Best Scotcheroo Bars are a classic dessert. They have a tale as old as time. Tried and true, they are well beloved. Scotcheroos are an easy dessert taking 15 mins or less to whip together. Reminiscent of a simple childhood favorite, these Scotcheroos give traditional Rice Krispy Treats a delicious makeover. This treat is sure to become your favorite no-bake dessert!
It’s hard enough to say no to a treat with a decadent, chewy peanut butter base. But when that treat is topped with a rich chocolatey-butterscotch frosting … it makes it absolutely irresistible! What’s not to love about peanut butter, butterscotch, rice cereal and chocolate all wrapped up in one?
And if you’ve got a major hankering for more delicious treats you’ve got to give our Pumpkin Chocolate or Sunshine Oatmeal cookies a try! Craving peanut butter? Blossom cookies are just what you need. Wanting a chocolate overload – these Fudgy Chocolate Bar Brownies are sure to do the trick. And if you are trying to escape the heat, go for a delicious Orange Mango Smoothie or these festive Holiday Houses.
Plus, these are the PERFECT dessert for whipping something together when you want a sweet treat without having to heat up the house. Sometimes you really can have the best of both worlds!
Where did Scotcheroos come from?
Scotcheroos gained their fame when the recipe was first shared on the back of the Kellogg’s Rice Krispies box in the 60’s. It instantly gained popularity for it’s classic flavors and how easily it comes together. Making it the perfect treat to bring along to your next potluck, party or bake sale.
Scotcheroos are some of my faves and I’ve easily eaten like a 1,000. But these are seriously the best ones I’ve ever had. Part of the reason is that in addition to the corn syrup this recipe calls for butter in the syrup mixture. Butter helps add to the softness and chewiness of these bars. For real, trust me. Nobody needs to have dry, crunchy scotcheroos!
Another thing that makes these so special is that our version calls for double vanilla in the peanut butter mixture AND double the chocolate and butterscotch chips in the frosting.
Do’s and Don’ts of Scotcheroos
I know I said that Best Scotcheroo Bars were a fool-proof, quick and easy dessert. They are. They really are. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few quick tips and easy tricks you can try to make them that much better. So without further ado:
Don’t Overheat Sugar:
Be careful not to overheat the sugar mixture. Overheating will cause the sugar to crystallize and the bars to turn out crumbly and crunchy, more of a brittle.
Trust me, be patient. Heat that butter and sugar on low and as soon as things are melted together pull it off the heat. Despite what you may have seen in other recipes DO NOT let it boil. As soon as you see the sugar dissolved pull from the heat.
Do Press Gently:
Add peanut butter and vanilla to the sugar syrup and stir till smooth. Pour your syrup mixture over the rice cereal and gently mix together. Be careful not to crush your cereal.
Grease the casserole dish with butter or line with parchment paper. Pour cereal base into a 13×9 dish. Press the cereal gently till they are flat and even bars. Be careful because you don’t want to compress the bars too much. No one wants dense bars.
Don’t Rush the Melt:
When microwaving your chocolate and butterscotch chips DON’T rush it. Microwave in short bursts of time (like 10-15 seconds) so your chocolate doesn’t seize. Even out of the microwave your chips are still melting, so stir between bursts of cooking for a few seconds each time.
Keep the whole melting process under a minute in total. After the topping is melted spoon over the top of the bars. Spread the chocolate mixture till even. Sprinkle with sea salt for a little extra pizazz.
Do Chill:
Refrigerate for 30 minutes so topping sets up quicker and you can enjoy these treats that much sooner! Just let them sit out for 10-15 minutes before serving so they can get to room temperature to give them a chance to become soft and chewy.
Pro Chef – Mom Hacks
- If not a fan of peanut butter try using another favorite nut butter like Almond, Sunflower, or peanut butter alternative. You could also swap it out for Cookie Butter or Nutella.
- Are you a chocolate lover? We already double the frosting but there is no harm in tripling it! Try doubling the amount of chocolate and butterscotch chips for an even thicker chocolatey-butterscotch frosting.
- For a simple cleanup line your dish with parchment paper before adding the cereal base.
- If you have leftovers store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Or you can keep them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just be sure to let your bars sit out for 30 minutes before serving to give them a chance to soften up.
Scotcheroo Bars
Peanut butter, butterscotch, rice cereal and chocolate all wrapped up in one make these an easy, no-bake dessert!
Ingredients
Bar Base Layer
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 7 cups rice crispy cereal
Frosting
- 2 cups butterscotch chips
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add buter, corn syrup, sugar and sea salt to a pot on medium to low heat.
- Stir syrup mixture until sugar is dissolved, being careful not to let the mixture boil. If you see bubbles remove from heat right away.
- Add peanut butter and vanilla to syrup mixture. Stir till combined on low heat.
- Add cereal to large bowl and pour peanut butter syrup mixture over the cereal.
- Spray a spatula with non-stick cooking spray and gently mix till cereal is coated being careful not to crush cereal.
- Spoon cereal mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish that has been well greased or lined with parchment paper.
- Gently press cereal mixture, careful not to compress, till bars are flat and even.
- In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate and butterscotch chips.
- Cook in 20 second invervals stirring chocolate mixture between each round until the topping mixture is just melted. (Do not overheat or it will seize.)
- Pour topping over your base mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt if you'd like.
- Allow bars to cool before cutting.
Notes
- Be careful not to let your syrup mixture boil.
- Gently press cereal into the pan being careful not to compress the cereal mizture too much.
- Microwave the chocolate and butterscotch in short bursts to prevent seizing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 2gSugar: 38gProtein: 6g