This 15-Minute Scotcheroo Bars recipe takes making time-honored Rice Krispie treats to a new decadent level!
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Kids will love helping in the kitchen when there’s a 15-minute no-bake, sweet reward! This Scotcheroos Bars recipe takes making time-honored Rice Krispie treats to a new decadent level! The secret is combining peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch to create a heavenly topping that’s second to none! This crispy, chewy treat is a delicious peanut-buttery spin on an old family fave!
WHY WE LOVE THIS SCOTCHEROO bars RECIPE
- Quick and easy to make in 15 minutes.
- Only uses 6 simple ingredients.
- Sweet, no-bake treat that tastes decadently delicious.
- Fun way to get kids to help in the kitchen.
- Perfect for potlucks, parties, backyard barbecues, or any time you crave a chewy, crunchy snack.
Ingredients
- Honey: You can use light corn syrup instead but you may want to double the sugar so that the mixture is thick enough to set up.
- Light brown sugar: You can use dark brown sugar for more molasses type flavor or granulated white sugar for a less molasses flavor.
- Creamy peanut butter: Crunchy peanut butter will add more texture but is harder to incorporate evenly in this dish.
- Rice Krispies cereal: Any brand of Rice Krispies cereal will work well in this recipe. You can even substitute a chocolate version for a more chocolatey result.
- Butterscotch chips
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
- Create Custom Bars: Make this recipe your own by adding in some crushed nuts, chopped candy bars, sprinkles, or any of you other favorite add-ins. You can either mix them into to the bars or sprinkle them on top of the chocolate before it sets.
- Cereal Swap: You can use any crispy rice cereal, Cocoa Krispies, Special K, or even Cocoa Pebbles in this recipe.
- Choose Your Chocolate: These bars are already pretty sweet on their own so I like to use semi-sweet chips, but milk chocolate chips would work as well. You can even try dark chocolate chips or white chocolate as well.
HOW TO MAKE SCOTCHEROOS BARS
Scotheroos Bars are a quick and easy sweet treat that takes mere minutes to make. These are simply the best no-bake bars with a chewy peanut butter Rice Krispie base and a decadent butterscotch and chocolate topping.
- Make The Peanut Butter Mixture: Bring the honey and sugar to a simmer, stirring constantly, just until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until completely incorporated into the mixture.
- Coat The Krispies: Pour the peanut butter mixture into a bowl filled with the cereal and fold it in until the Rice Krispies are evenly coated.
- Press Into The Pan: Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan.
Pro Tip: Using greased fingers or a spatula will help create an even layer. - Melt The Chips: Melt the butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips together in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir well and then repeat in increments of 15 seconds until completely melted.
- Top: Spread the melted chocolate and butterscotch mixture over the Rice Krispies. Let sit at room temperature, about 3-4 hours, before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can put your Scotcheroos in the refrigerator to set more quickly, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, but make sure to bring them back to room temperature before cutting and serving or they will be very difficult to cut.
- Be gentle with the Rice Krispies cereal. When you’re mixing it into the sugar mixture, use large, gentle motions. There will be enough coating for all the cereal but it is better to be gentle as you’re mixing so that you don’t pulverize the cereal into powder.
- Do not overheat the sugar/honey mixture. Remove the mixture just as it is beginning to boil. Overheating will end up creating a dry and crumbly treat.
Storage Tips
- To Store: These Scotcheroos should be stored well covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They can be stored in the refrigerator for slightly longer, but they tend to dry out and get hard more quickly. I recommend bringing them to room temperature before serving.
- To Freeze: This recipe does not freeze well.
Other Easy Chocolate Recipes
Scotcheroos Bars
Serves — 9
This 15-Minute Scotcheroo Bars recipe takes making time-honored Rice Krispie treats to a new decadent level!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Set Time: 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup honey
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups rice krispies cereal
- ¾ cup butterscotch chips
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray well with cooking spray.
- Pour rice krispies cereal in a large bowl and set aside for now.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey and light brown sugar just barely to a simmer while stirring constantly.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, even at the edges, remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Mix until the peanut butter has completely melted and incorporated into the mixture.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl holding the rice krispies cereal and gently fold it into the cereal until it is evenly coated.
- Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan, using greased fingers or a spatula to create an even layer.
- In a microwavable safe large bowl, mix the butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips together.
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir well.
- Heat again for 30 seconds, stir well and then repeat, if necessary, in increments of 15 seconds until completely melted.
- Pour the chocolate and butterscotch mixture over the rice krispies spread into an even layer with a spreading spatula.
- Let sit at room temperature, about 3-4 hours or until completely set, before cutting and serving.
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: These Scotcheroos should be stored well covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They can be stored in the refrigerator for slightly longer, but they tend to dry out and get hard more quickly. I recommend bringing them to room temperature before serving.
- To Freeze: This recipe does not freeze well.
- You can put your Scotcheroos in the refrigerator to set more quickly, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, but make sure to bring them back to room temperature before cutting and serving or they will be very difficult to cut.
- Do not overheat the sugar. If you heat the sugar too much it will give you very hard Scotcheroos, which are not very pleasant to eat. Don’t walk away from the saucepan while you’re cooking it, stay and stir it so that the honey and sugar can heat evenly and quickly. As soon as it becomes a hot liquid and just begins to bubble slightly, it is ready. The point of this step is really just to melt the sugar so that it is a liquid, it doesn’t need to be “cooked” per say. Remove it from the heat and stir in the peanut butter immediately.
- Be gentle with the Rice Krispies cereal. When you’re mixing it into the sugar mixture, use large, gentle motions. There will be enough coating for all the cereal but it is better to be gentle as you’re mixing so that you don’t pulverize the cereal into powder.
- Use your fingers but be careful! I like using my fingers to push the treats down into an even layer but be aware that the mixture will still be hot in some areas. One trick is to cut a large piece of parchment paper and use it as a barrier between your fingers and the bars so that you don’t get burnt, or sticky.
- Don’t overheat your chocolate! If you put the chocolate in the microwave for too long it may overheat and seize up. Start with 30 seconds and be sure to stir the chips well before heating again. After the first 60 seconds cut down to 10-15 second intervals and always remember to stir. Sometimes the chips are melted, or mostly melted, but maintain their shape until they are stirred.
- Be creative! Feel free to add in some nuts, chopped candy bars or other favorite add-ins, either to the bars or on top of the chocolate before it sets. Make this recipe your own!
Nutrition Info
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 849IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 5mg
