Scotcharoos
Classic no-bake Midwest cereal bars with a chewy peanut butter base and glossy chocolate–butterscotch topping. Quick to make, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for potlucks, bake sales, and holidays.
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.
Notes
Watch the sugar–corn syrup mixture closely; remove it from the heat as soon as it starts to bubble gently around the edges to keep the bars chewy instead of hard. Don’t overpack the cereal layer, or the bars will be dense. Lining the pan with parchment makes it easier to lift and slice cleanly. For very neat cuts, use a sharp knife warmed under hot water, then dried, and wipe between cuts. To balance sweetness, use darker chocolate for the topping and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm chocolate layer.
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