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Chocolate peanut butter Scotcheroos whip up in minutes for a quick and easy dessert. This chewy treat is a family favorite!
If you also love Scotcheroos, be sure to check out our famous Rice Krispie Treats, Cookie Bars, and Millionaire Bars.
An All-Time Favorite!
This is a treat that we have been making FOR YEARS!! In fact, I can’t remember when Scotcheroos weren’t a classic dessert staple in our home.
We are all obsessed with this classic scotcheroo recipe because:
- The flavor can’t be beat! We’ve always loved Rice Krispies, chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch, so these are definitely a family favorite.
- Beyond simple. They’re so easy, my kids make them all the time!
- Quick Party treat. From start to finish, these are made in 20 minutes and because everyone loves them, they’re great for parties, get togethers and holidays.
Why are they called Scotcheroos?
These yummy bars got their name because of one of the key ingredients – butterscotch chips! The recipe was originally printed on boxed of Rice Krispies on the 1960s.
Ingredients
- Rice Krispies cereal
- sugar
- creamy peanut butter – We prefer creamy but crunch can be used to for a little more texture in your bars.
- light corn syrup
- chocolate chips – We like using milk chocolate chips but you can use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- butterscotch chips
How to Make Scotcheroos
- PREP. Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray (or line it with parchment paper). Set aside. Pour the crispy rice cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
- BOIL. Bring peanut butter, sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a medium pot over medium heat. Be sure to stir constantly. Take it off the heat as soon as it starts to boil and sugar dissolves.
- MIX. Pour hot mixture over Rice Krispies in a large bowl & mix well. Pour the cereal mixture into greased 9×13 pan and gently press down with a spatula.
- TOPPING. Melt chocolate chips & butterscotch chips together in a small pot, stirring constantly on low heat. Pour over pressed Rice Krispies and let set before cutting and serving.
Just remember that you do need to leave time for them to set up in the end, but you can always speed that up by sticking them in the fridge or freezer for a bit. 😉
Variations
Butterscotch swirl. After melting the chocolate/butterscotch chips together, melt a separate bowl of butterscotch chips.
- Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the treat.
- Then drizzle the plain butterscotch over the chocolate.
- Finally, use a toothpick to drag the butterscotch drizzle through the chocolate creating a pretty pattern.
Toppings. Add sea salt flakes, festive sprinkles, or crushed candies to the top of the chocolaty layer.
Gluten-free. This recipe can be made with gluten-free rice Krispies. Be sure to check the candy chip packages to ensure they do not have gluten.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overheat the sugar/corn syrup mixture. Remove the mixture just as it is beginning to boil otherwise overheating will end up creating a dry and rock-hard treat.
- To speed up the set time, stick the treat in the fridge. However, allow them to come back to room temperature before biting into them.
- Microwave. Instead of using a saucepan on the stove, microwave the butterscotch and milk chocolate chips. Heat them in 30-second intervals and stir in between each interval. Be very careful to not overheat.
Storing Info
STORE this Scotcheroos recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 – 4 days or a few extra days stored in the refrigerator.
TO FREEZE: Store the entire block or as individual treats. Wrap in plastic wrap then wrap again with foil or place in a Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before eating.
For more treats:
Scotcheroos Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- 1½ cups butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Pour Rice Krispies into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring sugar, peanut butter, and corn syrup to a boil, making sure to stir constantly.
- As soon as the mixture starts to boil, pour over the cereal and mix well. Pour into a greased 9-x-13-inch pan and gently press down with a spatula to spread evenly into the pan.
- In a small pot, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over pressed Rice Krispies and let set for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these last night, always my go to recipe. Delish and easy
My kids love to help me with this recipe, it’s easy for us to do it together and these are always a hit at family get together!
Family favorite – these never last long once they hit the dessert table!
Always a winner!! These are quick and easy and purely delicious!
The reason everyone is struggling with this recipe is the method used with the corn syrup in the beginning. It should be tempered because you are essentially making candy. Just corn syrup and sugar first. Heat on medium heat just up until it STARTS boiling. Remove from heat then add peanut butter. If you bring it to a boil and boil too long you get rock hard candy. The corn syrup crystalizes I think. And it’s personal preference but the semi sweet chocolate is a whole bag and the butterscotch chips are only 1 cup per the original recipe but I also just do 2 bags because why have left over butterscotch chips. Lol. Hope that helps.
That’s exactly how to make it so it doesn’t get hard as a rock.
THANK YOU FOR THIS! Everything was starting to burn so I quickly removed from stove….Hoping for the best…
Hope they turned out for you!! Thanks for giving them a try!
The flavor is there, I might just suggest warming them up for about 12 seconds before eating because they are a bit stiff for chewing.
Thanks for your feedback!
btw the scotcheroos were a awful- a disappointment beyond belief! they tasted good i mean how can you go wrong with rice krispies peanut butter & chocolate the karo syrup was worst than gorilla glue
it was harder than a rock! a dentists worst nightmare
i just threw it all away what a waste!! ugh
I’m sorry to hear your experience making the scotcheroos wasn’t a positive one. Thanks for giving the recipe a try though.
I used light agave syrup instead of corn syrup – healthier and awesome texture.
I believe you boiled the sugars to long, they were getting to candy stage
Do not add the peanut butter with the sugar and corn syrup. Mix and warm the sugar and corn syrup first to help melt the peanut butter in the pan next. Otherwise it burns to the bottom of the pan and ruins the recipe.
Thanks for your feedback! Lots of great ways and methods to make these yummy treats.
I have a 12×17 sheet pan, how can I increase the recipe to fill that pan?
Thank you
I would double the recipe. Depending on how much chocolate/butterscotch you like, as easy option would be to just use a full bag of each (each bags hold about 2 cups of chips) rather than 3 cups of each, but we love the chocolate so it certainly wouldn’t hurt to do the full amount. 🙂
12×17=204, 9×13=117. I would just double the recipe
12×17=204, 9×13=117. I would just double the recipe
You can just spread these out a little thinner – my family actually likes them better that way. I have been making these for 40 years and my grandma 40 years before that! Best recipe.
A great idea! Fun to hear that this is a family tradition recipe!
First, thank you so much for sharing the recipes. The desserts looks interesting and delicious ❤❤❤
You’re welcome!! I hope you are able to give some a try! 😉