Scotcheroos

Reading the back of the cereal box, while absent-mindedly spooning up a bowl of Rice Krispies, was a sacred part of my morning breakfast ritual while growing up. Regretfully, my mother insisted that we wait until the cereal box was empty before we cut up the box to play the exciting (?!) game printed on the back. A valuable educational tool for honing our bilingual language skills, (French and English in Canada), the back of the cereal box also included recipes. The recipe for these fudgy-salty-sweet Scotcheroos was originally printed on the Rice Krispies box in the mid-1960s.

Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos are a sweet no-bake treat made with a chewy peanut butter Rice Krispie base, blanketed with a decadent butterscotch and chocolate topping. Made with ingredients that are pantry staples, these easily prepared bars are a huge hit no matter what the occasion. Ever popular in the Midwestern United States, this recipe for Scotcheroos comes to us today from cookbook author Shauna Sever, published in her classic cookbook, Midwest Made : Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland. So no need to go digging through the recycling bin to find the cereal box with this recipe.

Assemble your ingredients. Spray a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper with a couple of inches of overhang on two sides of the pan. Spray the paper with cooking spray as well.

Prepare the bars: In a 4-5 quart heavy-bottomed pot, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter (dairy or plant-based), vanilla, and salt. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and just threatening to bubble. The key to ensuring your Scotcheroos stay soft and chewy is to not boil the peanut butter mixture. You just want to make sure the sugar has dissolved but take it off the heat before the mixture boils. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cereal, blending thoroughly. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and use a spatula to gently smooth it into place, being careful not to compact the mixture.

Prepare the topping: In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Microwave in 30 second bursts on high, stirring well after each interval, until a smooth mixture is formed. Pour over the cereal mixture in the pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate until the topping is set, about 30 minutes. Using the parchment sling, remove the slab from the pan and cut into 36 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Print Recipe

Scotcheroos

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Shauna Sever, Midwest Made: Big Bold Baking from the Heartland – Serves: 36 bars

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 15 minutes – Total Time: 20 minutes

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

Ingredients

• Bars:
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (dairy or plant-based)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups crispy rice cereal
• Topping:
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Instructions

1

Assemble your ingredients. Spray a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper with a couple of inches of overhang on two sides of the pan. Spray the paper with cooking spray as well.

Prepare the bars:

2

In a 4-5 quart heavy-bottomed pot, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter (dairy or plant-based), vanilla, and salt. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and just threatening to bubble. The key to ensuring your Scotcheroos stay soft and chewy is to not boil the peanut butter mixture. You just want to make sure the sugar has dissolved but take it off the heat before the mixture boils. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cereal, blending thoroughly. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and use a spatula to gently smooth it into place, being careful not to compact the mixture.

Prepare the topping: 

3

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Microwave in 30 second bursts on high, stirring well after each interval, until a smooth mixture is formed. (It took about 90 seconds in my microwave). Pour over the cereal mixture in the pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate until the topping is set, about 30 minutes. Using the parchment sling, remove the slab from the pan and cut into 36 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

These Scotcheroos will stay fresh for up to one week if they are kept in an airtight container at room temperature. The bars can be placed in airtight container and frozen for up to three months. Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying. I melted an extra 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips and drizzled it onto the top of the bars to make the design in the photographs.