Quick and Easy Scotcheroos

by Sofi | Broma Bakery

Rice krispie treats, but make it peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch AKA scotcheroos. These salty-sweet crispy crunchy treats will satisfy everyone!

Classic Scotcheroos Recipe

These classic Scotcheroos are salty-sweet, chewy and totally irresistible. If you’ve never had Scotcheroos before they’re basically a peanut butter Rice Krispie treat topped with chocolate and butterscotch chips, and yes, they are as delicious as they sound. They’re a no bake dessert made with just 6 ingredients, crazy easy to make and always a crowd favorite for the holidays, cookie exchanges, or anytime you need something quick, gooey and delicious. I know you’re going to love them just as much as I do.

My love affair with Scotcheroos started back in my youth. We’ve been going strong for awhile. Back in the day, Rebecca and I would whip up a batch of Scotcheroos after school and I swear we could inhale the whole tray in 15 minutes flat. A feat I am still proud of to this day. And quite frankly, nothing has changed. I still find these chewy pb, chocolate, butterscotch treats just as addicting as an adult as I did as a kid.

So…what are Scotcheroos?

Scotcheroos are a sweet no bake treat made with a chewy peanut butter Rice Krispie base and a decadent butterscotch and chocolate topping.

Because they don’t require any baking, Scotcheroos are ideal when oven space is precious (hello holiday season) or when you just want a dessert that comes together fast with minimal fuss. Plus…a 6 ingredient dessert? Sign me up.

What ingredients do you need to make the best scotcheroos?

You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to whip up these scotcheroos and you probably already have most of them on hand!

• Karo® Light Corn Syrup: Karo® Corn Syrup is a non negotiable in this sweet confection! There’s nothing worse than a hard scotcheroo and Karo corn syrup will keep your scotcheroos super soft and chewy because it provides moisture and sweetness!
• Sugar: A little bit of extra sugar never hurt anyone. Cooking down some sugar with the corn syrup creates a perfectly chewy and sweet bar.
• Creamy Peanut Butter: We recommend using traditional creamy peanut butter rather than a natural kind! This will help to firm up your bars and hold them together.
• Crispy Rice Cereal: This light and airy cereal will keep things light and crunchy and add the perfect nutty bite to your scotcheroos.
• Semi- Sweet Chocolate Chips: These peanut butter chocolate no bake bars are topped with a thick layer of chocolate and butterscotch. We like to use chocolate chips rather than bars because they tend to melt down easier without any
• Butterscotch Chips: Butterscotch chips will give these scotcheroos just a hint of buttery, caramell-y flavor without taking over the flavor profile. They also help to thin out the chocolate a little bit so it will be easier to cut and bite into!

Tip: Traditional Scotcheroos call for classic creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) because natural peanut butter tends to be too runny and can affect texture

Tips for the best scotcheroos

• Don’t use natural peanut butter: Scotcheroos call for the good ol’ Jiff, Skippy, or Peter Pan of your youth. A natural, more runny peanut butter won’t set up in quite the same way for these bars.
• Don’t overcook the sugar mixture: We all know the feeling of biting into a no bake bar and finding a rocky hard, overly chewy disappointment. We don’t want that for you. Make sure to only cook the sugar and corn syrup as long as directed to avoid an hard Scotcheroo!
• Have your pan prepped and ready: Like Rice Krispie treats, the base of Scotcheroos sets up pretty quickly. It’s a good idea to have your pan lined and ready to go before you start making the filling to give yourself enough time to press it into an even layer before the mixture starts to harden.
• Don’t pack the Rice Krispie mixture in too much: Press the cereal base into the pan without compacting it too firmly to keep it light and chewy.
• Keep an eye on the chocolate: Microwaves all have different wattages, so when you’re melting down your chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, make sure you keep an eye on the mixture to prevent it from burning!

How to store scotcheroos

Scotcheroos are a resilient dessert. Keep them in a plastic bag, an airtight container, or a cookie tin for up to 2 weeks or freeze them for up to 3 months. But don’t expect them to stick around for that long. Even when I do freeze these, we always find ourselves sneaking them out of the freezer for a midnight snack.They travel well so they’re the perfect treat to mail to a loved one or toss in a container for a cookie exchange!

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week — Scotcheroos actually stay soft and chewy at room temp.
• In the fridge: Keep in an airtight container if your kitchen is warm, but note that the chocolate topping will firm up.
• To freeze: Wrap individual squares in plastic wrap or store layers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Happy baking, my friends!

XXX

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