We had half a bag of butterscotch chips that needed to be used. I'm not a big fan of butterscotch chips. They're too sweet for me in most uses. It's funny, that's the exact reason the kids love them!
One of the few recipes I do like with butterscotch chips is Oatmeal Scotchies. And while using the recipe on the back of the yellow bag makes a tasty cookie, it's also full of butter and sugar. I had some bananas that needed to be used, so I played around with the recipe and came up with a healthier version.
Yes, you can taste the banana. But the banana flavor is complemented very well by the butterscotch.
They still have a little butter. For me, butter is a necessity in cookies. But I cut the quantity in half.
Adding the banana allowed me to decrease the sugar significantly and—bonus!—take out the eggs. So if anyone you love has an egg allergy, make them these cookies. Even if you don't have an egg allergy, make these cookies. They're yummy.
I made half a batch for our family of four in the morning, and they were gone by bedtime.
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Healthier Banana Oatmeal Scotchies
Loosely based on Nestle's recipe
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
2 large (or 3 small) ripe bananas (a few brown spots or more)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
11oz package of butterscotch chips
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Prepare baking sheets by lining with silicone mat, parchment paper, or by greasing.
- Combine butter, bananas, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mash everything together until color and texture is uniform.
- In a small bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to mashed mixture and stir until just combined.
- Stir in oats and butterscotch chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons (or desired size) onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between. Flatten the drops of cookie dough with a clean hand, glass, or spatula, as the cookies won’t spread much during baking.
- Bake 8-10 minutes. I prefer mine very golden brown around the edges—crunchy outside with a soft middle.
