Scotcheroo Bars

This is how to make Scotcheroos with peanut butter, karo syrup, butterscotch and chocolate chips with your rice krispies. It is one of the most popular family quick and easy desserts during the holidays.

Have you ever made peanut butter Scotcheroos? They are amazing and so easy to make! If you like peanut butter and butterscotch you will be in love with this rice krispy treats dessert.

They are quick to throw together and a heavenly chocolate dessert that’s perfect to take to someone’s house if you’re invited over. We have made this no bake recipe every Thanksgiving and now they are a yearly tradition (and expected). 😉

You can find the scotcheroo bars recipe on the back of some Rice Krispy cereal boxes but it is basic and doesn’t have our tips and notes that will help make sure they come out perfect, easy to slice, and easier to clean when done too. Let’s get to those…..

Can you make Scotcheroos in the microwave?

As I mentioned above I do melt chocolate chips in microwave using 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips and 1/2 a bag of butterscotch chips. To make things easier I do this in a paper bowl actually so I can throw it away when done (it hardens fast and is hard to get off, unless you throw it into the dishwasher). As for heating the corn syrup and PB together you could microwave but it isn’t as effective as in a pot because it gets hotter to break down those crystals. If that is all you had you’d need to do so in a large bowl at 100% power stirred every 45 seconds until consistently bubbling.

Tips for Success

A few added tips for success though is that you’ll want to spray some non-stick cooking spray into your bowl and the 9×12 pan you will using (because it is super sticky!)

Although there is no baking required you do need some heat. You’ll need a pot to warm the peanut butter and karo syrup to smooth, and I like to melt chocolate chips in microwave for the top to make that part easier. 😉

Just before your mixture on the stove is ready, take a second to measure out 5 1/2-6 cups of Cheerios or Rice Krispy cereal FIRST into a large bowl and get ready to stir your hot peanut buttery mixture on top. Once you mix everything together until all the Rice Krispies are coated well, you will want to immediately empty the contents into your greased pan (or it will stick to your bowl like glue).

Ingredient Notes

You are going to want a bottle of light Karo syrup. It looks like honey almost, but it is clear, and is super sweet and sticky!

You do want to use smooth peanut butter, natural would need to be stirred WELL, chunky peanut butter would add well….texture to it.

As for the cereal the most common is Rice Krispies but we have made these with a bowl of Cheerios too. I mean really any type goes but it is best to choose something that isn’t sweet since the ingredients added with it is quite sweet.

We like semi sweet chocolate chips instead of milk and mix them with some Butterscotch chips but really the top flavors are up to you.

I typically will grab a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper on my hand to press the mixture into the pan or your hands will be coated with this mix (and it is hot).

You could skip the top layer of chocolate if you wanted but the two flavors are over the top. Just like our lunch lady bars you just need a small square to satisfy your sweet tooth craving.

Made without Karo Syrup (option)

There are alternatives to Karo syrup but note that they may not yield the same outcome since this is the binder to keep them from falling apart. The best substitute to make this is honey (followed by brown rice syrup) since it has a similar flavor, stickiness and uses a 1:1 ratio.

Do you need to refrigerate scotcheroo bars?

Once you have all of the chocolate/butterscotch topping on let it set on the counter to firm a bit. Then pop it in the fridge for about 20 minutes so the topping can harden. Beyond that it should be kept at room temperature after that or else it would get too hard and the stickiness can be a problem for some with crowns that might pull off (me).

Other Desserts with Rice Krispies You’ll Love

We recently made these for Christmas and instead of melting chocolate and butterscotch chips I melted red and green Wilton candy melts and drizzled some on top for fun! My daughter makes these all the time and we love them.

• No bake Chocolate Marshmallow Squares can be made together
• Butterscotch haystacks are a fun no bake dessert
• For fun make a batch of rainbow rice krispy treats, so fun if you are throwing a birthday party
• Christmas Rice Krispy Treats use the typical cereal and mini marshmallow recipe but turn into a fun shape and can be made gluten free with Cheerios too

It is a great treat to bring to a get together, for a holiday (we always have this at Thanksgiving), or just for a treat! Store in an airtight container if there is some time between when they are done and the time they are eaten so they don’t dry out. If making during the Fall you could shape into fun things like our pumpkin Halloween Rice Krispie Treats!