Scotcheroos: the delicious recipe for an easy, no-bake dessert the whole family will love

Scotcheroos are a simple, delicious no-bake treat you can whip up in a matter of minutes. Made from Rice Krispies, peanut butter, and topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips, scotcheroos are chewy, crispy, with the perfect among of nutty, chocolatey sweetness.

They're an ideal treat to make when you're in the mood for something sweet or need a tasty dessert to feed a crowd. Make scotcheroos for bake sales, potlucks, or parties, or as a sweet snack, you can pop into your kids' packed lunch. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, scotcheroos are one recipe you have to try!

What are Scotcheroos?

Scotcheroos are essentially peanut butter Rice Krispie treats topped with a layer of melted chocolate and butterscotch chips which have been allowed to set before the treats are cut.

The name comes from the butterscotch that's used to flavor the chocolate topping.

Scotcheroos Ingredients

The beauty of scotcheroos is that they're easy and inexpensive to make.

You only need some puffed rice cereal like Rice Krispies, peanut butter, sugar, corn syrup, plus chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Smooth peanut butter is the best option for making scotcheroos, but you could easily experiment with crunchy peanut butter.

How to Make Scotcheroos

It couldn't be easier to make no-bake scotcheroos. Put the cereal in a large bowl and set it aside. Combine the peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring it to a low boil, making sure to stir it constantly so the mixture doesn't burn.

Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal, and stir it well so that the Rice Krispies are completely coated. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and firmly but gently press it into an even layer.

Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, stirring until smooth. Pour over the Rice Krispies, then let the chocolate layer set for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Tips for the Best Scotcheroos

If you want to make sure your scotcheroos aren't hard, make sure you don't let the sugar mixture come to a boil. Overcooking the mixture is the number one cause for rock-hard scotcheroos.

There are loads of scotcheroo variations you can make. Use other types of cereal like cornflakes or Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios, or Apple Jacks. Use your favorites! You can also use dark chocolate or white chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate, add in mini marshmallows, crushed pretzels, or nuts.

To make your scotcheroos healthier, use almond butter instead of peanut butter and sweetener instead of sugar. You can also add in cacao nibs, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds to make them more nutritious.

For gluten-free scotcheroos, use a gluten-free cereal.

If you don't have butterscotch chips, you can simply leave them out of the recipe or substitute toffee chips, Reese's peanut butter chips, or any other type of baking chip you think would be good in the recipe.

You can use your microwave to melt the chocolate and heat the peanut butter corn syrup mixture, however, microwaving will give you less control over the heat and you may run the risk of overcooking the syrup mixture, leading to hard scotcheroos.

Can You Make Scotcheroos Ahead?

Of course! Make scotcheroos up to a few days ahead of time. Keep them in an airtight container so they stay fresh.

How to Store Scotcheroos

Keep your scotcheroos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They'll last up to one week in the fridge.

Can You Freeze Scotcheroos?

Absolutely! Frozen scotcheroos will last 2 to 3 months.

How to Make Scotcheroos

Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Place the cereal into a large bowl. Set aside.

Place the peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn't burn.

Pour the peanut butter mixture over the Rice Krispies.

Stir well to coat the cereal.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and press it into an even layer with a spatula.

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, stirring until smooth.

Pour the chocolate over the Rice Krispies.

Let it set for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy!