Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Fudge Cookies
47 min
|
intermediate
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think your favorite Toll House chocolate chip cookie, but leveled up with ribbons of creamy butterscotch fudge, giving chewy centers, crisp edges, and melty pockets of caramelly bliss.
Perfect for bake sales, holiday cookie boxes, or late-night kitchen raids, these bold cookies hit sweet-salty just right and stay soft for days.
Ingredients (24 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butterscotch baking chips butterscotch baking chips 8 oz
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk sweetened condensed milk 2 oz
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 0.5 oz
- pinch salt salt
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.62 lb
- 1 tsp baking soda baking soda 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 6 oz
- ½ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed light brown sugar 3.43 oz
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 1 large egg yolk large egg 1 ct (for large egg yolk)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips semi-sweet chocolate chips 8 oz
How to Make Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Fudge Cookies
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Make the butterscotch fudge
Line a small metal loaf pan or quarter sheet pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
Add 1 cup butterscotch chips, 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to a small saucepan and melt over the lowest heat, stirring constantly until almost smooth.
Remove from heat while a few chips remain and stir until fully smooth to prevent scorching.
Stir in a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Spread the mixture into the lined pan to about 1/4 inch thickness, then chill until very firm, about 45 to 60 minutes, or freeze 20 minutes.
-
Prep for baking
Preheat the oven to 350 F with a rack in the center position.
Line two light colored aluminum baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
-
Cream butter and sugars
In a large bowl beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in 1 large egg, then 1 egg yolk, scraping the bowl as needed until creamy and emulsified.
Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until fragrant.
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Combine the dough
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until the flour disappears with a few streaks remaining.
Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed without overmixing.
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Cube the fudge and fold it in
Lift the firm butterscotch fudge from the pan and cut it into small pea sized cubes with a sharp knife.
Work quickly and keep the fudge cold, returning unused cubes to the freezer as you go.
Gently fold 3/4 to all of the fudge cubes into the dough just until dispersed so they stay intact.
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Portion and optionally chill
Scoop 2 tablespoon portions of dough, about 40 to 45 grams each, spacing them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
Press a few extra chocolate chips or fudge cubes on top for a bakery look if you like.
For thicker cookies, chill the scooped dough 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
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Bake the cookies
Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden and centers look slightly underbaked and pale.
Rotate the pan at the 8 minute mark for even color if your oven runs hot on one side.
Tap the sheet once on the rack right out of the oven to encourage crinkles and, if desired, finish with a pinch of flaky salt.
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Cool and serve
Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve warm for maximum puddly chocolate and tender fudge pockets.
Substitutions
- Browned butter instead of softened butter
- Swap the 3/4 cup softened butter for 3/4 cup browned butter cooled to room temp and add 1 tablespoon milk or water to make up for lost moisture, which gives a deeper nutty caramel note that plays hard with the butterscotch while keeping the centers plush.
- Dulce de leche for sweetened condensed milk in the fudge
- Use 1/4 cup dulce de leche in place of the condensed milk for a darker, toastier caramel fudge that stays a touch softer, so chill it extra firm for clean cubes and enjoy richer caramel complexity.
- Chopped dark chocolate for semisweet chips
- Replace the chips with 1 cup chopped 60 to 70 percent dark chocolate so you get dramatic puddles and a slightly less sweet balance that lets the butterscotch sing.
Tips
- Keep the fudge cold
- Cut the fudge small and keep half in the freezer while folding, which prevents smearing and protects those craveable caramel pockets.
- Measure flour like a pro
- Use 2 1/4 cups spooned and leveled, roughly 270 grams, because heavy handed flour packs will rob you of chew and make cakey cookies.
- Butter temperature matters
- Aim for butter around 65 F so it creams with air without turning greasy, which keeps spread in check and gives you that tender bend in the middle.
- Bake on light aluminum
- Dark sheets brown the bottoms too fast while the fudge is still soft, so stick with light colored aluminum and parchment for even heat and easy release.
- Finish with salt
- A tiny pinch of flaky salt right after baking sharpens the chocolate and reins in the sweetness like a boss.
- Chill for height
- If your kitchen runs warm, chill scooped dough 20 to 30 minutes and bake straight from the fridge for thicker cookies with defined edges.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 272 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | g |
| Total Fat | 12 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My cookies spread too much, what went wrong?
- Your butter may have been too soft or your flour a bit light, so chill the scooped dough 20 minutes and add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra flour to the remaining dough if needed for the next batch.
- The fudge melted into the dough instead of staying in chunks, how do I fix it?
- Cut the fudge smaller, keep it very cold, fold it in at the last second, and bake the dough soon after scooping so the fudge does not warm up and smear.
- Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?
- Yes, freeze scooped dough balls on a sheet until solid, then bag for up to 2 months and bake from frozen at 350 F adding 1 to 2 minutes to the time.
- How do I get chewier centers?
- Pull the cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look pale and soft, then let them finish with carryover heat on the sheet for 5 minutes.
- How should I store the cookies?
- Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days with a piece of bread in the container to maintain moisture, or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months and rewarm for 3 to 4 minutes at 300 F.
Serving Suggestions
Cold butterscotch fudge and semisweet chocolate are already a power couple, but a sprinkle of flaky salt and a shot of espresso powder in the dough will make them sing even louder.
Pair these cookies with iced coffee or a little bourbon milk on the rocks, or fold in toasted pecans for a buttery crunch that plays off the caramel notes.
More pairings:
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