Do they make sugar free butterscotch chips? Yes, there are a few brands that make sugar free or no sugar added butterscotch chips. These chips are sweetened with sugar substitutes instead of regular sugar, allowing people with diabetes or those avoiding sugar to still enjoy the butterscotch flavor in baked goods. Some popular brands of sugar free butterscotch chips include Ghirardelli, Lily’s, Anna & Sarah, and GooGoo Clusters. These chips can typically be found in the baking aisle at grocery stores or ordered online.
What Are Butterscotch Chips?
Butterscotch chips are baking chips made from butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. They have a sweet, buttery, caramel-like flavor and are often used in cookies, bars, cakes, and other baked goods. Traditional butterscotch chips get their sweetness from regular brown sugar, which is sucrose. Sucrose is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose and provides approximately 4 Calories per gram.
While delicious, the sugar content of regular butterscotch chips makes them unsuitable for people with diabetes or those limiting sugar for other health reasons. This led to the development of sugar free butterscotch chips sweetened with non-nutritive sugar substitutes.
Ingredients in Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
Sugar free butterscotch chips are made with many of the same ingredients as regular butterscotch chips, minus the regular brown sugar. Some common ingredients include:
- Butter or vegetable oils
- Sugar substitutes like maltitol, erythritol, stevia
- Brown coloring agents
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Soy lecithin as an emulsifier
The specific blends of sugar substitutes vary by brand, but many opt for maltitol or erythritol as the primary sweetener. These sugar alcohols provide a similar taste to sucrose with fewer Calories and no effect on blood sugar levels.
Nutrition Facts of Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
Since they are made without regular sugar, sugar free butterscotch chips have fewer Calories and carbohydrates than regular butterscotch chips. Here is a nutrition comparison of a 1/4 cup serving:
| Nutrition Facts | Regular Butterscotch Chips (1/4 cup) | Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips (1/4 cup) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 | 96 |
| Total Carbs | 30g | 14g |
| Sugars | 24g | 1g |
As you can see, sugar free butterscotch chips have significantly fewer Calories and carbohydrates compared to the regular version. However, sugar alcohols like maltitol can cause digestive issues in some people when consumed in large amounts. Those sensitive to sugar alcohols may want to enjoy them in moderation.
Benefits of Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
There are several potential benefits associated with choosing sugar free butterscotch chips over regular butterscotch chips:
Lower in Calories and Carbs
Since they are sweetened with non-nutritive sugar substitutes, sugar free butterscotch chips are lower in both Calories and carbohydrates than regular chips. This makes them a smart choice for anyone watching their sugar and carb intake.
Don’t Raise Blood Sugar Levels
For people with diabetes or prediabetes, being able to enjoy the flavor of butterscotch without spiking blood sugar levels is a major benefit of sugar free chips. They can be incorporated into a blood sugar friendly diet.
Don’t Promote Tooth Decay
Regular sugar contributes to cavities and tooth decay. Sugar free butterscotch chips skip the sugar, so they do not have the same detrimental effects on dental health. This makes them tooth-friendly.
May Support Weight Management
The lower calorie content of sugar free butterscotch chips means they can be worked into a reduced calorie diet to support weight management or weight loss goals. Their sweet taste helps satisfy cravings with fewer Calories.
Best Brands of Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
Several brands now offer sugar free butterscotch chip options. Here is an overview of some top sugar free butterscotch chip brands:
Ghirardelli
Ghirardelli makes popular semi-sweet chocolate chips and now offers sugar free butterscotch chips as well. Their chips are sweetened with maltitol and erythritol. They have 60% less sugar than regular butterscotch chips. Ghirardelli offers two sizes of their sugar free butterscotch chips – 10 oz bag and 5 lb bag. Their chips bake well in cookies and brownies.
Lily’s Sweets
Lily’s Sweets is known for their sugar free chocolate chips sweetened with stevia. They offer butterscotch chips sweetened with stevia as well. Each 1/4 cup serving contains 7g of sugar alcohols and 60 Calories. These chips have a smooth, creamy butterscotch flavor and work well in baking. Lily’s Sweets chips are sold in 9 oz bags.
Anna & Sarah
Anna and Sarah make European style sugar free and keto friendly chips, including butterscotch. Their butterscotch chips are sweetened with erythritol and contain only 1g of sugar and 2g net carbs per serving. Anna and Sarah chips have a delicious buttery, caramelized flavor. They come in a 7 oz resealable pouch.
GooGoo Clusters
In addition to their candy clusters, GooGoo Clusters offers a line of sugar free baking chips, including butterscotch flavored. Their chips are sweetened with maltitol and contain only 2g of sugar per serving. GooGoo Cluster’s chips have a soft texture and work great in cookies, blondies, and brownies. They come in an 11 oz bag.
How to Use Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
Sugar free butterscotch chips can be used in all the same recipes as regular butterscotch chips. They work well in any recipe calling for butterscotch chips or morsels including:
- Butterscotch cookies
- Blondies or brownies
- Butterscotch bars
- Pancakes or waffles
- Oatmeal
- Banana bread
- Rice krispie treats
- Milkshakes
When baking, sugar free chips can typically be swapped 1:1 for regular butterscotch chips without adjustments to the recipe. Be sure to check the package for any tips particular to that brand.
Here are some delicious ways to enjoy sugar free butterscotch chips:
Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Combine sugar free butterscotch and chocolate chips in cookie dough for double the flavor. The sweetness pairs perfectly with the chocolate.
Butterscotch Blondies
Trade chocolate chips for butterscotch chips when making blondies for a creative twist. The butterscotch goes great with the blond flavor.
Butterscotch Chip Pancakes
Stir a handful of sugar free butterscotch chips right into the pancake batter, then enjoy delicious bites of butterscotch in each pancake.
Banana Butterscotch Muffins
Add sugar free butterscotch chips to banana muffins. The butterscotch complements the banana flavor perfectly.
Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats
For a twist on classic rice krispie treats, use sugar free butterscotch chips instead of chocolate chips. Simply melt the butterscotch chips with marshmallows and stir into rice cereal.
Tips for Baking with Sugar Free Butterscotch Chips
Here are some helpful tips to ensure success when baking with sugar free butterscotch chips:
- Let butterscotch chips come to room temperature before baking for even melting and distribution.
- Reduce oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.
- Watch carefully to avoid burning since sugar free chips can brown faster.
- Add a couple extra minutes of baking time for very thick and dense baked goods.
- Stir sugar free chips into cookie doughs by hand instead of electric mixer to avoid breaking chips.
- Store any unused sugar free butterscotch chips in the refrigerator or freezer. They may soften at room temperature.
With a few minor adjustments, sugar free butterscotch chips bake up deliciously in all kinds of recipes. Have fun experimenting with new ways to enjoy their sweet flavor without all the sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about sugar free butterscotch chips:
Why are sugar free butterscotch chips lower in carbohydrates?
Sugar free butterscotch chips are lower in carbs because they are not sweetened with regular sugar. Granulated white sugar and brown sugar are carbohydrates. Sugar free chips use sugar alcohols like maltitol or erythritol which contribute fewer carbs.
Do sugar free butterscotch chips taste the same as regular butterscotch chips?
They come very close! The best sugar free butterscotch chips have an excellent buttery, caramel-like flavor. There may be a slight aftertaste from some sugar substitutes. Overall, sugar free butterscotch chips are quite tasty, especially in baked goods.
Can I use sugar free butterscotch chips in a regular recipe that calls for butterscotch chips?
Yes, in most recipes you can directly substitute an equal amount of sugar free butterscotch chips in place of regular chips. The sugar free chips will bake up similar to traditional chips. Just watch closely for any over-browning.
Are sugar free butterscotch chips gluten free?
Some brands of sugar free butterscotch chips are labeled gluten free, like GooGoo Clusters. As always, check the package labeling to confirm gluten free status since formulations can vary between brands. Many times sugar free chips are produced on shared equipment.
Do sugar free butterscotch chips have sugar alcohols?
Yes, most sugar free butterscotch chips contain sugar alcohols like maltitol, erythritol, or xylitol as the primary sweetener instead of regular sugar. Some brands may use stevia instead. Check the ingredient label for which sugar substitutes are used.
Conclusion
Sugar free butterscotch chips offer a delicious way for people to monitor their sugar and carb intake while still enjoying the classic butterscotch flavor. Brands like Lily’s, Ghirardelli, GooGoo Clusters, and Anna & Sarah make high quality sugar free butterscotch chips sweetened with sugar substitutes that bake up wonderfully in cookies, bars, muffins, and more. With fewer Calories and carbohydrates than regular butterscotch chips, sugar free varieties promote better blood sugar regulation and can be part of healthy eating plans for people with diabetes or weight loss goals. Yet their sweet, buttery, caramelized taste rivals regular butterscotch chips. So go ahead and bake up something delightful with sugar free butterscotch chips.
