Scotcheroos
Scotcheroos are a chewy no-bake dessert made with peanut butter Rice Krispie treats topped with chocolate and butterscotch chips. This is always the first to go when I take these to potlucks and one of my favorite desserts .
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SCOTCHEROOS RECIPE
Why did everything taste so good back in college when I was single and a poor college student?
My roommate Carrie would make these babies in Provo and I swear I could eat the whole pan pan of scotcheroos by myself without blinking.
Not much has changed I guess. This no-bake treat is one of my all time favorite classic recipes. Every scotcharoo recipe is basically the same. Chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch flavor all in one.
These Chex Scotcheroos are a great gluten-free version too!
INGREDIENTS
- RICE KRISPIES CEREAL – you can use the generic crispy rice cereal or switch it up and use Special K cereal.
- WHITE SUGAR
- CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER – You could also use crunchy peanut butter for a bit more crunch but I wouldn’t recommend using natural peanut butter.
- LIGHT CORN SYRUP
- SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS – these are already pretty sweet on their own so I like to use semi-sweet chips but milk chocolate chips would work as well.
- BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS
HOW TO MAKE SCOTCHEROOS
-
In large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup (this can also be done in a microwave-safe bowl). Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves then bring to boil. Do not boil corn syrup mixture too long or they will harden when cooled. All you want to do here let the mixture boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. In a large bowl, add the Rice Krispie cereal and peanut butter mixture and mix until well blended. Press cereal mixture into a parchment paper lined or buttered 9X13 inch pan.
-
Melt together the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove. You can double the topping if you want a thicker frosting but they are pretty sweet on their own already. Spread chocolate mixture over top of Rice Krispies mixture. Cool. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.
I mean you know I love all things butterscotch!
PRO TIPS:
- The only way you can mess these up is too cook the sugar mixture too long which will cause you to have a hard scotcheroo.
- These are really sweet on their own but if you want to double the chocolate topping you can.
- Cut the bars when they are at room temperature for easier cutting through the chocolate layer.
CAN YOU FREEZE SCOTCHEROOS?
Yes. You can freeze scotcheroos up to three months in a freezer bag.
OTHER PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES:
- Homemade Reese’s Bars
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Ritz Bars
- Lunch Lady Bars
- Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Buckeye Bark
- Monster Cookies
Scotcheroos
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- In large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup (this can also be done in the microwave). Cook over medium heat to dissolve sugar and bring to boil. Do not boil too long or they will harden when cooled. All you want to do here is dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. In a large bowl, add the Rice Krispie cereal and peanut butter mixture and mix until well blended. Press cereal mixture into a parchment paper lined or buttered 9X13 inch pan.
- Melt together the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan on the stove. You can double the topping if you want a thicker frosting but they are pretty sweet on their own already. Spread combined mixture over top of Rice Krispies mixture. Cool. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.
Notes
PRO TIPS:
- The only way you can mess these up is too cook the sugar mixture too long which will cause them to get hard.
- These are really sweet on their own but if you want to double the chocolate topping you can.
- Cut the bars when they are at room temperature for easier cutting.
What can you sub in for the light corn syrup? What if you didn’t use it at all?
It kind of makes the whole texture in these so I don’t have a sub
I microwaved them
My chocolate chips and butterscotch chips barely melted. Tastes good but very dry. Thoughts?
You should have microwaved them until smooth. If the scotcheroos are dry it sounds like you overboiled them.
This is such an easy yummy recipe! I am allergic to peanuts so I used cashew butter and there is no taste difference!!
I have made these several times and the are delicious! This last time I went to get the ingredients, my store was out of Rice Krispies and Special K, so I used Golden Grahams. I only used 1/2 cup of sugar since it is a sweeter cereal. They came out so good! Great recipe!
I’ve heard there’s a shortage on Rice Krispies!
Ive made these with Kellogg corn flakes they are so good.
Ooh i’ll have to try that.
These were a big hit! As easy as rice crispy treats but they seem more homemade lol. Love these!
Thanks!
I use 2 cups of chocolate chips instead of the butterscotch. I add about a tablespoon of peanut butter to the chocolate before I microwave it. This adds more peanut butter flavor and the chocolate has a little softer consistency once it hardens.
Yes! I do that sometimes too!
Hey, quick FYI- Rice Krispies (brand name) are NOT gluten free. They have malt(gluten) in the flavoring but you can’t try gf versions of s Krispy cereal -just wanted to warn those with Celiac so they wouldn’t get sick! Super Yummy though when you make with gf cereal!
Good to know. Thanks for letting me know.
A family favorite ! Sometimes we substitute Special K cereal for Rice Krispies and call the bars “Special K” bars .
Yesss I’ve heard of those. So good.
We always make with Special K
Can’t get the chocolate chips n butterscotch chips to melt on the stove !
What’s happening? You can also melt them in a microwave safe bowl. It’s very important to not have too high of heat or the mixture will seize.
A double boiler is the best way to melt chocolate chips on the stove. Add a little dab of coconut oil or butter for a shiny appearance.
PLEASE USE MY FIRST NAME ONLY
I am going to try this recipe but leave out the chocolate. It makes me deathly ill. I may use just the butterscotch chips to melt for the frosting.
For Donna: try using sunflower butter if your husband has a peanut allergy. It is a tasty alternative to peanut butter.
OMG I remember these as a kid,Childhood memories came flooding back they are so good thank you for Sharing this recipe I made a double batch tonight .
Dale Urban
I’m coming over!
hello-my husband is allergic to peanut butter. Can l use wow butter?
I haven’t tried WOW butter so I can’t be sure.
Absolutely buddy gorgeous. Used Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup. The combination of sweet and salty from the Krispies mixed with the bitter sweet of the chocolate was divine. Can see this being a firm family favourite.
Love hearing that.
Since I discovered marshmallow fluff made with brown rice syrup and Sunspires Peanut Butter Chips sweetened with brown rice syrup I’ve been going to town with dessert recipe makeovers. With the inspiration from your recipe I can see a lot more RKT’s making their way onto my kitchen counter.
I made the scotcheroos but they were so hard I could barely cut them. What did I do wrong?
If you boil the corn syrup mixture too long it will get really hard. The shorter you boil them the softer they are but you don’t want them super soft either. Sorry they didn’t turn out for you!
I made them again and let the sugar and corn syrup just barely come to a boil, then stirred in my peanut butter. Success! The only problem now is that they are so yummy, I can’t quit eating them!!!
Good to hear that you were able to fix them.
Do these need to be refrigerated or can they be left out?
They can definitely be left out…
I have been making these bars since my mother found the recipe many years ago when I was still in school. They are absolutely delicious. Instead of a 1(6 oz.) bag of each flavor chips, I use 1 (12 oz. or whatever the larger size bag is now) of each flavor. This makes the icing thicker and even more addictive. I just made a pan of these yesterday. Yummy!D
Yes, that’s what I usually use too. Don’t know why it says 6 ounce…
I make these EVERY year but use 5 cups of crushed Special K cereal instead of Rice Krispies.
I add 2 T of peanut butter to the chocolate/butterscotch chip “frosting”
I also add 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter instead of 1 cup for the sugar mixture and 1 tsp of vanilla.
I’m just wondering if I can add rum to the bars and freeze dried coffee to the frosting
Ooh. I have no idea. I’m sure you could but I have no idea how it would taste.
Is it possible to use chocolate almond bark instead of chocolate chips? I’m just wondering due to i have a ton of this and no chocolate chips so I am wondering if it would turn out.
Have you ever made the version of this that calls for marshmallows instead of sugar and karo syrup? They aren’t so heavy tasting and really easy to make in the microwave. Just wondering… 🙂
I haven’t. I actually really like them dense. 🙂
My recipe I use have coco krispies…. kind of make your stomach hurnt
Scotcheroos, meet stomach, stomach, meet scotcheroos!
Me likey. Me likey a lot!
I like to use a couple Tablespoons of maple syrup in with the sugar and syrup.
I have been eating these nonstop since having my baby 4 weeks ago. CAN’T STOP!! ps i live in provo 🙂
These are my go-to dessert for any and every occasion that I’m asked to bring a dessert to! Except, I call them “Baby Ruth Bars”, and instead of corn syrup, I use honey as a little bit of a healthier alternative. Also makes them chewier! I also love to use chunky peanut butter instead of creamy. SO good!
These are one of the desserts I can’t resist either! I LOVE them.
These look irresistible! Noone could stop me once I start eating these beauties!
Oh…and why not toss in a tsp of vanilla extract into the sugar/peanut butter mix 🙂
Mmmm! These are one of my FAVORITE recipes! And they can be whipped up SO quickly!! I dare you to try 1 1/2 cups peanut butter in the bars, and double your butterscotch chips in the frosting. You will L.O.V.E it!