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Home » Recipes » Desserts

Best Scotcheroo Bars

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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!

Scotcheroo bars sit stacked in a pyramid fashion on a light blue plate.

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.

George sits at kitchen table with empty glass bowl with spatula in hand ready to clean off leftover chocolate topping.

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.

Four scotcheroo bars sit stacked on a plate.

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.

Large pot sits on counter with corn syrup, sugar, butter and salt ready to be stirred by red spatula.
Sugar has dissolved in pot to become a syrup mixture.

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.

Creamy peanut butter is added to pot with syrup mixture and is being stirred in.
Rice Crispy cereals in a glass bowl are being poured into a large metal bowl.
Pot of peanut butter syrup is being held over metal bowl with cereal to be poured.
Grey spatula combines cereal and peanut butter syrup till combined in large metal bowl.

Grease the casserole dish with butter or line with parchment paper. Pour cereal base into a 13x9 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.

Ashley greases a glass 13x9 baking dish with butter.
Grey spatula pushes cereal mixture into a greased 13x9 glass dish.
Scotcheroo mixture sits in a glass dish to be pressed out into 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.

Ashley holds two small glass bowls filled with chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
Chocolate and butterscotch chips are combined in a larger glass bowl and mixed together.
Melted chocolate topping sits in glass bowl.

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.

Scotcheroo bars sit below a glass bowl filled with chocolate topping being spooned out by grey spatula.
Melted chocolate is being spread out on top of scotcheroo base.
Grey spatula spreads chocolate topping over scotcheroo bars.

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.

Scotcheroo bars sit in a glass dish cut into square pieces.

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. 
A corner scotcheroo bar is held over a pan of cut scotcheroo bars.

📖 Recipe

Scotcheroo bars sit stacked in a pyramid fashion on a light blue plate.

Scotcheroo Bars

The Dashley's Kitchen
Peanut butter, butterscotch, rice cereal and chocolate all wrapped up in one make these an easy, no-bake dessert!
4.55 from 33 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 391 kcal

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 butter, corn syrup, sugar and sea salt to a pot on medium to low heat.
    3 tablespoons butter, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 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.
    1 ½ cups peanut butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Add cereal to large bowl and pour peanut butter syrup mixture over the cereal.
    7 cups rice crispy 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.
    2 cups butterscotch chips, 2 cups chocolate 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

Serving: 1gCalories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 162mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38g
Keyword Dessert Bars, dessert recipes, Made From Scratch, No Bake Desserts, No Bake Recipes, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, Rice Krispy Treats, Scotcheroo Bars, Scotcheroos, The Dashley’s Kitchen, The Dashleys
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

    4.55 from 33 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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  1. Gina Pearcy says

    August 27, 2021 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    Made these with my son today. They were quick and easy. The whole family loves them.

    Reply
  2. Gina Pearcy says

    October 20, 2021 at 10:54 am

    4 stars
    First time I made these my son said they were his favorite thing I ever made. The family has now requested these be made for every holiday and family day. Thanks Dashley family

    Reply
  3. Amanda Foor says

    March 09, 2022 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    Made these along with some other treats for the holidays and these were the first ones gone and I got so many compliments! I will definitely be making this recipe again.

    Reply
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