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If you like Rice Krispie treats, then you’ll go head over heels for no-bake Scotcheroos, a crispy, chewy, chocolate-and-peanut butter decadence. They’re ready in minutes and devoured in seconds.
It’s impossible to resist a sweet and salty Scotcheroo, a Midwest staple at birthday parties, potlucks and picnics. More of a candy than a cookie, this recipe is perfect to whip up at the very last minute, when all of a sudden, you need a dessert.
They freeze like a dream, too, in case you want to save them for a special afternoon snack. No matter when you enjoy them, you’ll love the texture, flavor, and easy of these fantastic little bars.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Creamy peanut butter: I prefer store-bought instead of Homemade Peanut Butter here which makes this recipe extra easy.
- Rice Krispies: Rice Krispies are the gold standard for Scotcheroos, but maybe you prefer something else. It’s okay to substitute Cheerios, Special K cereal, Chex cereal, or cornflakes.
- Chocolate chips: Or substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Step-by-step instructions
- Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with butter or nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and sugar in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.
- Add cereal to pot and stir until evenly coated.
- Press into prepared pan.
- In medium sauce pan, combine butterscotch chips and chocolate chips and heat until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over cereal bars.
- Cool completely and cut into squares.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes one 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan full of Scotcheroos. You can cut them any size you choose, but the nutrition information in the recipe card is for 32 pieces (make 4 cuts the long way and 8 cuts the short way).
- Storage: Store the bars at room temperature in an air-tight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: These freeze like a dream! Once they’re completely cool, wrap up the whole pan in foil and freeze. Or place the cut squares in a single layer in a freezer bag and seal well. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- More classic bars: Love a hand-held treat? Try Millionaire’s Shortbread, Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars, Rice Krispie Treats, Brownies, or Blondies. If you’re looking for a rockstar copycat recipe, try Cranberry Bliss Bars (a Starbucks favorite).
Recipe FAQs
It’s easy to prevent rock-hard Scotcheroos: just don’t overcook the sugar and corn syrup! Bring it to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat. Over-boiling the sugar mixture makes the consistency more like candy.
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Scotcheroos
Ingredients
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 18 ounces creamy peanut butter (2 ¼ cups, see note 1)
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (see note 2)
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips (see note 3)
Instructions
- Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with butter or nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and sugar in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Add cereal to pot and stir until evenly coated. Press into prepared pan.
- In medium sauce pan, combine butterscotch chips and chocolate chips and heat until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over cereal bars and cool completely. Cut into squares.
Notes
- Creamy peanut butter: I prefer store-bought instead of Homemade Peanut Butter here which makes this recipe extra easy.
- Rice Krispies: Rice Krispies are the gold standard for Scotcheroos, but maybe you prefer something else. It’s okay to substitute Cheerios, Special K cereal, Chex cereal, or cornflakes.
- Chocolate chips: Or substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Yield: This recipe makes one 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan full of Scotcheroos. You can cut them any size you choose, but the nutrition information in the recipe card is for 32 pieces (make 4 cuts the long way and 8 cuts the short way).
- Storage: Store the bars at room temperature in an air-tight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: These freeze like a dream! Once they’re completely cool, wrap up the whole pan in foil and freeze. Or place the cut squares in a single layer in a freezer bag and seal well. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I love this recipe and I make it a lot. The girls at work often request me to bring these. I do and the butter in which keeps them so soft and yummy! This is my go to recipe for desserts!
Hi Erica, thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate you coming back to make it again and again! Take care! – Meggan
Very yummy! Would like to put away for Christmas. Would this freeze ok.
Can almond, or sunbathers be used. My grandson allergic to peanurs?
Hi RoseMary, yes I think so. The texture is the same! The only thing is you *might* need more sugar since peanut butter often has added sugar and almond butters, etcetera often do not. But, you will be able to taste the concoction at the end of Step 2 to see what you think. Scotcheroos in generally are pretty sweet so your pallet might not want more sugar (as you will see, you’re already adding 1 cup of sugar so whether you need more is totally up to you). Thanks!
These sound really good. I love the butterscotch and peanut butter together. They are so easy to make.
When you say 18 ounces of peanut butter, is that volume or weight? I’m thinking it’s 2 and 1/4 cups.
Hi Debbie, yes! 2 1/4 cups is right. 18 ounces is a standard size of peanut butter in a jar, so I just buy that and use the whole thing. But if you have a larger container, yes, 2 1/4 cups. It’s also a very forgiving recipe! Thanks.
1 cup of peanut butter equals around 9 1/2 ounces or 270 grams. You would only need about 1 ¾ Cups + 2 Tbsp. Use a scale or a 18 ounce jar of peanut butter for easy accurate results.
I have made these for years but I layer the chips. Melt the butterscotch chips and spread over the krispy bars and then melt the chocolate chips and spread over the butterscotch layer. Love them!
Can you substitute ANYTHING for the corn syrup? I try to avoid at least one thing….☺️
I wish I could tell you! I am not sure. I am sure there is SOMETHING that would work… marshmallows, maybe? They would be different but probably still good!
My family always used brown sugar rather than white sugar. The brown sugar will give it a little different flavor, I think a little richer. All recipes I’ve seen use white sugar.
Really?? I am going to go double check some of the church and school cookbooks I have on hand. Thanks for the info, I definitely want to check that out! Thanks again Lori!
what are the butterscotch chips. I think we don’t have them here. japan
any substitute ?
We don’t use them, just chocolate chips are fine
I’ve had them with peanut butter frosting – very good!
Can you ship them all to me in Mississippi?! The weather is cool now so they won’t melt on the way :)