The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (2024)

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The Ultimate Scotcheroos recipe takes easy, no bake bars and transforms them into a salty, sweet, ooey, gooey dessert. Best ever scotcheroos has crispy cereal, peanuts, and marshmallows coated in a soft peanut caramel and covered with a thick layer of butterscotch chocolate.

The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (1)

Coming up with this insanely epic version of scotcheroo bars wasn’t the hard part. I really struggled with naming them something to quantify the deliriously indulgent taste of these no bake butterscotch bars.

Immediately CRACK ATTACK or SCOTCHEROOS ON STEROIDS came to mind. Unfortunately these aren’t recipe terms google users search. 🤷‍♀️

Lackluster names, like peanut butter rice krispie treats, no bake peanut butter marshmallow bars, or scotcheroos with chex, might be searched. But where is the gooey, decadent taste in those?!

We are making no bake bar history here, friends! Call them what you may, peanut butter caramel bars, payday chex bars, or plain scotcheroos, but just make them and taste what I’m talking about!

What is a Scotcheroo?

Scotcheroos became popular in the 60s when the recipe appeared on a Rice Krispies cereal box. The ingredients are affordable, readily available, and very hard to mess up, much like its cousin, the rice krispie treat.

It tastes like a chewy and crispy peanut butter candy bar covered in chocolate butterscotch topping. They are rich, addicting, and virtually irresistible!

If you love an easy, no bake treat ready in minutes, try Preacher Cookies or Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats!

Easy Scotcheroo Recipe

I can’t tell you how many times this family favorite recipe has been made. They appear at every family vacation, ski trip, or camping adventures for good reason!

First, they can be made in little as 10 minutes. Whipping up a quick and easy no bake bar is completely manageable when packing up for a family trip!

Plus they are very transportable. They keep longer than they ever last, and there’s no risk of getting trampled on and being reduced to cookie crumbs.

Ingredients Needed

  • Sugar
  • Corn Syrup – Gives the chewy texture. It may be replaced with honey. Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup if making scotcheroos without corn syrup.
  • Peanut Butter – Creamy is preferred, but crunchy can also be used.
  • 6 cups cereal – I prefer rice or corn chex to make these gluten free. Rice krispies cereal or cornflakes may be substituted, but read labels if making gluten free scotcheroos.
  • Peanuts – Adds a great salty crunch!
  • Marshmallows – Secret weapon to making these bars soft and gooey
  • Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet is preferred, but milk chocolate may be used as well.
  • Butterscotch chips – Melted with the chocolate chips for the topping to give a smooth, creamy butterscotch flavor

Moist and Gooey Bars instead of Dry and Crumbly

The addition of marshmallows makes the ultimate gooey scotcheroo recipe. As the warm peanut butter syrup mixes with the dry ingredients, the marshmallows partially melt and spread throughout.

Another trick to prevent dry, crumbly scotcheroos is to not overheat the corn syrup and sugar. The mixture should just start to boil. Then remove from heat to stir in the peanut butter.

How to Make Ultimate Gooey Scotcheroos Recipe

The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (3)
  1. In a large bowl gently mix together cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts.
  2. Place sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and mix over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat until mixture just starts to bubble and sugar dissolves.
  3. Remove from heat and add peanut butter with vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
  4. Immediately pour peanut butter mixture over cereal and gently mix to combine.
  5. Spread in prepared pan. To do this task quickly, spray a piece of wax paper and press down gently.
  6. Add chocolate chips and butterscotch chips to a microwave safe bowl. Heat until chocolate topping is smooth. Pour over bars and use offset spatula to spread evenly.
The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (4)

Microwave Directions

As if this recipe wasn’t easy enough, they can also be made in the microwave!

  1. Mix together cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts in a large bowl. Spray a 9X13 pan and set aside.
  2. In a microwave safe bowl place sugar and corn syrup. Microwave for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes. The mixture shouldn’t boil, but just be heated enough for the sugar to dissolve into the corn syrup.
  3. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
  4. Pour sugar mixture over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
  5. In another microwave safe bowl heat chocolate and butterscotch chips for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until smooth and melted. Spread over cereal bars.
  6. Set aside at room temperature for chocolate to harden before cutting.

Freezing / Storing

For best taste, store in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best eaten within a couple days, but I have never see a batch of scotcheroos stick around longer than that!

To freeze, place in an airtight container and wrap container with plastic wrap. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before eating.

Are Scotcheroos Gluten Free?

For gluten free scotcheroos recipe, use rice or corn Chex cereal. Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, or Cheerios may be substituted, but some brands contain barley malt extract.

Also some butterscotch chip brands contain gluten in the form of flavoring. Hershey’s Baking chips are listed as gluten free, but always read labels first!

If you love gluten-free no bake recipes, try gluten-free rice krispies treats or preacher cookies!

Best Cooks Tips!

  1. Don’t press down the cereal too much in the pan or the bars will become hard and compacted.
  2. If you prefer scotcheroos without butterscotch chips, replace the amount with additional chocolate chips for the topping.
  3. To make this recipe without corn syrup, replace the corn syrup amount with honey. Since honey is sweeter, cut the sugar in half.
  4. Wait for chocolate to harden before cutting. This can be sped up by placing bars in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, but store at room temperature to avoid hard, dry bars.
  5. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips may be used for the topping.
  6. Use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, but avoid natural peanut butter for this recipe.
  7. For additional toppings, immediately sprinkle with chopped peanuts, sea salt, sprinkles before chocolate hardens.

Click here to see thestep-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

More Decadent Dessert Bars Recipes

  • Buckeye Turtle Brownies
  • Sugar Cookie Bars
  • Caramel Apple Bars
  • Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (5)

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Ultimate Scotcheroos

The Ultimate Scotcheroos recipe takes easy, no bake bars and transforms them into a salty, sweet, ooey, gooey dessert. Best ever scotcheroos has crispy cereal, peanuts, and marshmallows coated in a soft peanut caramel and covered with a thick layer of butterscotch chocolate.

4.82 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

cooling: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Author: Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl gently mix together cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts. Spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

  • In a small saucepan stir together sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. Heat until mixture just starts to bubble and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add peanut butter with vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

  • Immediately pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture and gently mix to combine until cereal is coated. Spread in prepared pan. To do this task quickly, spray a piece of wax paper and press down gently. Set aside.

  • In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Heat of high heat for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate topping is smooth. Pour over bars and use offset spatula to spread evenly. Sprinkle with optional toppings, if desired.

  • Set bars at room temperature for 2 hours for chocolate to harden before cutting into bars. Alternatively, place pan in refrigerator for 15 minutes to speed up process. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

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    Recipe Notes

    *Originally the recipe was posted using brown sugar, but I found it doesn’t dissolve as well as granulated sugar. Either may be used.

    Best Cooks Tips!

    1. Don’t press down the cereal too much in the pan or the bars will become hard and compacted.
    2. If you prefer scotcheroos without butterscotch chips, replace the amount with additional chocolate chips for the topping.
    3. To make this recipe without corn syrup, replace the corn syrup amount with honey. Since honey is sweeter, cut the sugar in half.
    4. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips may be used for the topping.
    5. Use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, but avoid natural peanut butter for this recipe.

    Microwave Scotcheroos

    1. Mix together cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts in a large bowl. Spray a 9X13 pan and set aside.
    2. In a microwave safe bowl place sugar and corn syrup. Microwave for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes. The mixture shouldn’t boil, but just be heated enough for the sugar to dissolve into the corn syrup.
    3. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
    4. Pour sugar mixture over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
    5. In another microwave safe bowl heat chocolate and butterscotch chips for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until smooth and melted. Spread over cereal bars.
    6. Set aside at room temperature for chocolate to harden before cutting.

    Gluten Free Scotcheroos

    For gluten free scotcheroos, use rice or corn Chex cereal. Rice Krispies or Cheerios may be substituted, but some brands contain barley malt extract.

    Also some butterscotch chip brands contain gluten in the form of flavoring. Hershey’s Baking chips are listed as gluten free, but always read labels first!

    Freezing / Storing Scotcheroos

    For best taste, store in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best eaten within a couple days, but I have never see a batch of scotcheroos stick around longer than that!

    To freeze, place in an airtight container and wrap container with plastic wrap. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before eating.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 6mg

    Course: Dessert

    Categories: 30 Minutes 4th Of July Bars / Brownies Christmas Desserts Fall Game Day Gluten Free Holidays Quick and Easy Recipes Spring Summer Valentines Winter

    I am an expert and enthusiast based assistant. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide assistance on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide information, and engage in detailed discussions. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to ask!

    Now, let's dive into the information related to the concepts used in the article you provided.

    Scotcheroos

    Scotcheroos are a type of no-bake dessert bars that became popular in the 1960s when the recipe appeared on a Rice Krispies cereal box. They are made with crispy cereal (such as Rice Krispies or Chex), peanuts, and marshmallows, coated in a soft peanut caramel and covered with a thick layer of butterscotch chocolate .

    Ingredients

    The ingredients typically used in Scotcheroos include:

    • Sugar
    • Corn syrup (can be replaced with honey)
    • Peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
    • Cereal (such as Rice Krispies or Chex)
    • Peanuts
    • Marshmallows
    • Chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
    • Butterscotch chips (melted with the chocolate chips for the topping).

    Making Scotcheroos

    Here is a general overview of how to make Scotcheroos:

    1. In a large bowl, mix together the cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts.
    2. In a saucepan, heat sugar and corn syrup until the mixture starts to bubble and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
    3. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal mixture and gently mix until the cereal is coated.
    4. Spread the mixture in a prepared pan.
    5. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the bars and spread evenly.
    6. Let the bars cool at room temperature for the chocolate to harden before cutting into bars .

    Variations and Tips

    • Scotcheroos can be made with different types of cereal, such as Rice Krispies, Chex, or cornflakes. If making gluten-free Scotcheroos, it's important to read the labels and choose gluten-free cereal options.
    • The addition of marshmallows in Scotcheroos makes them soft and gooey. To prevent dry and crumbly bars, it's important not to overheat the corn syrup and sugar mixture.
    • Scotcheroos can be made in the microwave as well. The process is similar, but the ingredients are heated in the microwave instead of on the stovetop.
    • Scotcheroos can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months .

    I hope this information helps you understand Scotcheroos and how to make them. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

    The Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe (2024)
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