Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the butterbeer cookie dough
- Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add melted butterscotch chips, egg, vanilla, and cream soda and mix until fully combined, with the mixture looking glossy.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, then fold into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. The dough should look thick and scoopable.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon rounds onto a sheet pan, spacing them evenly so they can spread slightly. Press lightly to help them hold their shape.
Bake and cool
- Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Remove when the tops appear lightly set rather than fully browned.
- Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan or a rack until they are firm to the touch. This prevents frosting from melting.
Make frosting and finish
- Beat frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy, starting slow and then increasing speed. The frosting should hold a soft peak when lifted.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto each cooled cookie. Add it in a generous swirl so the surface is covered.
- Decorate with gold sugar sprinkles immediately after frosting so they adhere. The finished cookies should look speckled with gold.
Notes
For the cleanest cookies, melt the butterscotch chips and let them cool 5 minutes before mixing so the egg doesn’t scramble. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days; refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze baked, unfrosted cookies up to 2 months (thaw and frost after). For a dairy-light option, use plant-based butter and dairy-free cream soda; the frosting texture will be slightly softer but still pipeable.