This Scotcheroos recipe is perfection. It has a soft, chewy base, and the perfect combination of butterscotch and chocolate on top. Your family won’t be able to resist this perfect treat.
Scotcheroos are such an easy dessert. These are like Rice Krispie treats that got a major glow up! In this version of the classic treat, we are using less cereal and more ingredients for the sauce. This results in the perfect Scotcheroos that aren’t the least bit dry or hard. You will fall back on this recipe over and over. It is perfect to bring to parties and family events, or just as a delicious after school treat.
How to Make Scotcheroos
This is a brief overview of how these yummy no-bake bars come together. For the full Scotcheroo recipe with all of the measurements and ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make the sugar and corn syrup mixture. Combine your sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once you start to see bubbles, remove it from the heat.
- Add the peanut butter. Stir it in until well combined.
- Combine the peanut butter mixture with rice cereal. Stir until fully coated. Then press into your parchment-lined pan.
- Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour over the cereal layer and allow to set.
Chocolate Layer
One of the things that makes this recipe so special is the chocolate layer on top. It is delicious in part because it is a mixture of butterscotch chips and chocoalte chips. That butterscotch flavor is part of what makes these so amazing.
That being said, if you would rather have a deep chocolate flavor there, skip the butterscotch chips. You can replace milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips with 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips. You. might even want to sprinkle some sea salt on top for another burst of flavor.
What Cereal to Use
I like using Rice Krispies to make these. They work perfectly every time. Another bonus to this cereal is that you can often find it gluten-free. If you aren’t in the US, you want to find a puffed or crispy rice cereal to make these.
Best Pan for Bar Recipes
This pan is a workhorse! It’s my very favorite for baking bars and bars that are no-bake, like this scotcheroos recipe. I love the straight sides for clean edges on my bars. For baking recipes, the metal of the pan conducts heat perfectly. This guy is a winner!
I like to use parchment paper with this pan, whether I’m baking the recipe or not.
- When you add the parchment paper, its helpful to flip the pan over and use the bottom to measure out two pieces, one that will run the length of the pan, and one that will run the width.
- I like to hold the parchment paper in place with small alligator clips.
- When you are done making your treat and ready to cut the bars, you can easily lift them out of the pan with the parchment paper. Then transfer them to a cutting board to make for easy cutting.
My Favorite 9×13 Baking Dish
Tips and Tricks
- Use parchment paper to line your pan. This will make the bars even to lift out of the pan and cut at the end. See my photo above.
- Remove the sugar mixture from the heat as soon as it starts to boil. This will keep the base chewy which is what truly makes it the best scotcheroos recipe. Read more on this below.
- Don’t overcook your chocolate. When chocolate gets overheated, it can seize and will create a grainy texture. Use low heat to melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together.
- Switch up the chocolate. I love making my scotcheroos with milk chocolate chips. If you prefer a richer chocolate flavor, use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Allow the bars to set before cutting. To speed this up, place the pan in the refrigerator.
Boiling Sugar
You may know from watching cooking shows where the chefs make crazy structures out of sugar that sugar changes its composition when it boils. When you boil it for a short time, you can keep it liquid, like in simple syrup. When you boil it longer, you can make hard candy with it. You will even find different points marked on a candy thermometer such as “firm ball,” “soft crack,” and “hard crack” to indicate the different stages of cooking sugar.
In this recipe, it is key to remove the sugar solution from the heat quickly. This is what will keep the mixture soft and make for Scotcheroos that aren’t hard. Contrast with my No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, which insist that you boil the mixture for one minute to ensure that the cookies set.
Storing and Freezing
The completely cooled and cut bars should be stored in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks. Please keep in mind that they are best within the first 48 hours of making, but are still delicious as they sit.
This is a great dessert recipe to freeze. Flash freeze the bars in a single layer for a few hours. Then transfer to an airtight container. Return to the freezer and store there for up to three months. You can take out individual pieces whenever the craving strikes; these will thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes.
Other No Bake Dessert Recipes
If you try this classic scotcheroos recipe or any of my others, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Scotcheroos
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (198 grams)
- 1 cup light corn syrup (236.59 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy (405 grams)
- 5 1/2 cups rice cereal (138.6 grams)
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips (127.5 grams)
- 3/4 cup butterscotch chips (168 grams)
Instructions
- Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Alternatively, line it with two sheets of parchment paper cut to the size of the pan and laid like an X. This will allow you to easily lift the bars out of the pan (see photo in the post).
- In a large saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and corn syrup over medium low heat. When the mixture begins to bubble, remove it from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until smooth.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- Stir in the rice cereal until fully coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using parchment paper, press the mixture into the pan (see photo).5 1/2 cups rice cereal
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour over the cereal layer. Allow to set, then remove from the pan and cut.3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
lynn Doane says
Must make this. It looks delicious
Thank you!
Debra says
My
Mom made these all the time and we loved them
I’m going to have to make them? I’m not a fan of using corn syrup and don’t know if there would be any substitute.
Occasionally won’t kill me right! Thanks for the memory recipe
You’re welcome!
Debbie says
Can you tell me more about the rice cereal what it is ? I have not heard about it before
Rice Krispies are what you are looking for if you are in the US.
Terry says
We made these all the time when I was a teen, alternating with the typical rice Krispy bar. I can’t remember if the recipe was on the box of rice krispy’s? Chocolate chips were added into the mix, right before they went in the pan. We didn’t call them scotcharoos. Just a rice Krispy bar without marshmallow. My mom loved rice Krispy bars. Every time I turned around my sister was making the usual kind, but she made them. Therefore, she said hands off, except for mom, dad and her. Baby of the family, ya know…LOL
You know because my mom or sister were always making the regular rice Krispy bar, I’ve never made them? Love them, never made them. lol
I hope you give this recipe a try!
Melissa Klecka says
My mom has made these since I was a kid. I found your recipe and love the ingredients and measurements listed w the instructions! Thank you so much!!!
You are so welcome, Melissa!