Scotcharoos Recipe
If you’re craving a no-bake, chewy, peanut-buttery dessert that can feed a crowd and vanish in minutes, this Scotcharoos Recipe is going to be your new go-to.
Scotcharoos are a classic Midwest dessert bar made with crisp cereal, a sweet peanut butter base, and a glossy chocolate butterscotch topping. They’re like Rice Krispies treats’ fun, dressed-up cousin—still a simple cereal bar recipe, but richer, more grown-up, and way more addictive. I’ve been making these peanut butter bars for potlucks, school bake sales, and family holidays for over 25 years, and you know what? They never, ever come home in the same pan.
They’re quick, no-bake, and use pantry ingredients you probably have on hand. Let me explain how to make them turn out thick, chewy, and not rock-hard (we’ve all had that version at some point, right?).
Why You’ll Love This Scotcharoos Recipe
- No oven needed – this is a true no bake dessert that’s perfect for hot summer days.
- Ready fast – about 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus a short cooling period.
- Crowd-pleaser – these potluck dessert bars are a guaranteed hit with kids and adults.
- Chewy, not hard – I’ll walk you through the sugar timing so they stay soft.
- Simple pantry ingredients – cereal, peanut butter, sugar, corn syrup, and chips.
- Easy to transport – great for bake sales, tailgates, work parties, and church dinners.
- Customizable – you can change up the cereal, chocolate, or even make them gluten-free.
- Make-ahead friendly – they keep well, so you can prepare them a day or two early.
- Slice any size – cut them tiny for dessert platters or big for lunchbox treats.
- Classic Midwest nostalgia – if you grew up in the central U.S., one bite takes you home.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for this Scotcharoos Recipe. I’ve added notes so your peanut butter chocolate bars come out just right.
For the peanut butter cereal base:
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (regular, not natural “stir” style works best)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (skip if your peanut butter is very salty)
For the chocolate butterscotch topping:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter (helps the topping slice smoothly)
Ingredient tips:
- Cereal: You can use name brand or store brand; just make sure it’s fresh and crisp so the bars don’t taste stale.
- Peanut butter: Use a standard shelf-stable peanut butter like Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan for the best texture. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and can make the bars greasy or crumbly.
- Corn syrup: Light corn syrup is classic in cereal bar recipes because it keeps everything soft and chewy. Dark corn syrup will work, but it adds a deeper flavor and darker color.
- Chips: Good-quality chocolate and butterscotch chips melt smoother. If your chips seem old or chalky, add an extra teaspoon of oil or peanut butter when melting.
Directions
You’ll just need a medium saucepan, a microwave-safe bowl, and a 9×13-inch pan. Line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal later if you like.
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Prep your pan.
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray. If using parchment, let it hang over the sides to lift the bars out later. -
Measure your cereal first.
Add 6 cups of crispy rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set it aside. You’ll want this ready because once the sugar mixture is hot, you’ll need to work fairly quickly. -
Heat the sugar and corn syrup.
In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar is just dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble gently around the edges.
Tip: Don’t let it come to a rolling boil—this is the main reason Scotcharoos turn hard. -
Add peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
Remove the pan from the heat right when you see small bubbles. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and glossy. -
Combine with the cereal.
Immediately pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the cereal. Use a spatula to fold and stir until every bit of cereal is evenly coated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl so nothing hides uncoated down there. -
Press into the pan gently.
Transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared pan. Lightly press it into an even layer with a spatula or your clean, greased hands.
Don’t press too hard or the bars will be dense; think “firm but gentle.” -
Melt the chocolate butterscotch topping.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter. Microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring after each, until smooth and melted.
You can also melt them in a heatproof bowl set over a pot with a little simmering water if you prefer the stovetop. -
Spread the topping.
Pour the melted chocolate butterscotch mixture over the warm cereal layer. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it to the edges in a smooth layer. -
Cool and set.
Let the Scotcharoos sit at room temperature for at least 1–2 hours, or until the topping is firm enough to slice. If you’re in a hurry, you can chill them in the fridge for 30–45 minutes, but let them sit at room temp a bit before cutting so they don’t crack. -
Slice and serve.
Once set, lift the bars out using the parchment (if used), place on a cutting board, and cut into squares or rectangles. Smaller pieces work well for big potlucks, and larger bars are perfect for lunchboxes.
Servings & Timing
- Yield: About 24 bars (more if cut smaller, fewer if cut jumbo-style)
- Prep Time: 15–20 minutes
- Cook Time (stovetop): 5 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1–2 hours at room temperature (or about 45 minutes in the fridge)
- Total Time: Around 1½–2 hours, most of it hands-off
Variations
Sometimes I like to change things up a bit—here are some fun twists that still keep that classic Scotcharoos feel.
- Extra-chocolate Scotcharoos: Use all semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips on top and skip the butterscotch chips.
- Gluten-free version: Use certified gluten-free crispy rice cereal and double-check that your chips are gluten-free.
- Nut-free swap: Use sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter instead of peanut butter and top with dairy-free chocolate chips.
- Salted Scotcharoos: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm chocolate butterscotch topping for a sweet-salty finish.
- Chunky mix-in: Gently fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped peanuts with the cereal for extra texture.
- Holiday version: Add colorful sprinkles on top of the still-soft chocolate layer and cut into small bite-size pieces for dessert trays.
Storage & Reheating
These bars are very forgiving, which is one reason they’re such an easy dessert recipe for busy weeks.
- Room temperature: Store Scotcharoos in an airtight container at room temp for 3–4 days. Stack them with parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate them for up to 1 week. Just know they’ll firm up more, so let them sit out 10–15 minutes before serving for the best chew.
- Freezer: Freeze sliced bars in a freezer-safe container (with parchment between layers) for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before serving.
- Topping refresh: If the chocolate looks a bit dull after freezing, it’s still fine to eat. The flavor is just as good.
Because these are no bake dessert bars, there’s no “reheating” needed—just bring them back to room temperature for that perfect soft bite.
Notes
A few things I’ve learned after making this Scotcharoos Recipe more times than I can count:
- Watch the sugar mixture closely. The line between “perfectly chewy” and “too hard” is when the syrup starts a full boil. Turn it off right when small bubbles appear around the edges.
- Don’t overpack the bars. Pressing the cereal mixture too firmly makes them dense. Think of it like packing brown sugar in a measuring cup—you want it cohesive, not concrete.
- Use parchment for clean slices. Lifting the whole slab out of the pan lets you use a large chef’s knife for sharp, even cuts.
- Warm knife trick: If the topping is firm, run your knife under hot water, dry it, and then slice. Wipe and re-warm the knife as needed.
- Flavor balance: If you don’t love super-sweet desserts, use a slightly darker chocolate on top and add that pinch of flaky salt. It balances the sweetness from the corn syrup and sugar nicely.
- Great for making with kids: There’s a little stovetop step, but the mixing, pressing, and spreading are perfect “helper” jobs for younger hands—with a few cereal “taste tests,” of course.
FAQs
1. Why did my Scotcharoos turn out hard?
Most of the time, the sugar and corn syrup boiled too long. Next time, remove the pan from the heat as soon as the mixture starts to bubble gently and the sugar is dissolved.
2. Can I make Scotcharoos without corn syrup?
You can try using honey or a mix of honey and brown sugar, but the texture will change—they may be more crumbly and stickier. Corn syrup really helps keep them chewy and stable.
3. Can I use a different cereal?
Yes! Corn flakes, crisp rice + Cheerios combination, or even corn squares (like Chex) work. Just keep the total amount at about 6 cups.
4. Are Scotcharoos gluten-free?
They can be. Use certified gluten-free crispy rice cereal and make sure your chocolate and butterscotch chips are labeled gluten-free.
5. Can I halve this recipe?
Absolutely. Make half a batch in an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan. The bars will be a bit thicker in an 8×8 and slightly thinner in a 9×9.
6. How do I prevent the chocolate butterscotch layer from cracking?
Let the bars come closer to room temperature before slicing, and use a sharp, slightly warm knife. Chilling too long and cutting straight from the fridge can cause cracks.
7. Can I make these peanut butter bars ahead for a party?
Yes, they’re a great make-ahead potluck dessert. Make them 1–2 days early, store at room temperature in an airtight container, and slice the day you serve for the neatest edges.
8. What if I don’t like butterscotch?
You can use all chocolate chips—or try half semi-sweet, half milk chocolate—for a pure peanut butter chocolate bar without the butterscotch flavor.
Conclusion
This Scotcharoos Recipe is everything I love in a dessert bar: no bake, pantry-friendly, and irresistibly chewy with that shiny chocolate butterscotch topping. It’s the kind of classic Midwest dessert that shows up at potlucks, baby showers, graduation parties—and somehow always disappears first.
Give these a try the next time you need an easy dessert recipe that feels comforting and nostalgic. When you make them, I’d love to hear how they turn out—leave a comment with your tweaks, or try them alongside your favorite Rice Krispies treats and see which one disappears faster from the snack table.
Scotcharoos
Ingredients
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal like Rice Krispies; use fresh and crisp cereal
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter regular shelf-stable (not natural “stir” style)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt skip if your peanut butter is already very salty
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter for the topping; helps it slice smoothly
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray. If using parchment paper, line the pan and let the parchment overhang the sides for easy lifting later.
- Add 6 cups of crispy rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside so it’s ready when the hot syrup mixture is done.6 cups crispy rice cereal
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar and light corn syrup. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to bubble gently around the edges. Do not let it come to a full rolling boil, or the bars may turn hard.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup
- Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you see small bubbles around the edges. Stir in 1 cup creamy peanut butter, the vanilla extract, and fine sea salt until the mixture is smooth and glossy.1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Immediately pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the cereal in the large bowl. Use a spatula to fold and stir until all of the cereal is evenly coated, scraping the bottom of the bowl so no dry cereal remains.6 cups crispy rice cereal, 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- Transfer the coated cereal mixture to the prepared pan. Lightly press it into an even layer with a spatula or clean, greased hands. Press firmly enough to hold together but not so hard that the bars become dense.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter. Microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring after each, until completely smooth and melted. Alternatively, melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips, 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- Pour the melted chocolate–butterscotch mixture over the warm cereal layer. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly to the edges in a smooth layer.
- Let the Scotcharoos sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until the topping is firm enough to slice. To speed things up, you can chill them in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes, then let them sit at room temperature briefly before cutting to help prevent cracking.
- Once fully set, lift the slab of bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang (if used) and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares or rectangles in your desired size and serve.
