Up until this brief weekend snow here in the Midwest, we had been having one the most exquisite fall seasons. However, I will say the contrast of trees still holding onto their jewel toned leaves and a white carpet of snow is in its' own way also a stunning aesthetic landscape. Now if there had been enough snow to be shoveled, I am not sure I would appreciate the beauty of seasons crossing over one another in early November. If there was one season I wish could last almost indefinitely, it would be the fall. And if there was one cookie that had all the autumnal vibes it would be these gorgeous, rustic looking, quite possibly contest winning Butterscotch, Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies. While I would be more than happy to eat this cookie year-round, there is something about its' flavor profile and texture that gives me all the fall feels. Maybe it's due in part to an unexplainable association between the fall and flavor of butterscotch or maybe it's how the flavor notes of butterscotch just hit differently on the palate when there is a chill in the air.
If you have already scrolled down to look at the list of ingredients, you might be thinking 'these sound awfully similar to the Cowboy Cookies (revisited) posted on the blog'. And you would be partially right as they share many of the same ingredients, although the amounts somewhat vary. More importantly the Cowboy Cookies are made with both butterscotch and chocolate chips along with some cinnamon for a spiced depth of flavor while these Butterscotch, Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies are chocolate and cinnamon free. Additionally, this cookie uses both light and dark brown sugars rather than only light brown sugar. Could you use half butterscotch and half chocolate chips in this recipe? You could, but it significantly changes the flavor profile. And as much as I love chocolate, this cookie wants only to be butterscotch forward.
As far as cookies go, this is a pretty straight forward recipe. However, it's one where measuring the ingredients matters (I know I harp on this all of time, but for good reason!). I don't know about you but I have always struggled with measuring sweetened coconut. Do I press it down in the measuring cup like brown sugar or do I just spoon it in? What I have learned over time is that neither of those measuring options will get you the amount of coconut you need.
Over the course of my decades long baking life, I have shifted my thinking about all-purpose flour. In other words, my flour loyalties have both changed and evolved. My all-purpose flour choices these days are either commercially available or locally sourced Organic All-purpose. So why have I turned into this flour fussytarian? Well for two significant reasons. Organic flour generally has a more complex, robust flavor (due to less processing) and has a better gluten structure (leading to more superior results in baking). Which means I am now a HUGE believer in the game changing power of organic flour.
The dough initially comes together in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; however, it is finished in a large bowl with either a wooden spoon or spatula. The reason for this is to prevent 'overmixing' or toughening the finished cookie.
I used two full bags (11 ounces each) of butterscotch chips in these cookies. That amount of chips required careful mixing to fully incorporate the chips into the batter. You don't want a dough ball that's all chips. So, in the recipe below I suggest you back off the full 22 ounces and instead use about 18 ounces. Will I reduce the amount of butterscotch chips the next time I make up a batch. Maybe, maybe not. So, the choice is yours.
These cookies benefit from being chilled in the refrigerator before baking. Chill the balls of dough for as little as one hour or for up to 24 hours. The dough yields about 20-21 golf ball sized cookie balls. I used a large (2 1/4 in diameter) ice cream scoop but you can make them freestyle. Just remember you want your cookies uniformed sized, so they bake up evenly. Note: The recommended baking time is based on forming the dough into 20-21 balls of dough.
Baking time on the cookies ranges from 20-22 minutes (I was closer to the 22 minute mark). The finished cookie should be golden brown along the edges yet still slightly soft in the center. After cooling the baked cookies on the baking sheet, the finished cookie should be crispy and craggily on the outside and chewy on the inside. These two textures create the most divinely delicious, decadent cookie. It's also one that looks more like a high-end bakery cookie than a homemade one. To get that bakery finished look, I always use a large round cookie cutter or small, clear glass bowl to shape my cookies as soon as I take them out of the oven. It's a simple technique that gives you eye candy worthy, impressive looking, perfectly round cookies. And a platter of captivating looking cookies makes them beyond irresistible!
I am pretty certain that after you take one bite of this scrumptious, mouthwatering delicious cookie, (especially if you first taste it still a bit warm) it will be akin to experiencing a drop the mic moment. These Butterscotch, Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies are the obsession in your life you didn't know you needed. Until now that is.
Recipe
Butterscotch, Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 20-21 bakery sized cookies
Ingredients
2 cups (260g) organic all-purpose flour (see notes)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, slightly room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups (180g) old-fashioned oats
1 cup (120g) sweetened coconut
1 cup (125g) toasted walnut or pecan halves, chopped (not too fine, not too coarse)
18-22 ounces (509-622g) Butterscotch Chips (see notes)
Flaky sea salt (highly recommend Maldon)
Directions
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for approximately 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add in the granulated and brown sugars. Beat for approximately 3-4 minutes or until just creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs one at time. Beat until well incorporated.
3. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and Kosher salt. Add into the butter/sugar mixture in 3 additions.
5. Add in the oatmeal and coconut. Mix until blended.
6. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add in the butterscotch chips and nuts. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix. Mix well.
7. Using a large ice cream scoop (2 1/4' in diameter) make 20 dough balls. Place on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Place 6 balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet. Very lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are golden (the cookies will be set but slightly soft in the center). Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
10. Repeat until all of the cookies are baked.
11. Store cookies in a metal tin, wrapped in cellophane bags or nestled in glassine bakery bags. For the fresh out of the oven taste, reheat individual cookies for 12-15 seconds in the microwave on high.
Notes: (1) Highly recommend using King Arthur's Organic Flour when making these cookies. (2) I used two bags of the Nestle Butterscotch Chips. You need to mix them in well into the batter. If you don't you might end with a few cookies loaded with chips. To avoid that issue, you could use 18 ounces instead of 22 ounces. (3) You can make a half batch of these cookies by dividing all of the ingredients in half. Or you can bake up half of the cookies and freeze the remaining dough balls to bake up a later time.
