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Butterbeer Cookies With Butterscotch Frosting

Butterbeer cookies with butterscotch frosting are soft, golden cookies studded with butterscotch chips, then topped with a thick cream cheese swirl. Bake-ready with easy mixing steps and a caramel drizzle finish for a glossy, bakery-style look.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp butter extract or vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp butterscotch extract
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
For butterscotch frosting
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp butterscotch sauce
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla
  • 1 caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake the cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment, keeping them ready for fast scooping.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until the dry mixture is uniform and evenly speckled.
  3. Beat unsalted butter and both sugars until fluffy, then beat in eggs, butter extract or vanilla extract, and butterscotch extract until smooth.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the batter, then fold in butterscotch chips just until evenly distributed.
  5. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and place on the lined sheets.
  6. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until the edges look set and the tops turn lightly golden.
  7. Cool the cookies completely before frosting so the butterscotch swirl stays thick.
Make and finish with butterscotch frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth, then add butterscotch sauce, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until the frosting is thick and pipeable.
  2. Pipe a generous swirl of butterscotch frosting onto each cooled cookie.
  3. Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosted cookies and top with a butterscotch chip for a finished look.

Notes

For best texture, let the cookies cool fully; frosting warm cookies will melt and spread. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 2 months (freeze baked, cool, then thaw and frost); frosting can be frozen separately up to 1 month for best results. For a dairy-light option, use lactose-free cream cheese and a lactose-free butter substitute in the frosting.