Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies - Soft and chewy gluten-free butterscotch cookies made with brown butter, packed with gluten-free oats, and loads of butterscotch morsels in every bite.
Oatmeal scotchies, also known as oatmeal butterscotch cookies, are perfect to serve year-round. Remember those butterscotch pudding cups you use to eat as a kid? That’s exactly what these cookies taste like, but even better!
This recipe is made with brown butter which gives these cookies a delicious caramel-like flavor. Loaded with butterscotch morsels in every bite, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Looking for more brown butter cookie recipes? Check out my gluten-free white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and my gluten-free brown butter chocolate chip cookies.
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Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free flour mixture to use is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 baking flour.
- Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: Look for certified rolled gluten-free oats. You can also use quick oats but just note that the texture will change.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar gives provides moisture and a delicious sweet molasses flavor.
- Sugar: The combination of both dark brown sugar and white sugar gives these oatmeal cookies the best flavor.
- Unsalted Browned Butter: Browning the butter gives these cookies a nutty caramel-like flavor.
- Milk: Just a splash of milk helps tenderize the dough and makes up for the lost liquid when browning the butter.
- Arrowroot: For extra chewiness, I add a touch of arrowroot powder. You can also use cornstarch in its place.
- Egg: One large egg at room temperature, helps bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Baking Soda: Helps give the cookies a lift.
- Salt: The salt helps bring to balance the flavors.
- Butterscotch Chips: Look for gluten-free butterscotch chips such as Guittard’s Butterscotch Chips or Nestle Toll House's Butterscotch Chips.
- Sea Salt: Optional but incredible! Flaky Sea Salt gives these cookies the perfect salt-sweet combo.
Instructions
Start by browning the butter. Pour the browned butter into a bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
Add the browned butter, sugar, and dark brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix together for 1 minute.
Add the egg, vanilla, and milk.
Cream until smooth.
Beat in the gluten-free flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda.
On low speed, pour in the oats and mix until combined.
Fold in the butterscotch chips, then cover the bowl of cookie dough with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
Scoop out 1.5 tablespoon-size balls of dough (35 grams) and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven. Using a large cookie cutter or wide glass cup, swirl the cookie in a circular motion to create perfectly round cookies.
Add more chips and sea salt to the top of the cookies. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
Storage
Gluten-free Oatmeal scotchies tend to dry out quickly, so it is best to store the cookies in a tightly sealed glass container right after they are done cooling.
These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up two days though they are best served the same day that you make them.
FAQ
- Can you use quick oats instead of rolled oats in butterscotch oatmeal cookies? Yes, you can use rolled oats or quick oats for this recipe. The thicker oats have a more traditional look.
- Which oats are best for gluten-free? Although oats are naturally gluten-free, not all oats are certified gluten-free and may have cross-contamination issues. Look for certified labeled gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats.
- Are butterscotch chips gluten-free? Not all butterscotch chips are gluten-free, but two trusted brands we like are Guittard’s Butterscotch Chips and Nestle Toll House's Butterscotch Chips.
Tips For The Best Gluten-Free Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies (Scotchies)
- Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. An important step is making sure to refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. This will allow the gluten-free flour and oats to absorb the liquid which helps prevent the cookies from spreading and ensures soft and chewy oatmeal cookies.
- Fold in the butterscotch chips. Folding in the chips as opposed to mixing them in will help for even distribution. I usually reserve a few chips aside to place on top of the freshly baked cookies right out of the oven for a bakery-style look. You can also add more morsels on top of the cookie dough balls, prior to baking.
- Add chocolate chips to the batter: Butterscotch and chocolate are a delicious combination. Cut the butterscotch chips in half and add an equal amount of chocolate chips. (½) cup butterscotch chips and (½) cup chocolate chips.
- Add flaky sea salt: This flaky sea salt is the perfect texture and helps balance the sweetness of the butterscotch chips.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies (Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies)
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup unsalted butter, browned
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (136 grams)
- ½ tablespoon arrowroot powder, or cornstrach
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
INGREDIENTS TO FOLD IN
- 1 cup gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats (96 grams)
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the melted brown butter, dark brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat together for 1 minute.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Cream together until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and salt. While scraping down the bowl, mix until combined.
- Pour in the oats, and on low speed, mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the butterscotch morsels.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. (If you chill the dough longer than 1 hour, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to baking.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 F°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out 1.5 tablespoon-size round balls of dough (35 grams). Roll the dough into a ball, and place the balls of dough onto the tray, about 2 inches apart from one another (about 6 cookies per sheet). Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. Let them cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes. Use a large cookie cutter or glass to round out the cookies while they are warm. Add additional chips and sea salt if desired. Let them cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- I use Bob Mills 1-1 Gluten-free Flour which weighs (136grams) using the scoop and level method of weighing. For accuracy, I recommend weighing both the certified rolled gluten-free oats and gluten-free flour on a food scale.
- I use Bob's Red Mill certified rolled gluten-free oats
- Guittard’s Butterscotch Chips or Nestle Toll House's Butterscotch Chips.
- Make sure to chill the dough for at least one hour. If chilling for longer than two hours, the dough becomes quite firm. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to baking.
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