Butterscotch Popcorn Cookies Are Sweet and Salty!

These buttered popcorn and butterscotch cookies are a unique twist on a traditional favorite! They are sweet, salty, chewy, and delicious – and the recipe is very easy to make.

I love popcorn! I live for it. I go the movie theater for it. I eat it for lunch. I eat it for dinner. I like it covered in salt, in butter, and in any sticky, sugary goo that’s available.

Truly there is no form of the stuff I don’t love. That is why it was no surprise to me when I felt as though I had gone to popcorn heaven after I tasted this buttered popcorn cookies recipe. Since then I’ve made this fall dessert recipe several times, and it never disappoints.

It seems like when it comes to adding saltiness to baked goods, pretzels get all the glory. Every brownie and cookie has pretzel in it these days, and I feel like this recipe is here to finally give popcorn the recognition it deserves.

Popcorn Cookie Recipe

This cookie recipe is moist and delicious, filled with crunchy, chewy, and salty popcorn which pairs perfectly with the butterscotch chips.

I mean, this butterscotch cookie recipe has the word butter in it TWO times. How could you NOT feel as though you need them in your life immediately? Well, I’ll tell you, you do.

These are fun, different and delicious little suckers and I can’t wait to hear how much you love them. If you’re feeling spicy, you could even use these as a cookie exchange recipe (for something a little unusual!).

Chips to Use

I am not a snob about butterscotch chips and, in these cookies, can’t tell the difference between Nestle Toll House or other brands that I use.

So honestly, I just purchase what’s available at the grocery store, which is usually Nestle. If you have a preferred butterscotch chip that you swear by, I’d love to know in the comments.

Baking Tips

Since this butterscotch cookie recipe uses a dough that is lighter in color, you’re going to look for golden edges to make sure that they are done. You want to make sure they are a light to medium golden brown – but not too dark!

You can even slide a spatula underneath one cookie to see what the bottoms look like. You obviously want to avoid burning or cookie bottoms that are too crisp.

The second indicator that you need to remove these cookies from the oven is a slightly puffy center. The centers will look a little soft, but will continue cooking on the sheet or rack when you remove them from the oven.

If you let these butterscotch chip cookies bake too long, they’ll be brittle and the popcorn in particular will overcook. I know you don’t want that. You’re looking for perfectly done.

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Are you ready for deliciousness? Here is how you make these cookies!

Ingredients

• 4 cups popped popcorn (popcorn kernels removed)
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Don’t Forget These Important Things:

• Let your pan cool between batches of cookies (it helps to have two pans in rotation). This keeps the cookies from spreading a lot.
• I swear by USA Pans. They are my absolutely favorite and cook baked items so evenly.
• Check the cookies regularly through the baking process and go by how they look versus the time on the recipe. I mentioned, the edges should be golden brown and the middles pale when you pull them out.
• Cold ingredients should be at room temperature (egg, butter) but don’t leave them out too long.
• Bread flour can make these cookies more chewy, and cake flour can make them more delicate (as alternatives to white flour).

YUUUUMMM. These butterscotch chip cookies are such a perfect combination of salty and sweet, and chewy and crunchy. It’s like eating caramel corn in a cookie! “Pretzel” better watch its back.

What do you think of these cookies? Would you ever put popcorn in your cookies? DO IT. Get the printable recipe below.

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If you enjoyed this butterscotch chip cookie recipe, you’re also going to like these butterscotch pecan dark chocolate chip cookies. I’d also love for you to check out these recipes:

• Cookie Crunch Candy Corn Popcorn Recipe
• Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies That Will Blow Your Mind
• Easy Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe (with Candy Corn!)
• Christmas Popcorn Recipe (Candy Cane Crunch!)
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Are Soft & Delicious