Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies (Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies)
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies! Easy, chewy gluten-free oatmeal scotchies cookies are loaded with flavor & have the best texture!

I love gluten-free oatmeal cookies of all kinds–chocolate chips, white chocolate cranberry, oatmeal raisin (yes, I know!)…you name it. Today, we’re focusing in on gluten-free oatmeal scotchies–oatmeal butterscotch cookies with a kiss of cinnamon and plenty of vanilla & butterscotch flavor in every bite.
The flavor is delightful, and their soft, chewy texture is ultra satisfying. They’re a great change of pace from your usual chocolate chip!
Here’s all you need to get started on these yummy gluten-free butterscotch oatmeal cookies…


Here’s What Goes Into Our Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies REcipe:
- Softened Butter. You want it soft, but not warm or shiny. It should still be cool to the touch with just a *little* give when you press down with your finger. (See what it should look like here)
- Brown Sugar & Sugar. A blend of brown sugar & white sugar adds sweetness & keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
- Eggs. Just enough to bind everything together and give the cookies some puff.
- Vanilla. I like a generous amount of vanilla extract in my gluten-free oatmeal scotchies. I think the vanilla really plays up the butterscotch and cinnamon notes!
- Gluten-Free Flour. To keep things simple, I use a good-quality measure-for-measure flour (we like this one from King Arthur Baking best!) If you use another blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum.
- Gluten-Free Rolled Oats. I’ve made gluten-free oatmeal butterscotch cookies with rolled oats and quick oats and honestly, either will work just great in this recipe. My husband loves the look & texture of the thicker rolled oats, so that’s what I’m using today.
- Cornstarch. A secret trick to give these gluten-free oatmeal scotchies a little extra chewiness & softness.
- Baking Soda. To help the cookies rise and spread. Make sure you’re using fresh baking soda for the best results!
- Cinnamon, If You Want. Not everyone adds cinnamon to their oatmeal scotchies, but I’m adding a bit here. It’s lovely with the butterscotch and vanilla!
- Salt. Using enough salt is pretty important in this gluten-free cookie recipe. It’ll help balance the signature sweetness of the butterscotch chips.
- Butterscotch Chips. And, last but not least, they wouldn’t be gluten-free oatmeal scotchies without butterscotch chips! Tollhouse brand is the most widely available where I live, but you can certainly experiment with other brands (I also like Guittard!). (If you’re dairy-free, you can use these King David vegan butterscotch chips!)
Be sure to weigh your flour or at least use the scoop and level method so you get the most accurate results! Too much flour and the cookies won’t spread & they’ll feel dry. Too little flour and they’ll spread too much and end up thin.







How To Make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies, STep By STep:
- Cream The Butter & Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a mixer. Cream for 2-3 minutes using the paddle attachment, or until the mixture is lighter in color and light and fluffy in texture. (You can also do this in a large bowl with a hand mixer)
- Add Eggs One At A Time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next one.
- Add Vanilla, and mix until it’s combined.
- Start On The Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the edges of your mixer and add your gluten-free flour, rolled oats, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until *almost* combined. (There should still be a few dry spots left.)
- Add Butterscotch Chips & Mix or stir just until the flour is incorporated and the butterscotch chips are evenly distributed in the batter. Try not to over-mix the dough.
- Cover & Chill At Least 2 Hours. DO NOT SKIP this step! Cover your cookie dough (I transfer mine to an airtight container) and chill at least 2 hours, up to one day.
- Preheat & Prep. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Remove the dough from the fridge 15-20 minutes in advance of baking so the dough is soft enough to scoop.
- Scoop & Bake. Use a large (3 Tbsp.) cookie scoop to scoop 6 cookies onto the baking sheet at a time. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until the cookies are just turning golden around the edges and they look a bit underdone in the center. Remove from the oven & sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
- Cool & Transfer. Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling. The residual heat from the pan and cookie will help set the centers of your cookies.
- Repeat & Eat! Then, repeat this baking process with the rest of your dough. Enjoy the cookies fresh, store leftover cookies at room temperature for 2-3 days, or freeze 6=8 weeks.




FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The BEst Gluten-Free Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies:
Do NOT Skip The Chill Time! There are some cookie recipes you can make without chilling the dough, but this isn’t one of them. Chilling the dough allows the flour and oats to hydrate and soften, which means the cookies spread *just* the right amount, and they won’t end up dry or gritty. If you don’t chill the dough, the oats can be tough, the dough can feel a bit gritty, and the cookies will spread too much.
Cut The Sweetness By Using Half Chocolate Chips! Butterscotch chips are quite sweet, so if you want to cut that flavor a bit (or are just looking to mix things up!), try using half chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark work best) and half butterscotch chips. This is actually my favorite way to make these!
Finish With Flaky Sea Salt. Another way to balance the sweetness even more is by adding a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the freshly baked cookies. It won’t make them salty, it’ll just balance the flavor. So yummy!
Can You Use Quick Oats Instead Of Rolled Oats In Oatmeal Cookies? Yes! In my tests, I made batches using quick oats and batches using rolled/old-fashioned oats. Both worked out great. Quick oats have a finer texture which can be easier for some kids, while the thicker, larger rolled oats will make them look especially like an oatmeal cookie.
Gluten-Free? Be Sure To Use Gluten-Free Oats! Oats themselves don’t contain wheat gluten, but they’re often processed and grown in ways that cause cross-contamination. Be sure you’re buying certified gluten-free oats to avoid getting glutened! We like Trader Joe’s, Bob’s Red Mill, One Degree & more.
Our Favorite
Cookie Tips & Tricks

More Gluten-Free cookies To try:
- Gluten-Free Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crumbl Copycat Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Cookies
- Gluten-Free Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thick, bakery-style cookies!)
- Amazing Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies (with lemon sugar cookie base!)
- (GF) Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
WE ♥

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Scotchies (Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies)
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These easy, chewy Gluten-Free Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies are loaded with flavor & have the best texture!
Ingredients
For The Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, 8 oz.), softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
For The Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, weighed or scooped & leveled
- 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 2 cups (11 oz.) butterscotch chips (or 1 cup butterscotch chips + 1 cup dark chocolate chips)
- Optional: flaky sea salt (like Maldon), to finish
Instructions
- Cream The Butter & Sugars. Combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a mixer. Cream for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is lighter in color and light and fluffy in texture.
- Add Eggs One At A Time, beating to incorporate each egg before adding the next one.
- Add Vanilla, and mix until it’s combined.
- Start On The Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the edges of your mixer and add your gluten-free flour, rolled oats, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until *almost* combined. (There should still be a few dry spots left.)
- Add Butterscotch Chips & Mix just until the flour is incorporated and the butterscotch chips are evenly distributed in the batter. Try not to overmix the dough.
- Cover & Chill At Least 2 Hours. DO NOT SKIP this step! Cover your dough (I transfer mine to an airtight container) and chill at least 2 hours, up to one day.
- Preheat & Prep. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge 15-20 minutes in advance of baking so the dough is soft enough to scoop.
- Scoop & Bake. Use a large (3 Tbsp.) cookie scoop to scoop 6 cookies onto the baking sheet at a time. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until the cookies are just turning golden around the edges and they look a bit underdone in the center. Remove from the oven & sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
- Cool & Transfer. Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to continue cooling. The residual heat from the pan and cookie will help set the centers of your cookies.
- Repeat & Eat! Then, repeat this baking process with the rest of your dough. Enjoy the cookies fresh, store leftover cookies at room temperature for 2-3 days, or freeze 6=8 weeks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gluten-free oatmeal scotchies, gluten-free oatmeal butterscotch cookies, gluten-free butterscotch oatmeal cookies, gluten-free oatmeal scotchies cookies
Turned out amazing! I substituted tiger nut flour and a tsp xanthum gum for the gluten free flour and used arrowroot instead of cornstarch. They were perfect and you’d never guess they were gluten free.
I’m so glad they worked out for you!!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Hi! What gluten free flour blend are you using? Is it the King Arthur Measure-for-Measure?
Yes! It’s my go-to gluten-free flour for all our cookies & brownies! (Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 is our 2nd favorite)
Thank you so much! Realized you said it in the blog post after I asked- I’m excited to try these!!