The Best Ever Scotcheroos

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Scotheroos are chewy cereal bars with a rich peanut butter flavor and topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch. An easy no bake treat!

For more gooey fun treats, try our Fruity Pebbles treats next. So fruity and delicious. Or give our Lucky Charms treats a try for a crunchy sweet treat.

Scotcheroo bars stacked on a white serving plate.
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Why Make Scotcheroos

Everyone knows that Rice Krispie treats are my favorite treat. Not only are they easy to make and serve, you can add all types of mix-ins to create a treat everyone loves.

My peanut butter krispie treats are always a hit. And while they are similar to scotcheroos, they are intriguingly different.

Scotcheroos are a delicious blend of Rice Krispie cereal, chocolate and butterscotch chips, and peanut butter.

One of the best things about our scotcheroo recipe is that it requires no baking! Instead, you use a simple candy-making technique to execute the perfect texture for the scotcharoos.

We Love This Recipe Because It’s…

  • Super rich, chewy, and chocolatey
  • A gourmet, elevated Rice Krispie treat
  • A 20-minute, no-bake dessert
  • The perfect finger-food for parties or giving away

Once you get the hang of this recipe, you can customize it to be as soft or as crunchy as you prefer.

Be sure to give our holiday scotcheroos a try for Christmas!

Ingredients for Scotcheroo Bars

Ingredients needed to make scotcheroo recipe.
  • Rice Krispies—Brings a light and airy crunch that everyone loves! Use fresh, not stale, crispy rice cereal for best results!
  • Peanut Butter—Creamy and salted will add the best flavor and texture. You can use a natural peanut butter, just be sure to stir it well, before using.
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips— Swap for milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips for an even bolder chocolate flavor.
  • Butterscotch Baking Chips—The “scotch” in scotcharoos. A delicious butterscotch flavor that totally elevates the chocolate topping.
  • Granulated Sugar— Sweetens your Rice Krispie mixture and helps to keep everything stuck together.
  • Corn Syrup—Your binding agent that keeps your cereal mixture from crumbling. You can also make scotcheroos without corn syrup by swapping it out for honey instead.
  • Salt—Just a pinch will help to enhance the other sweet flavors. Learn why we love to use kosher salt in baking.

PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).

How to Make Scotcheroos

Step by step photos showing how to make scotcheroos.
  1. Ingredients: Be sure to start with fresh ingredients. Stale cereal will result in stale bars.
  2. Storeage: You can store these treats in the fridge for up to 7 days or on the counter for up to 5 days. You should store scotcheroos in an airtight container or ziploc freezer bag. You can enjoy them warm, at room temperature, or even cold!
  3. Tools: Make sure you have a large enough pot to hold all the Rice Crispies or you will have quite a mess on your hands.
  4. Temperature: Keep an eye on the temperature of the sugar mixture—you will need to remove it from the stove quickly. For a softer bar, remove it from the heat once it reaches 215-220°F. To achieve a chewier bar, simply allow the corn syrup mixture to cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  5. Warm them Up: If you store these bars in the fridge, I like to pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to warm them up a little bit before I eat them. This softens up the bar without causing the chocolate to get too melty.
Step by step photos showing how to add chocolate to scotcheroos.

Recipe Variations

  • Marshmallow scotcheroos—Instead of making a corn syrup/sugar mixture, melt together marshmallows, butter, and vanilla. Then add the peanut butter and cereal as normal. The resulting bars will have the texture of regular Rice Krispie treats.
  • Vegan scotcheroos—Just use vegan butter and dairy free chocolate chips! Oh, and be sure to opt for the corn syrup instead of honey.
  • Gourmet scotcharoos—Add fancy garnishes like crushed peanuts or toffee. For themed scotcheroos, add sprinkles (or drizzle first with white chocolate) to your Rice Krispie mixture. You can make these festive for any party, whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, the 4th of July, or an anniversary!
Scotcheroos cut into bars.

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Scotcheroos Recipe

5 from 3 votes
By: Aimee
Craving Rice Krispies but also chocolate and peanut butter . . . and butterscotch? Scotheroos are chewy cereal bars with a rich peanut butter flavor and topped with melted chocolate. An easy no bake treat!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup butterscotch baking chips
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Instructions 

  • Line a 13×9 baking dish parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large pot, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add in sugar and corn syrup. Mix gently and bring to a bubbling boil. Once boiling, remove from heat immediately.
  • Stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Fold in rice krispies cereal. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Press into the dish gently.
  • Allow treats to cool completely, before adding the topping.
  • In a microwave safe bowl (or double boiler), melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in 20-second intervals, mixing between intervals until smooth.
  • Spread mixture over the bars with a spatula until covered evenly. Allow to set.

Notes

  • Storage: You can store these treats in the fridge for up to 7 days or on the counter for up to 5 days. Either way, they should be stored in an airtight container. They can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold!
  • Tools: Make sure you have a large enough pot to hold all the Rice Crispies or you will have quite a mess on your hands.
  • Temperature: Keep an eye on the temperature of the sugar mixture—you will need to remove it from the stove very quickly. If you want a softer bar, take it off the heat as soon as it reaches 215-220°F. If you want a chewier bar, you can allow the mixture to cook for 30 more seconds.
  • Warm them Up: If you store these bars in the fridge, I like to pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to warm them up a little bit before I eat them. This softens up the bar without causing the chocolate to get too melty.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 249kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 141mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 32g
Course: Rice Krispie Treats
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Rice Krispie Treat Recipes

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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on May 10, 2024

Comments & Reviews

  1. My grandson is allergic to nuts. What can I substitute for the peanut butter? Should I just make traditional Rice Krispies with marshmallows and add the topping?

5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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