Salted Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies. Yes.

I like my sweets with a touch of salt, and apparently I'm not alone. Salted desserts can now be found just about everywhere, and for good reason--salt rounds out the sweetness of baked goods and other treats. Chocolate dipped pretzels, salted caramel ice cream, and bacon topped cupcakes abound, each a study in contrasting flavors.

I've made salted desserts before. One of my favorites is the Butterscotch Budino that's served at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles. In today's recipe, I take a standard oatmeal cookie, load it with butterscotch chips, and then instead of adding salt to the batter, I sprinkle the top with a few flakes of Maldon salt.

Maldon salt is a pure sea salt from England that has large, delicate flakes. I typically use it to finish dishes (it tastes wonderful sprinkled on veggies or in salads) but it works well atop baked goods because it doesn't melt into the batter as it bakes, like other salts can do. You can find it at Whole Foods or other specialty grocers, or online. A little goes a long way and a box will last you quite awhile.







This recipe only makes two dozen cookies....you may want to double it in case your family loves them as much as mine did!

Salted Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Printable Recipe

These cookies are thick, chewy and topped with a sprinkle of flaky Maldon sea salt. Make sure you have a glass of milk at the ready.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 22 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
Maldon salt for sprinkling (or other coarse, flaky sea salt)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth.

3. In another smaller bowl, whisk flour and baking soda to combine. Add to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in oats and butterscotch chips until evenly combined.

4. Measure out rounded tablespoonfuls of dough and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of salt.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookie is lightly golden brown. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.