Based on a recipe from 1848, this recipe for authentic butterscotch candy contains only 4 ingredients (plus water), is well-balanced and chewy, and is easy to make with an accurate candy thermometer.
Truth be told, butterscotch in its original form is a crunchy candy, but using original proportions means that it ends up too bitter when cooked long enough to set up nice and crunchy. If you’d like a hard candy, try my butterscotch hard candy recipe.
For ease of browsing, here are all of my candy recipes in one place. Thanks for stopping by!
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Other candy recipes you may enjoy include honey peanut brittle, penuche, and old-fashioned cocoa fudge.
Chewy Butterscotch Candy, At a Glance
✔️Skill Level: Intermediate
✔️Skills: Cooking Sugar, Patience
✔️Type: Chewy Candy
✔️Number of Ingredients: 5
✔️Prep Time: 10 minutes
✔️Cook Time: about 15 minutes
✔️Yield: 48-64 pieces
Jump Straight to the Recipe
I am thrilled you are here to learn how to make this chewy version of a classic candy. Butterscotch is one of my favorite flavors, and I’m guessing you’re here because it’s one of your favorites, too!
The flavor of this candy is buttery, rich, and deep. Unlike my own recipes that I test and perfect, I am leaving this one with the same proportions in the newspaper article.
For that reason, some butter may leak out–it probably will–but most will get reabsorbed as the candy sits and crystallizes. Don’t be surprised if a bit of butterfat leaks out when you slice it, but most will get reabsorbed as the candy sits in the fridge.
Texture aside, if you want to experience the flavor of a true, authentic butterscotch candy recipe unadulterated with artificial ingredients or even any cream that will mute the flavor, do give this recipe a try.
And if you do try it, I have a favor to ask:
When you do make this recipe, it will help me and other readers if you:
✅Rate the recipes using the stars in the recipe card⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅Leave a review when prompted in the recipe card (If it’s a positive review, and I hope it is, I’ll use it in the post as social proof)✍️
✅Leave a comment on the post📝
Thank you so much!😘
Why Chewy and Not Crunchy Butterscotch?
Using the original proportions of ingredients from the Doncaster recipe, the amount of treacle or molasses is much higher than what modern palates appreciate. And the longer you cook the molasses, the more bitter it gets.
I found that cooking the mixture to the firm/hard ball stages yields a delicious, deep butterscotch flavor that is molasses-forward but not super bitter. Continuing to cook the ingredients to anywhere from 285F to 300F or so just brings out more bitterness than most Americans enjoy.
If you would prefer to make butterscotch hard candy, I have a recipe with a more modern flavor profile (less molasses) that I think you will really enjoy.
Or you can go ahead and cook this version to hard crack and then decide if you’re a fan or not.
The Difference Between Caramel and Butterscotch
In the butterscotch versus caramel post, I said that both confections require salt, although butterscotch needs more than caramel.
And then I thought of that 1848 “recipe” for traditional Doncaster butterscotch, calling for one pound each of sugar and butter and a quarter pound of treacle.
I was also pondering the fact that the proportion of sugar to butter in butterscotch is 1:1 while butter doesn’t necessarily play a role in caramel, and that’s when it hit me.
Both confections were probably originally made using salted butter. So, the more butter called for, the more salt the end product contained. —Pronouncement by Me based on nothing but conjecture. But it feels right, doesn’t it?
I mean, back before refrigeration, salt was put in the butter as a preservative, so it stands to reason that the butter Back Then was Pretty Darned Salty.
I read on OChef.com that some salted butter can contain up to 3% salt, or about 3/4 teaspoon per stick. Or up to 1 whole Tablespoon per pound. So, if the original Doncaster recipe was made with a base of one pound of (presumably) salted butter, it would also contain about 1 Tablespoon of salt. Hence: salt is a Big Player in the flavor profile. Magical!
Stages of Sugar
Since temperature is critical to the success of candy-making, I want to make sure you’ve grabbed your Stages of Sugar chart. The butterscotch candy recipe is right below along with a couple of updates to avoid confusion when making the candy.
Ingredients
Here is the very short list of ingredients you’ll need to make butterscotch candy.
This is the part of the post where I usually tell you about substitutions you can make.
Since this recipe is not mine and shows the classic proportions of butterscotch ingredients, I’m letting the ingredients stand, as is.
The only addition I made was to add a bit of water to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. You could probably use coffee instead. I expect that would be good!
Procedure
Most candies are made in more or less the same way.
You put your ingredients in a pan, and cook them to a certain temperature.
You add mix-ins, and you stir or don’t.
Then you let it cool and cut it into pieces.
The tricky part is cooking each candy to the right temperature and then controlling crystallization through either stirring or just letting it alone.
For this butterscotch, you’ll:
- Cook the mixture to 250F.
- Pour it into a lined pan and leave it alone
- Sprinkle with a little finishing salt if desired
- Let it sit out for about 24 hours
- Cut and store in the fridge
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Here are some image collages to talk you through it:
Mixing the Ingredients
- Add the butter and salt to the pan. Once the butter is partially melted, add the molasses.
- Pour in some water. The water ensures the sugar will dissolve completely as the mixture is coming to a boil.
- Dump in the sugar after the butter has melted completely. Stir and stir to make sure the ingredients are smooth with no gritty texture of undissolved sugar crystals before heating it to a boil.
- Once the ingredients come to a boil, you’ll start to monitor the temperature.
Cooking the Candy
Keep the candy at a nice, rolling boil, and check the temperature periodically with an instant-read thermometer.
You are shooting for 250F.
The temperature might stick at 223-226F for a fairly long time. After it breaks 226F, the temperature will rise a bit more quickly.
Generally speaking, the higher the temperature climbs, the faster it heats, so keep an eye on it.
Equipment You’ll Need
Before we get started, here are the two most important pieces of equipment for candy making: an accurate kitchen scale and a precise thermometer.
If you own these items, great! If you don’t, I encourage you to pick up both. You certainly don’t have to purchase the specific models I suggest. Just make sure they’re accurate and you are good to go.
Still, I do have my favorites, and here they are for you to consider:
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
- Small probe won't make huge holes in your food
- Accurate and fast readings
- Results in either Fahrenheit or Celcius
- Display is backlit for easy readings
- Probe folds away for easy storage
Panning and Cutting the Candy
- Once your butterscotch hits your desired temperature (250F for a relatively soft-at-room temperature chewy candy that will not stick to your teeth when you chew it), immediately pour it into your prepared pan. Line your pan one way (or both ways to be safe) with either foil or parchment paper folded to fit exactly.
- Once the candy is still and not bubbling anymore…
- …sprinkle with a little finishing salt if you’d like. The candy needs to sit out for a good 24 hours with a tea towel over it (a lint-free kitchen towel) so it crystallizes correctly and so the butter has a chance to reabsorb into the candy.
- Score and slice the candy into your desired shapes.
Jenni says: To get nice cuts that don’t squish your candy, refrigerate the slab of butterscotch for 30-45 minutes before slicing. I like to use a pizza cutter for this. Store the cut candy in the fridge.
Adjusting Temperature for High Altitude Candy Making
Reader Charlie recently commented saying that his candy tasted great but was crumbly. He did his own research and realized that it was because (for example) 234F was too hot at his altitude (5000 ft above sea level).
This information will help a lot of you, so thank you so much, Charlie. And I know your next batch of candy will be Perfection!
Here’s the rule: reduce the temperature by 1 degree for every degree below sea level boiling temperature of 212F.
Make Adjustments for your Elevation Like This:
- Take the temperature of your boiling water.
- Subtract 1 degree from the target temperature for every degree below 212F your water boils.
If your water boils at 208F, then you will have to stop cooking your sugar at 230F (4 degrees below 234F since your water boils at 4F below 212F).
Another example: If you’re at 5000 ft above sea level, water *should* boil at 207F (check with a thermometer). Since the soft butterscotch needs to be cooked to 250F at sea level, you’ll only need to cook it to 245F at 5000 ft.
For reference, I found this Altitude Conversion Chart in a booklet titled “The Art of Candy Making” from the USU Extension/Utah County in Provo, Utah.
Butterscotch Candy Q & A
Cook the mixture to 260F rather than 250F. Keep in mind you’ll still need to let it crystallize for 24 hours. Since it will be firmer, score it while it’s still pretty soft so you have guidelines when you cut it completely once completely cool and crystallized.
Refrigerated, your candy should stay nice and fresh for a good 2-3 weeks.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
Love This Butterscotch Candy? Please Rate and Review!
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You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
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Butterscotch Candy
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted butter 4 sticks or 450 grams
- 10-14 grams fine sea salt or to taste (about 2-2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 4 oz water 1/2 cup or 113 grams
- 4 oz molasses, by weight and NOT by volume 112 grams, by weight. By volume: 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons
- 1 pound granulated sugar 450 grams or about 2 1/4 cups
Instructions
- Cut a strip of non-stick foil or parchment to the same width as the bottom of an 8" or 9" baking dish. Line the pan, making sure the edges of the foil extend up and over opposite sides of the pan. Don't worry about the unlined sides.
- Spray the whole shebang very well with pan spray, especially the unlined sides. Set aside on a heat-proof surface. You can also choose to line the pan "both ways," covering all 4 sides like you can see in the photos. In that case, you won't need to use any pan spray.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, along with the salt, over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter is about half melted, add the molasses and water, and continue heating, stirring occasionally, until the butter has completely melted but the mixture hasn't come to a boil yet.
- When the mixture is good and liquidy, add the sugar, increase the heat to medium to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved (it doesn't feel at all grainy when you rub a little between your fingers).
- Once the mixture comes to a good, rolling boil, cook the candy to 250F and then pour into your prepared pan. NOTE: You're not really supposed to stir during this part, but sometimes it's hard to stop yourself. If you do decide to stir, stir carefully with a clean, silicone spatula, and rinse it off between stirs.
- Let sit out until cool, and then score the candy into 1" squares for later cutting. Run a thin spatula between the unlined sides of the pan and the butterscotch, and and let it sit out, loosely covered with a lint-free towel, for about 24 hours in a cool kitchen.
- Remove to a cutting board, and cut into whatever shapes you want. This will make about 48-64 pieces of butterscotch, depending on how you cut them. NOTE: Because of all the butter in the candy, it will soften quickly at room temperature, so cut it and then store it in the fridge. A bit of butter may leak out when slicing, but most will get reabsorbed into the candy. See NOTES below for other target temperatures to make candies of different textures.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and hopefully also learned a thing or two.
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Expect updates on new and tasty recipes as well as a bit of behind-the-scenes action. I hope to see you there!
And if you think you don’t like butterscotch, I hope this recipe will help to change your mind.
Thanks for spending some time with me today.
Take care, y’all.
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I have tried this recipe 3 times and each time the butterscotch burns. It usually starts from around 250/260F. Have you any idea where I’m going wrong? The only thing i don’t have is corn syrup but replaced with golden syrup.
How long can this be made in advance if stored in the fridge?
You’ll get a good week in the fridge. Enjoy!
Just made this, cooling right now- it smells AMAZING. And based on what I sneaked off the end of the thermometer, it will taste amazing too! Thanks so much for sharing a real butterscotch recipe! I just found your list of butterscotch flavored recipes, I’m gonna have to work through them all!
I was wondering when you would reccomend adding spices if I were to try and make a holiday spiced butterscotch? I don’t want to risk burning them by adding them while cooking – but I wasn’t sure if the heat even while pouring would be too much for the spices?
Thanks again 🙂
Hey, Charlie! Enjoy all the butterscotching–and I’m making more all the time! This is a really good question. My educated guess is that adding some ground spices such as cinnamon towards the end of cooking would work just fine. Other options: consider trying my hard butterscotch recipe that contains some heavy cream. Then you could add the spices to the cream or steep them in the cream for 12 hours in the fridge before adding the cream. That would give you a more subtle spicing. Another idea would be to use oil-based candy flavorings rather than ground spices since those are designed for use in high heat. I have not played with those since culinary school, but I know that there are a wide array of flavors available to experiment with. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Hi there!
Just wondering if I can halve the recipe?
1lb of sugar and bitter seems a lot
Thanks
Hey, Ella. Yes, you can absolutely half this recipe with no problem. Keep in mind that this candy is based on a traditional recipe, so if you don’t want the candy to be very molasses-y, you can also cut back on the molasses even more. Or, if you want a more modern flavor profile, use dark brown sugar and eliminate the additional molasses. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi there! I’m curious if it would be possible to make this butterscotch candy using primarily brown sugar, which already contains some molasses, rather than granulated sugar plus additional molasses. How do you think that would affect the candy? I’m asking partly because I’m curious and partly because I have a huge bag of brown sugar I’d like to use up and I thought butterscotch might be a good way to do that.
Hey, Samantha! Yes, you can absolutely sup in brown sugar for the white sugar plus molasses. The main difference is that the candy you end up with will be a more “modern” version of butterscotch. This old, traditional recipe asks for 25% molasses (1/4 pound to 1 pound of sugar in the original). Dark brown sugar only contains 7% molasses, which is plenty to give you butterscotch flavor without the bitter edge of the original. I think you’ll like it! If you’d like a recipe based on dark brown sugar, try my butterscotch hard candy recipe: https://pastrychefonline.com/butterscotch-hard-candy/, but you can absolutely make the sub in this recipe. Hope that helps. Take care, and stay well.
Thank you for this! I did try this recipe as written just for a baseline and it was wonderful. Amazing flavor! Maybe I’ll try a version with all brown sugar and just an ounce or two of molasses to close the gap. Thanks again!
Oh awesome! Enjoy playing with the recipe, Samantha! Take care.
I just made this recipe. The candy is not smooth as I expected but seems to contain sugar cristals. Would you recommend adding a little water in the beginning to help dissolve the sugar, then boil to 250F? Thank you!
Hey, Christina. There should be enough water in the butter and molasses to get everything nice and smooth. Sometimes I do add water when making a caramel, but not generally with butterscotch. Having said that, I don’t think it could hurt to add a bit of extra water for insurance, especially since it will all boil away. Other reasons you could have unwanted crystallization include an inaccurate thermometer–the temperature you cook the candy to has a lot to do with how it sets up–scraping the pot too vigorously when panning up the candy (which can cause unwanted crystallization) or just making it on a really humid day.
Candy can be very finicky, unfortunately. So check your thermometer and save candy making for a sunny day. But next time you make it, see what adding an ounce or so of water along with the butter does to the finished candy.
Thanks again, and I hope this helps.
Hi
Can they be frozen? Do they keep if not refrigerated?
thanks
Hey, Jon. Yes, freezing should not hurt them at all. Just thaw them still well-wrapped. If you cook them a little bit hotter before cooling, say maybe 255F,they should be fine out of the fridge. As written, the caramels are a bit on the softer side so they’re firmer under refrigeration. If you don’t mind a softer candy, they should be fine at cool room temp of 68-72F.
Can this recipe be cooked to a temperature that makes hard candy? If so, what is that temperature? I’m diligently searching the internet for an all natural hard candy recipe that produces something similar to Werther’s Original Caramel Hard Candies. The trouble I have with chewy candy is that it’s tooooooo easy to keep popping them in my mouth and chewing them up and then popping another and then another and so on and so on…
PS: I read where you mentioned that cooking it to 305-310F produces toffee but I understand toffee to be a brittle type of candy.
Kate, your timing is excellent! I’m posting a hard candy version tomorrow! I actually did my first trial using the same proportions as for the chewy candy here, but with the higher temperature, the molasses flavor was way too assertive. Three more tries and I finally have it perfected! The one downside is the crunchy ones are just as easy to pop into your mouth, one after the other! They aren’t hard-hard like Werther’s but have a creamy-crunch like a Heath bar, if that makes sense. Stay tuned! The temp I settled on for the hard butterscotch is 295-297F. So it’s crunchy, but not lollipop crunchy.
Oh my golly, thank youuuuuu!!! Dreams do come true. =)
Did you see it, Kate?! https://pastrychefonline.com/butterscotch-hard-candy/ Enjoy! 🙂
can we add some spiced rum to this towards the end
That is a very good question. I think you have 2 choices, and the only reason I hesitate is because the water conttent could throw off the way the candy sets. I think you could either put some rum in at the beginning: my guess is the liquid will boil off leaving you the flavor. Or you could also put some in towards the end and probably end up with spiced rum butterscotch sauce, which sounds like an excellent plan. I think it is definitely worth playing with to see what happens. Please let me know. Enjoy!
I know this post is pretty old, but just came across it through google and the recipe sounds delicious. Question, would it be possible to (carefully!) pour the hot syrup into silicon candy molds to make more uniform or “cute” candies? I’m not too familiar with candy making so not sure if this is something that would work at all.
Hey, Angie! Yes, I think it would be possible. You’d have to work fairly quickly so you don’t end up with a lot of candy stuck in the pan as it cools while you’re pouring into molds, but yes, I think you absolutely could. Good luck!
Hi Jennifer and Angie, absolutely yes! you can use silicone molds for this. I make a lot of this stuff, and fudge, often coated in chocolate, but the base shapes I use are nothing other than silicone chocolate molds, as they will withstand the high (150 DegC.) temperatures of molten sugar.
Thanks for confirming, John! I appreciate it! Would love to see some of your candies sometime. You can email me at onlinepastrychef at yahoo dot com! 🙂
I will have to try this but need a thermometer first. Have been reading the comments in regard to the molasses and took not of Chris’s comments in regard to ‘first molasses’ being the correct molasses to use rather than the black treacle ‘blackstrap’ molasses. I am in Australia and we have Golden Syrup. doing a bit of reading on the net this is also known as light treacle and is described as the first cook of the sugar which seems to be what is described for first molasses so I am thinking this is the same thing. I will try it using this. First I need to find a thermometer which I have noticed can be quite expensive.
Golden syrup will give you a delicious result, but it doesn’t have quite the bite of molasses. Still, your candy will taste great! Please note the amount of molasses (or golden syrup) is written by weight, not volume. That has tripped up some folks before, so I’ve tried to make it clear. I’m not sure about Australia, but in the US, you can get candy thermometers that clip onto the side of your pan for about $10. See if something like that is available there. Let me know how you like it, Richie, and thanks for stopping in and commenting!
thanks. In Australia an ounce is only ever a weight, never volume so wont get confused with that one. Got my thermometer now so will try it tomorrow and see how it goes with Golden Syrup. I think that is light treacle. All gets very confusing with some sites saying molasses is treacle, and others saying they are different. Will see how it goes 🙂
I think regardless of what you end up with, it should be pretty tasty! Looking forward to your results! 🙂
I would love to try this recipe using coconut oil instead of butter and maybe brown rice syrup instead of molasses. I know it won’t taste anything like butterscotch but hopefully still be a yummy candy. Do you think it will work?
Vegan friends would be happy 🙂
I think it would work, Michelle, and I know the vegans will thank you! You may want to dial the coconut oil back a bit just because it’s 100% fat while the usual butter is only about 80% fat. Do that math to make up for the difference, and I think it should work out just fine! And I guess it goes without saying, vegan-wise, make sure you’re using sugar that hasn’t been processed with bone char. Please let me know how it goes. I’ll be interested to hear!
Hi! Thank you for such a great recipe. These are awesome!
It never occurred to me chefs weighed liquids. So for people like me who measured 4 ounces, 1/2 cup, of molasses in a measuring cup instead of weighing out 4 ounces of molasses, we over shot the amount of molasses needed by 48.6 grams. That is like 30% more molasses than is needed.
4 ounces of molasses weighs 113.4 grams where as measured 1/2 cup of molasses weighs 162 grams. 162 – 113.4 = 48.6
I lucked out as when I was melting the sugar/molasses mixture, I tasted it because it looked really dark. It tasted too much like molasses. I quickly added 8 ounces of butter, 114 gm sugar, and 2.5 gm. sea salt to the pot which I think by my calculations reduced my “molasses error” down to ~5%.
They are so good! The flavor is perfect for butterscotch, beautiful color, and they are so creamy. So much easier to make than caramels made with heavy cream.
If you can’t weigh your molasses, I believe you would want to use a measured 1/4 cup (81gm) + 1 TBL (20.25gm) + 2 tsp (~14gm) to get a really close approximate equivalent to the 4 weighed ounces called for in the recipe. You get ~115.3 gm instead of the 113.4 gm. With what sticks to the measuring cup and measuring spoons, I bet it evens out.
This recipe is well worth the effort of a little math. Mind you, I am not a math wiz, so I encourage you to double check the numbers yourself.
You know, it seems so obvious now that I think about it. I just *assumed* folks would know I meant to weigh everything. Then it finally struck me. Assuming is never a good plan! I’m so glad you love the butterscotch and that you had the presence of mind to rescue yours before you got too far along and ended up with molasses candy. I am so impressed with your math. With your permission, I’ll add parts of your comment to the recipe notes. Let me know if that’s okay with you, and thanks so much!
So Jennifer Field says they weigh 4 oz molasses on a scale, not a liquid measuring cup. That makes a lot of difference. 4 fl oz weighs ~6.5 oz….. 4 oz weight is just a lil over 2 fl oz.
I did this and it’s perfect:
1 lb organic salted butter
1 lb organic sugar (evaporated cane juice crystals)
2 fl oz Grandma’s molasses
2 fl oz brown rice syrup
1 gram fine sea salt
heat to 255°, cooled in glass dish lined with parchment
(because of the organic sugar it’s a lil darker but if I used white sugar it would probably be the color in the pic)
stable and chewy like caramels, tastes like butterscotch
These are actually more of a golden Amber color and could take a bit more salt.
Yes, all my measures are by weight, including liquids. If I’m giving ounces, it means by weight. So glad you enjoyed them, December. And I always advocate salting to taste, so feel free to up it a bit if you think they need it!
Mine also came out very dark and molasses-tasting with 4 oz Grandma’s. Doesn’t taste like butterscotch. Is the 4 oz being weighed on a scale or measured with a liquid measuring cup? I might try brown rice syrup instead, seems like the molasses is why it doesn’t taste like butterscotch.
I weigh mine. And keep in mind that this is based on a recipe from the late 1800s. It is very probable that butterscotch in the late 1800s tastes different than a more modern interpretation of butterscotch. Mine came out exactly the color in my photos, and I appreciate the molasses edge. Again–brown sugar was probably much more molassesy long ago.