To begin, take a large mixing bowl and place it in your stand mixer. Add ¾ cup unsalted butter that has been softened to room temperature, along with ¾ cup light brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar. Beat them together on medium-high speed until the mixture is well-creamed, light, and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes. If using a hand mixer, don’t be afraid to put in a little elbow grease here—it will be worth it! You can tell it’s ready when the color lightens substantially.
Once you’ve achieved that fluffy texture, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated. Next, add in 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat everything together on medium speed until fully combined, which should take about 1 minute.
Now, it’s time to introduce the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; you want your cookies to be soft and chewy!
Add in the star ingredients: the butterscotch chips and honey roasted peanuts. Fold these in with a spatula or mix on low speed for just a few seconds to incorporate. You’ll want to see those chips and nuts evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds of cookie dough. I typically make around 25 cookies with this amount. Place the mounds on a large plate or baking sheet, flatten them slightly with your palm, and cover them with plastic wrap. This is an essential step—refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or spray with cooking spray. Once the oven is ready, take those chilled mounds of cookie dough and place them on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. I usually bake about 8 cookies per sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 to 9 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set, and the tops are just beginning to firm up, even if they look slightly undercooked in the center. The cookies will continue to cook on the baking sheet after removing them from the oven, so don’t overbake! Trust me; you want those chewy centers!
After baking, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. This step is crucial as it allows the cookies to set properly.
Store any remaining cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you want to freeze them, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, if you have leftover cookie dough, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This means you can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits!
