40 Old-School Butterscotch Recipes We Still Love Today (2024)

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Updated: Feb. 13, 2024

Butterscotch is so much more than the flavor of hard candy your grandmother always had in her purse!

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Butterscotch Pie

This pie's filling is like creamy pudding and is crowned with golden peaks of meringue. —Cary Letsche, Brandenton, Florida

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Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

The classic sticky toffee pudding is a traditional dessert in the United Kingdom. I love that I can just stay home and bake this cake version, featuring saucy butterscotch. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario

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Butterscotch Pears

This grand finale simmers during dinner and impresses as soon as you bring it to the table. Serve as is, or with vanilla ice cream and a slice of pound cake. Leftover pear nectar is heavenly when added to sparkling wine or simply poured over ice. —Theresa Kreyche, Tustin, California

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Butterscotch Pumpkin Mousse

Guests savor every creamy, spoonful of this spiced autumn dessert. It tastes so good, no one guesses that it's actually low in fat. —Patricia Sidloskas, Anniston, Alabama

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When I was deciding what type of cookie to make for a Christmas swap, I opted for something with coconut, pudding mix and salted caramel. Boxed, these could make a great gift as well. I like to drizzle caramel over the tops of the cookies before serving for a special touch. —Stacey Ritz, Sudbury, Ontario

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Butterscotch Hard Candy

I love making this classic butterscotch recipe. We think these irresistible bites are better than the store-bought variety... and they sure don't last long! —Darlene Smithers, Elkhart, Indiana

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Butterscotch Cake

I get lots of compliments and recipe requests whenever I make this eye-catching cake. The filling is similar to German chocolate cake. —Judy Lamon, Louisville, Tennessee

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Chewy Salted Peanut Bars

My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

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Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

With its big butterscotch and chocolate flavor, my cookie stands out. I like to enjoy it with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. It’s my fallback recipe when I’m short on time and need something delicious fast. —Allie Blinder, Norcross, Georgia

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Apple Butterscotch Crisp

I give this classic dessert a rich twist with butterscotch pudding. The warm apple filling bubbles to perfection in a mini slow cooker. —Jolanthe Erb, Harrisonburg, Virginia

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Pumpkin Wontons with Butterscotch Sauce

As a change from the usual pumpkin pie or cake, we created these deliciously different wontons. The butterscotch sauce would also taste great over ice cream. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Butterscotch-Toffee Cheesecake Bars

I had been making lemon cheesecake bars for years and wanted a new flavor combo. Using the original bar as a starting point, I decided to try a butterscotch and toffee version. The results were amazing! —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia

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Chocolate Butterscotch Haystacks

My grandmother used to make this haystacks recipe to give to my cousin Vonnie and me when our parents didn't want us to have any more sweets. —Christine Schwester, Divide, Colorado

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Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Every time I make these wonderful cookies, the spicy aroma takes me back to my childhood. I helped Mom make them and delivered them to neighbors. —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah

Don’t miss our collection of butterscotch chip recipes!

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Choco-Scotch Marble Cake

This recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend. Teaming chocolate with butterscotch for a marble cake makes it more flavorful and colorful than the usual chocolate-vanilla combination. This rich family favorite is very moist and keeps well.-Pam Giammattei, Valatie, New York

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Butterscotch Pumpkin Fudge

Each one of these creamy, heartwarming treats is like a bite-sized pumpkin pie. —Kathleen Henne, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

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Butterscotch Fruit Dip

If you like the sweetness of butterscotch chips, you'll enjoy this warm rum-flavored fruit dip. I serve it with apple and pear wedges. It holds up for up to two hours in the slow cooker. —Jeaune Hadl Van Meter, Lexington, Kentucky

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Chunky Apple Cake

After taste testing lots of apple cakes, I've found this apple cake recipe the best. Full of old-world comfort, the yummy brown sugar sauce really makes the cake special. For a festive occasion, top with a dollop of whipped cream. —Debi Benson, Bakersfield, California

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Butterscotch-Pecan Bread Pudding

Bread pudding fans just might hoard this yummy butterscotch version. Toppings like whipped cream and a butterscotch drizzle make this dessert absolutely irresistible. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

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Double Butterscotch Cookies

This is a very old recipe that's been in the family for generations. Sometimes I'll omit the toffee bits and add miniature chocolate chips or coconut instead. —Beverly Duncan, Lakeville, Ohio

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Aunt Ruth's Famous Butterscotch Cheesecake

Aunt Ruth was our nanny when I was little and made this cheesecake often.Since it had to chill overnight, it was torture when my sister and I had to wait until the next day to have a piece. When I visited my old neighborhood and stopped by her house, she offered me a piece of that wonderful cheesecake.I made sure to leave with a copy of the recipe! —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

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Peanutty Candy Bars

These chewy, gooey bars surely won't last long. Good thing they're quick and easy to make!—Mary Schmittinger, Colgate, Wisconsin

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Butterscotch Eggnog Stars

These yellow star-shaped cookies with a "stained-glass" center are almost too pretty to eat! But they have a rich eggnog flavor that is irresistible. Although they take a little time and patience to prepare, they're worth every minute! —Cheryl Hemmer, Swansea, Illinois

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Pumpkin Whip

Even though this dessert is quick to fix, it has a creamy pumpkin taste and golden harvest look...just like traditional pumpkin pie. It's a great dessert for both everyday dinners and special-occasion suppers.—Linda Clapp, Stow, Ohio

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Salted Toffee Cashew Cookies

When I get toffee bits, butterscotch chips and cashews together in one cookie, the sweet and salty combo is nearly impossible to resist. —Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota

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Butterscotch-Rum Raisin Treats

I love making rum raisin rice pudding around the holidays. Those flavors inspired this recipe. Crispy rice cereal adds crunch, but nuts, toasted coconut or candied pineapple could do the job, too. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

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Homemade Butterscotch Pudding

Homemade pudding reminds me of my grandma and how she turned milk and eggs into creamy textures before my eyes. The butterscotch in this recipe adds a caramel-sweet touch. —Teresa Wilkes, Pembroke, Georgia

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Texas Tumbleweeds

Tumbleweeds blow across the roads in some parts of Texas, and I think these cute stacks look like them. I've been making these sweets with my sister for years. —Karen Lemay, Seabrook, Texas

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Butterscotch Apple Cake

"My family often requests this easy old-fashioned cake for get-togethers—especially in the fall," writes Beth Struble from Bryan, Ohio.

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Pumpkin-Butterscotch Gingerbread Trifle

There's more to pumpkin than pie, as this impressive trifle proves. It looks so elegant with alternating layers of gingerbread cake and pumpkin/butterscotch pudding. Try making it ahead of time for a fuss-free dessert when you're planning to entertain guests. —Lyla Lehenbauer, New London, Missouri

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Upside-Down Apple Cake with Butterscotch Topping

This cake is a favorite of mine. I love the smell of the apples and butterscotch as it is baking. It fills the house with a perfect autumn aroma. —Sabrina Haught, Spencer, West Virginia

Originally Published: June 19, 2019