Best Scotcheroos Recipe

Our recipe for scotcheroos has been perfected by three generations to create perfectly chewy bars with the ideal ratio of peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch. Our detailed directions and expert tips will help you make the very best pan of bars to share with your family and friends!

This scotcheroos recipe has been in my hand-written recipe card binder for ages. One of my aunties recalled my grandma making this recipe on the farm while they were growing up, especially in the summertime because she didn’t have to turn on the oven.

This recipe has become one of my go-tos for bringing to work because the guys on my jobsite LOVE them. Like, love them so much they’ve sought me out to thank me for bringing them and shamelessly asking that I make them again. I’ve had several also tell me that this is the best scotcheroos recipe they’ve ever tried.

If you love no-bake desserts, this recipe is for you! It’s perfect for potlucks, summer parties, game nights, or bringing as a tasty surprise for family, friends, and co-workers to enjoy.

Scotcheroo Recipe Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar: You’ll need 1 cup of granulated sugar to make your scotcheroos.
• Creamy Peanut Butter: You’ll need 1 cup of your favorite creamy peanut butter for this no bake dessert recipe. Wondering if you should use regular to natural PB? See my notes below!
• Light Corn Syrup: You’ll need 1 cup of light corn syrup for your bars. I’ve always used Karo brand, which I like because it does not contain high-fructose corn syrup. The corn syrup helps to give these bars the perfect soft and chewy texture (if you’ve had a hard scotcheroo, you’ll know this is a good quality!). It also contributes to the bar’s sweet factor.
• Rice Krispies: You’ll need 5-6 cups of rice krispies cereal. This adds that little bit of crunch and texture that these bars are known for. I always start with 5 cups, and stir in additional cereal as needed if the base layer is too liquidy.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You’ll need 1 cup of chocolate chips for the top layer
• Butterscotch Chips: You’ll need 1 cup of butterscotch chips for your top layer. Important, as this gives you the ‘scotch’ part of scotcheroos!

See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How To Make Scotcheroo Bars

Melt sugar, peanut butter, and corn syrup: in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring continuously.

Mix in the rice krispies: start by adding in 5 cups of rice krispies, and stir to coat. If there appears to be extra liquid add additional rice krispies in, ¼ cup at a time, until evenly coated and not runny.

Press into a greased 9×13 pan: gently press your bars into a greased 9×13 pan. Do your best to create an even layer with a flat(ish) top. Set aside.

Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt your chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together, stirring frequently.

Spread melted chocolate and butterscotch over bars: spread evenly over your bars

Cool until topping has hardened: I like to put my scotcheroo bars in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to expedite the process, but you can also cool your bars on the counter. In either case, cool until the chocolate has hardened.

Slice and enjoy!

Tips For Making the Best Scotcheroos Recipe

There are a few methods to melt chocolate. Melting chocolate can be frustrating if your chocolate seizes up (and it happens to the best of us).

I have the most consistent success using a double boiler over medium heat on the stove (you can also create a DIY double boiler using a small saucepan plus a glass or metal bowl).

Alternatively, melting chocolate in the microwave is another option but you need to make sure to keep an eye on it and stir it frequently. If melting in the microwave, I recommend heating in 20-second increments, stirring in between (you’ll check the melt-status of your chocolate as you stir). Once you see almost all of the chocolate ‘lumps’ are gone, continue to stir to encourage it to melt without additional heat. Your chocolate is ready once it is totally smooth.

Why Are My Scotcheroos So Hard?

Scotcheroos can become hard and crunchy for two reasons:

1 – Your sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter mixture was heated too much or too quickly, resulting in lots of bubbles, boiling on the stovetop. For best results, heat your sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter mixture over medium-low heat and remove from the stovetop immediately when you see bubbles begin to form around the edges of the mixture.

2 – You pressed your rice krispie mixture into your pan with too much force. Gently pressing the rice krispie mixture into an even layer will result in softer, chewier bars.

Storing Rice Krispie Scotcheroos

Store your Scotcheroo Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (they will taste best days 1-3, then they start to harden up).

Can You Freeze Scotcheroos?

Yes! Scotcheroos freeze and thaw well if you’d like to save them for a later date. Stored the bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If stacking them in layers, place parchment or wax paper in between the bars to avoid sticking.

To thaw, simply allow the bars to sit at room temperature until they are softened.