Ultimate Scotcheroos Recipe

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. 

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

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. 

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 the
step-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

SAVE THIS ULTIMATE SCOTCHEROOS RECIPE TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!

Let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!