This chewy, soft, and perfectly sliceable butterscotch chip cookie cake comes together in one bowl (no mixer required!) and is the perfect sweet and salty treat!
Looking for something thicker? Bake my bakery style butterscotch bars in a 9x13 pan!
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Why I Love This Butterscotch Chip Cookie Cake
- Sweet & salty: The butterscotch chips and salted caramel sauce create a combination of sweet and salty flavors in this cookie cake. Don't skip the added salt in the dough, as it really enhances the flavor!
- Super chewy: This recipe uses the viral homemade cookie cake recipe that provides a super chewy cookie cake reminiscent of a mall cookie.
- Better than store-bought: With piped frosting and a drizzle of caramel sauce, this butterscotch cookie cake will look store-bought, but taste so much better!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of added salt.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: this combination gives a soft & chewy texture while giving the cookie cake the sturdiness to hold a slice. I don't recommend substitutions.
- Baking Powder: we're using baking powder not baking soda!
- Cornstarch: this gives the cookie cake a more chewy texture & helps it stay soft and moist for longer. If you don't have it, you can omit it.
- Butterscotch Chips: these compliment the sweet & salty dough so well! While I think it might be too sweet with regular chocolate chips, I think white chocolate would also work well here!
- Caramel Sauce: this will add the caramel flavor to the frosting and be used as a drizzle on top of your sweet and salty cookie cake! I used Torani Caramel Sauce.
- Cookie Cake Pan: Don't have one? You can use my DIY Cookie Cake Pan hack to make one!
How to Make your Butterscotch Chip Cookie Cake:
Step 1: Make chewy cookie cake dough
Mix ingredients for your cookie cake according to the recipe below. Using a spoon or your clean hands, drop the dough into small chunks in the greased and/or parchment-lined pan. If you plan to invert the cookie cake on a tray, I highly recommend lining the bottom with parchment.
Once all dough has been added, use a spatula or your hands to press down the dough into a smooth layer (being sure to get all the corners).
Don't have a round 11.5" pan? You can bake in a 9x13 light metal pan (they'll be a little thinner so watch the oven around the 12-minute mark) or create a DIY cookie cake pan. Because you don't have as much heat from a real metal pan, these typically take an extra 4-6 minutes to bake.
Step 2: Make Frosting
Use the ingredients in the recipe card below to make my salted caramel buttercream (you could use canned frosting but it won't be as good!). Stir in the 2 tablespoons of Torani Caramel Sauce to finish your frosting.
Step 3: Frost & Drizzle
Add your frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. After allowing the butterscotch cookie cake to fully cool, decorate by piping a border around the cookie cake. Then, drizzle some of the Torani Caramel Sauce on top of the frosting to finish!
Tip: For a perfect slice, place cookie cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting with a sharp knife.
Storage & Freezing
- Storing: This butterscotch chip cookie cake recipe is best enjoyed within 2 days for the chewiest, softest texture. If you are making ahead, I’d suggest waiting to frost until the day of OR gently wrap the frosted cookie after the frosting sets and place in the fridge.
- Freezing: I don’t typically like freezing cookie cakes because I feel like they get dry and not as chewy in the freezer. If you do need to make this in advance, you could wrap the baked, unfrosted cookie in plastic wrap and when you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw to room temperature then frost.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you don't have a cookie cake pan, you can use my DIY cookie cake pan hack! You can also make this recipe in a 9x13 pan and they'll just be a bit thinner (so bake a little less). You could also make my butterscotch bars in a 9x13 pan, which is the same recipe but thicker.
Absolutely! If substituting, I'd do a mix of white chocolate chips and butterscotch. If you use chocolate chips, I'd decrease the salt added in the cookie base a bit so they're not too rich.
Or if you're looking for more cookie cake recipes (they make perfect birthday cakes!), check out my full cookie cake library! My chocolate chip flavor version ranks as the best cookie cake recipe on google!
I haven't tested this particular recipe gluten-free, but you could try it with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
I also have a Chewy Gluten-Free Cookie Cake you might try! It's a traditional chocolate chip dough, whereas this butterscotch chip cake recipe is a little more buttery, sweet, and salty.
Chewy Butterscotch Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter you will be melting this
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt If using unsalted butter, don't skip the salt!
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional but helps it be sturdy & stay moist
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting (optional)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Caramel Sauce I used Torani brand
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. While preheating, be sure to read tips & tricks in post above for recipe success.
- Warm the unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan until it’s just melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter with the light brown sugar (½ cup) and granulated sugar (½ cup). Stir until combined. (I recommend mixing this by hand rather than a mixer.)
- Stir in the egg (1 large) and vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), followed by the baking powder (½ teaspoon) and salt (½ teaspoon).
- Mix in cornstarch (1 tablespoon) and all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cups), followed by the butterscotch chips (1 cup). Mix the dough until well-combined.
- Generously grease a cookie cake pan. If you plan to invert the cake onto a tray (rather than serving in the pan), I highly recommend lining the bottom with parchment paper in order for the cookie cake to invert out of the pan easily.
- Spread dough into an even layer in pan. Sprinkle on some extra butterscotch chips for added presentation. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden brown. Do not overbake; it might look a little under-baked, but the residual heat from the pan will continue to bake the cookie even after you take it out of the oven.
- Cool completely and top with buttercream frosting, if desired (this cookie cake is so yummy even without the frosting!).
- After allowing the butterscotch cookie cake to fully cool, decorate by piping a border with your large star tip around the cookie cake. Then, drizzle some of the caramel sauce on top of the frosting.
To Make Frosting:
- Beat the softened unsalted butter (¼ cup), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon) on medium-high speed for 1 minute until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed then add the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time. You may need to stop and scrape down sides. One tablespoon at a time, add in the caramel sauce (2 tablespoons). Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until creamy and the frosting is at a good consistency to pipe.If it looks too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it looks too stiff, you can add a tiny bit of milk until you get to the desired consistency.
- This will make just enough frosting to pipe a generous border along the edges, as well as write a message in the middle.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
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