Scotcheroos Recipe (Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars) - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

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4.04 from 25 votes

This scotcheroos peanut butter rice krispies treats recipe is seriously such an addicting treat and it only takes a couple of ingredients to make it!

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Scotcheroos Recipe (Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars) - Oh Sweet Basil (1)

Classic Scotcheroos Recipe

I don’t know what it is about these peanut butter rice krispies bars with butterscotch and chocolate melted on top (aka Scotcheroos), but I cannot stop eating them if there is a pan in our house. I don’t remember having them growing up, or who taught me to make them as an adult, but I do know that I can’t resist them no matter how old I get.

Are scotcheroos messy? Yes.

Does it matter? No.

And it shouldn’t, because sometimes a dessert is all about the whole experience — getting sticky, smearing chocolate across your upper lip, and licking your fingers clean. Kids are awesome at enjoying dessert. They can really get into it and enjoy every little bite, whereas we tend to be so clean and delicate that we are far to worried about avoiding the mess rather than enjoying the flavor.

It’s not just that though, adults want something they can pop in their mouth while finally enjoying a little quiet time without the kids!

Scotcheroos Ingredients

Just like regular rice krispies treats, this scotcheroos recipe uses minimal ingredients and requires no baking. To make these peanut butter rice krispies, you’ll need granulated sugar, light corn syrup, creamy peanut butter, Rice Krispies, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.

Because Cade doesn’t love butterscotch I use milk chocolate chips or white and semi-sweet chocolate for the topping — and I like to really slather it on in case you couldn’t tell. You can play around with the chocolate topping, but definitely make the peanut butter rice krispies base as instructed in the recipe card because it’s just that good!

How to Make Scotcheroos

These homemade scotcheroos come together in under 10 minutes, and this recipe makes a big pan. Here’s how to make scotcheroos quickly:

  1. Heat the sugar and corn syrup on the stove until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Stir in the peanut butter and rice krispies.
  3. Press the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
  4. Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips, then spread over the scotcheroos base.
  5. Let the bars cool completely before slicing and serving.

Can I Freeze Scotcheroos?

Yes, these peanut butter rice krispies bars actually freeze quite well! Place your scotcheroos in a single layer inside a resealable freezer bag if you need to keep them fresh for longer than two days. Once the treats are inside the bag, squeeze out all excess air and place in the freezer for up to six weeks.

Are Scotcheroos Gluten-Free?

I’m baffled that a cereal made from rice contains gluten, but it does. Yep, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies contain malt flavoring, which is derived from a barley grain. Barley is not gluten-free and therefore Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten-free.

Do I Have to Use Rice Krispies?

No, not if you don’t want to! I’ve also seen scotcheroos made with Chex, cornflakes, and Special K cereal before. Any crunchy, neutral tasting rice- or corn-based cereal should work in these bars.

Is There a Corn Syrup Substitute I Can Use?

I’ve only ever made this scotcheroos recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure if there’s a corn syrup substitute you can use. However, a few UK readers have reported success using golden syrup and glucose syrup in place of the corn syrup. Hope that helps!

Scotcheroos Recipe (Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars) - Oh Sweet Basil (2)

Tips for Making Scotcheroos

I prefer making scotcheroos with Jif peanut butter, but if you’d rather use an all-natural creamy peanut butter that should work too. Just make sure to give the natural peanut butter a really good stir before adding it to the rice krispies mixture, as natural peanut butters tend to separate more easily.

If you love sweet and salty treats, sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the melted chocolate layer before it hardens. The sweet peanut butter base combined with the rice chocolate butterscotch topping and the flaky sea salt is an unbeatable combo!

Lastly, you’ll need to work fairly quickly once you’ve stirred the rice krispies cereal into the peanut butter and corn syrup mixture. Scotcheroos set up pretty quickly, so you should have your baking dish and ingredients all prepped and ready to go before you begin making this recipe.

More Dessert Bars:

  • Snickers Caramel Brownies
  • Fruity Pebbles Rice Krispie Treats
  • Mom’s Famous Caramel Brownies
  • Lemon Raspberry Bars
  • Brookie Bars
  • Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
  • Classic Lemon Bars
  • Ritz Reese’s S’more Bars
  • Peach Oatmeal Bars
  • Peanut Butter Cheesecake Oreo Brownies
  • Peanut Butter Caramel Brownies
  • Twix Caramelita
  • Raspberry Lemon Bars

Scotcheroos Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats

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4.04 from 25 votes

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 2 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 7 minutes mins

Description

This scotcheroos peanut butter rice krispies treats recipe is seriously such an addicting treat and it only takes a couple of ingredients to make it!

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Karo Syrup
  • 1 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy, and I prefer Jif
  • 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
  • 5 1/2 Cups Rice Krispies
  • 1 3/4 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 3/4 Cup Butterscotch Chips

Instructions

  • Heat sugar and Karo syrup over medium heat until dissolved.

  • Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla and salt.

  • Add Rice Krispies and stir to combine.

  • Press into a 9x13-inch, greased pan.

  • Heat chocolate and butterscotch chips over med-low heat until melted and spread over rice Krispies.

  • Let cool and eat!

Notes

Store scotcheroos peanut butter rice krispies treats in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 442kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 182mgFiber: 2gSugar: 48g

Author: Sweet Basil

Course: 100 Best Brownies and Bars Recipes

Cuisine: American

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FAQs

What are Scotcharoos made of? ›

Scotcheroos are a no-bake cereal bar similar to rice krispie treats. Replace the marshmallows and butter with sugar and peanut butter, then add a chocolate butterscotch topping. They're chewy, soft, and crispy all in one. Obviously this is a dessert you need to make today and every other day of the year.

What happens if you put too much butter in rice krispie treats? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

Why do my rice krispie bars get so hard? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

How do you keep rice krispie treats from sticking together? ›

If you're stacking multiple layers, place a sheet of wax paper between each layer to prevent sticking. The wax paper will act as a buffer and keep the rice crispy treats from bonding and sticking together.

Why are Scotcheroos called Scotcheroos? ›

Originally printed on a box of Rice Krispies back in the 1960's, Scotcheroo gets it's name from a key ingredient: butterscotch!

Why are they called Scotcheroos? ›

Scotcheroos is a crispy dessert treat with origins in the United States of America. It consists of cereals based on rice or corn, peanut butter, and a decadent butterscotch-chocolate coating. Scotcheroos got their name after one of the key ingredients used in the preparation process – butterscotch.

Why can't Muslims eat Rice Krispie Treats? ›

What about Rice Crispy Treats that have marshmallows in them, are they Haram too? Yes, they also use gelatin from pork. All pig products like pork are Haram (forbidden) for Muslims to eat.

Can you use hard marshmallows for rice crispy treats? ›

* Make sure your marshmallows are fresh. Stale, hard marshmallows won't result in nice, chewy bars. ** Any brand is fine, but be sure the cereal you use is fresh. Stale cereal will make for stale-tasting Rice Crispy Treats.

Is it bad to eat a lot of rice crispy treats? ›

They are mostly high-glycemic carbs (meaning the type that spike energy quickly), Collingwood says. Other than some iron and B vitamins (thanks to the fortified cereal they're made with), they have little nutritional value. You'll still need to focus on a healthy diet throughout the rest of your day, Collingwood says.

What can you do with expired marshmallows? ›

Marshmallows don't really go “bad” that I am aware of. Personally, I would try to use them. You can soften hard marshmallows by dipping a sealed bag in a hot pot of water boiling for a couple of minutes. The expiration date is just a best by date.

Why are my homemade Rice Krispie treats falling apart? ›

9 -Troubleshooting: do your rice krispie treats fall apart? You've either used too much butter or haven't pressed it down in the tin enough. 10 - Rice krispie treats will last for up to a week like this or freeze for up to 2 months. They do not need to be refrigerated.

Why are my homemade Rice Krispie treats soggy? ›

Too much marshmallow and butter can make a super sticky, wet or soggy slice, while too little makes a hard, dry or crumbly one. I recommend using a baking scale for my recipe to get the ratio JUST right, creating the perfect chewy but crispy Rice Krispie Squares. Melted marshmallow = sticky mess.

How do you fix dry Rice Krispie treats? ›

Another addition that can bring Rice Krispie treats to a whole other level, and make them softer and more moist, is sweetened condensed milk. In fact, it can keep these sweets from being too dry and chewy from the moment that you bite into them.

Should you freeze Rice Krispie Treats? ›

If you want to store them for longer than two days, try freezing them. To Freeze: Allow these gooey Rice Krispie Treats to cool completely and cut them into squares. Freeze in an airtight container, or wrap each square in a piece of plastic wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

Is there a trick to cutting Rice Krispie Treats? ›

To prevent rice crispy treats from sticking to the knife, it's important to grease the knife blade with cooking spray or butter before cutting. This will create a non-stick surface and allow for clean, easy cuts.

What are butterscotch balls made of? ›

Butterscotch is a type of confectionery whose primary ingredients are brown sugar and butter. Some recipes include corn syrup, cream, vanilla, and salt. The earliest known recipes, in mid-19th century Yorkshire, used treacle (molasses) in place of, or in addition to, sugar.

What are rice Krispie bars made of? ›

Ingredients. Ingredients: Toasted rice cereal (rice, sugar, salt, malt flavor, niacinamide, iron, vitamin B2 [riboflavin], folic acid), corn syrup, fructose, sugar, vegetable oil (soybean, palm and palm kernel oil with TBHQ for freshness), corn syrup solids.

What can I substitute for butterscotch chips? ›

Caramel chips would be a swell substitute for the butterscotch chips in the aforementioned seven-layer bars. Naturally, they would also be right at home in nearly any kind of drop cookie or blondie.

Where are Scotcheroos from? ›

Scotcheroos are dessert bars with chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies. The recipe was originally printed on Rice Krispies box in the mid-1960s. They are popular in the Midwestern United States, especially Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota.

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