The upside of having a well-stocked larder is the ability to make just about anything you want – when you want. The downside is having all this stuff in the house that is taking up space.
In the weeks prior to Christmas Cookie Baking, I started buying ingredients. I didn’t have a plan, I didn’t have my recipes together, but if I saw something that looked like it could possibly be used, I picked it up.
That’s how we ended up with a bag of butterscotch chips in the pantry.
I don’t know if I’ve ever actually used butterscotch chip before, but that didn’t stop me from picking up a bag. I mean – you just never know, right?!? They were there, price was right. Into the cart they went.
The Christmas Cookies were planned, baked, wrapped, and delivered – and that bag of butterscotch chips just sat there. Mocking me.
Until today.
I was planning on making cookies, today, and was going through my vast cookie recipe collection, when it dawned on me that butterscotch chips could be substituted for chocolate chips, and if I made a cake-like cookie, Nonna would eat them!
A recipe was born! I used half shortening and half butter because shortening gives tenderness and butter gives flavor. You can use all of one or the other… I also used baking powder and baking soda – baking powder helps give it the cake-like rise.
Butterscotch Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/4 lb of shortening
- 1/4 lb butter
- 1/2 lb brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 11 oz bag butterscotch chips
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cream shortening and butter; gradually add sugar. When light, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and salt.
Gradually add flour. When fully mixed, stir in butterscotch chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
Scoop 1 1/2 tbsp balls of dough on cookie sheets.
Bake until lightly browned – about 12 minutes.
They’re good. Really good. And really easy to make.