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Butterbeer Cookies With Butterscotch Frosting

Butterbeer cookies with butterscotch frosting are buttery, chewy cookies with melty butterscotch chips and a thick cream-cheese swirl. Bake until golden at 375°F, then top each cookie with smooth butterscotch frosting and a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
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

Method
 

Bake the butterbeer cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, then line baking sheets with parchment for easy release.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until the dry ingredients look evenly combined.
  3. Beat unsalted butter and both brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy, then mix in the eggs, butter extract or vanilla extract, and butterscotch extract.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined, then fold in butterscotch chips.
  5. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and place them on the sheet pan, spacing them apart.
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375°F until the edges look set and the tops are lightly golden.
  7. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets before frosting.
Frost and finish
  1. Beat cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth, then beat in butterscotch sauce and vanilla.
  2. Beat in powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and pipeable.
  3. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cooled cookie.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosting and top each cookie with a butterscotch chip.

Notes

For the cleanest pipeable swirl, frost only after the cookies are completely cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days; let come to room temperature for best texture. Freeze baked cookies (without frosting) for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and swap 1 cup of powdered sugar with a sugar substitute that measures like sugar (texture may be slightly softer).