Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos are the most underrated anytime snack bar! Soft with a chewy texture, they’re filled with the sweet flavors of chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch paired with the classic crunch of Rice Krispies. This delicious, crowd-pleasing chocolate-peanut butter dessert bar requires minimal ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make.

What is a Scotcheroo?

Hold the Rice Krispie Treats, and step away from the marshmallow. Yes, I know we usually think Rice Krispy cereal must mean Rice Krispy treats, but I am here to tell you that there is an even better, more flavorful option. You know them, you love them, you just may have forgotten what they are called: The melt-in-your-mouth, chocolate-covered scotcheroo bar.

Made with smooth peanut butter and topped with a winning combination of butterscotch morsels and chocolate chips, this easy Midwest dessert recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make. These mouthwatering no-bake dessert bars are less crunchy than traditional Rice Krispy treats but still have the soft Rice Krispy pops that you love. With a base made from sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter, and rice crisps, this classic Scotcheroo recipe is to be the star of your next birthday party, after-dinner dessert, or weekend treat.

Recipe Ingredients

• Rice Krispies – The ultimate snack cereal, these light, little cereal pieces give your scotcheroos just the right amount of crunch without distracting from the delicious flavors of chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch.
• Creamy peanut butter – I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter for this recipe as it will tend to separate. Brands like Skippy or Jif are best!
• Sugar and light corn syrup– These ingredients will be combined to make a delicious, sweet sugar mixture.
• Chocolate Chips – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
• Butterscotch chips – Find these in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.

How to Make Homemade Scotcheroos

1. Prepare: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, and set it aside. Then, pour 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal into a large mixing bowl, and set that aside as well.
2. Create the sugar mixture: Add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of light corn syrup to a medium pot over medium heat. Then, bring the mixture to a boil. Make sure you stir constantly, and be careful not to overcook. You want to boil just until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the sugar and corn syrup mixture from the heat.
3. Combine the ingredients: Stir 1 cup of peanut butter into the sugar and corn syrup mixture. Be sure to mix well! Next, you’ll pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies and stir to fully combine. Then, pour the cereal mixture into the greased 9×13-inch pan. Gently press the top down with a spatula to make sure your scotcheroos set nice and evenly.
4. Add the chocolate mixture: Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in a small pot or double boiler, stirring constantly on low heat. Alternatively, you can melt the chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Pour over pressed Rice Krispies and let set before cutting and serving. Sprinkle sea salt on top if desired.
5. Enjoy: I know you’re going to want to dig in immediately, but it’s important to let the scotcheroos cool and harden completely before cutting them into pieces.

Tips for making the best Scotcheroos

• Watch the heat. When it is time to combine your light corn syrup and sugar, it’s important that you DO NOT over-boil. All you want to do is make sure the sugar has the chance to dissolve. If you keep cooking, you’ll be on your way to caramelizing the sugar, which is tasty but not quite what we want for this scotcheroo recipe.
• Spread evenly. Unless you’re going for a specific shape or really dig the idea of an uneven dessert (no judgment), you want to make sure you spread the scotcheroo mixture in the pan as evenly as possible BEFORE adding the melted chocolate and butterscotch mixture to the top. Remember, you want the chocolate to sit and harden on top of the sugar and Rice Krispy mixture. To make sure each bar has an equal amount of the chocolate mixture, you want as flat a surface as possible. If the Rice Krispy mixture is proving difficult to spread, you can add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate-butterscotch mixture to help it spread more easily.
• Stick them in the freezer. If you want to eat your scotcheroos ASAP (which, let’s be real, who doesn’t?), you can stick your pan in the freezer to help the crispy chocolate peanut butter bars cool and set more quickly. Also, if you know you won’t be serving these for a few days, you can always make-ahead, freeze, and then set out at room temperature when it’s time to serve.

How to Store + Freeze

Store leftover Scotcheroos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. Or, for a longer-lasting option, you can freeze leftovers for up to 2 to 3 months.

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