remained rounded and full while the butter-based cookies flattened out. Still, they didn't spread as much as we'd feared. 

The next question was the taste. We decided to sample one of each batch before the next step.

 Of course, the butter-based cookies were superior. However, the shortening cookies were not far behind in flavor, probably because of all the brown sugar they contained. And the best was yet to come--the icing on the cake. Or, rather, the cookie.  

We’re talking browned butter icing, which really brings the butterscotch flavor to these cookies. If you haven’t seen the post where I wax eloquent about my love for browned butter, you can read it here. This cookie is where that love was born. 

How to Brown Butter

Remember, when browning butter, you will see it melt, bubble loudly, and then foam. Keep an eye on it as it goes through all these stages. I swirl my pan on the burner as it does and start looking for the browned bits when the foaming begins to subside. It should smell deliciously toasty, not burnt, and be, as Grandma says on her recipe card, “nut brown.”

See the lovely browned butter below? I recommend that you add the powdered sugar to it first and then add the vanilla and water, a tablespoon at a time. Don't do it the other way around. 

You’re trying to reach a fairly thin, spreadable consistency because a thick layer of this browned butter deliciousness is not necessary. Even a light slather is enough to transform this cookie into one your children or grandchildren will remember for years to come. 

Both my sister and I will testify to that fact, and we happily present you with one of our favorite cookies in Grandma’s box. Just click on the link below the card to download, print, and test it out for yourself. Do yourself a favor: Use butter, toast your pecans, and let me know what you think of Grandma’s Butterscotch Cookies.