Cindy McCain’s Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies is a recipe that was once submitted to the gone-but-not-forgotten Family Circle Presidential Cookie Contest. I have quite a few recipes from that old feature and they are all winners! My two favorites are this recipe and Michelle Obama’s Black & Whites.
Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies are similar to Nestle’s Oatmeal Scotchies, but fatter, crumblier and not quite as sweet. In my opinion, they’re more attractive than Scotchies, which I love, but which usually turn out thin and chewy. The original recipe is attributed to Hershey’s Test Kitchen and calls for their butterscotch chips.
Recipe
Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus an extra pinch
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
- In a large bowl beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well.
- In a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir by hand until blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Anna
Hooray! I’m glad he found a new favorite. This is a recipe I always forget about, but people seem to love it.
Mela
Hi Anna, I baked this today and my husband already declared it as one of his favorite cookies. It made a lot, I ended up with 46 cookies. So easy to make. It’s a keeper! Thank you.
Kourtney
I made these for my office yesterday — they were a huge hit! I loved how quick and simple they were to make, and a crowd-pleaser to boot! Thanks for sharing!
Anna
Joanna, my thoughts exactly!
Leslie, I am glad you found another non-chocolate recipe for your collection.
T, thanks for the recommendation. I’m going to try the Cowboy cookies next.
As for dried sour cherries, if you can’t find them at your local Whole Foods or nearest specialty store, just use cherry flavored dried cranberries. They’re cheaper and will do in a pinch. If you want the real thing, order some on-line. Oh Nuts! Sells them for $9.99 a pound.
http://www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-dried-fruits/cherries-2/red-sour
Tiamat
I really love the Laura Bush cookies from 2000 … They’re always a GIANT hit when I make them …
Heck, they even entice my NON-baker male friend to take up baking … Now, he’s the belle of the cookie ball … LOL
I want to try the 2004 edition of Laura’s cookies … but I don’t know “where” to find dried sour cherries …
Cookiegate started in 2004 with Teresa Heinz Kerry … saying the cookie submitted in her name was NOT her recipe … some staffer did it … and the “cookies taste like crap” … LOL
Leslie
I finally made these over the weekend and they are fantastic! Really easy to throw together in minimal time with stuff I had on hand (I only had to buy the rolled oats, which is something I should have in my kitchen anyway). My husband isn’t a chocolate fan, so I’m always looking for non-chocolate cookies. This recipe will be in regular rotation at our house.
Joanna
these sound really good. i love me some butterscotch. and that is sad about this poor cookie!!! i have some recipes that i wouldn’t even be able to guess where they came from. it’s perfectly understandable to say she got it from a good friend, which she most likely did.
Anna
Hey, it worked just fine yesterday. I think Barbara Bush snuck in and changed the link.
Thanks Leigh Ann!
Leigh Ann
FYI the pecan rolls link takes you to one of the Barbara Bush cookies… just wanted to let you know 🙂
And these butterscotch cookies look fantastic!
Anna
Have a good time at City Bakery today! Let us know what you think.
We’re heading to the beach ;).
Katrina
Greetings from NYC! Sigh–we’re tired! Made it to Levains, JT’s and Bouchon today. Yummy cookies! It really is too hard to pick a favorite, but I think I now do like Levains better than JT’s, simply because I’ve decided I like plain old semi-sweet chocolate (In Levains) better than bittersweet chocolate (JT’s). And I’m loving this big, fat, gooey, doughy cookie!
Heading to City Bakery and Chelsea tomorrow!
Thanks for all the links to these presidential cookies. I have already printed the McCain one.
Have fun in SD, Anna!
Sue
I think it’s interesting that none of the cookies have a chocolate cookie base. Some of them sound wonderful, including the ones you made.
Barbara Hahn
Even though McCain lost, this cookie is a winner. Either Cindy McCain or some staffer knows how to pick good cookies.
It is hard to believe that Cindy McCain ever baked cookies but you never know what personal experiences people enjoy in life.
Estee
Cookiegate… that is hysterical. The recipe still looks really good! 🙂
VeggieGirl
Butterscotch Oatmeal?!?!??!?! Decadence!!! 😀