No-bake Scotcherooscombine the flavors of butterscotch, chocolate, and peanut butter with the perfect amount of crunch from crispy rice cereal. They are so addicting and easy to make that you’ll be finding lots of reasons to make them!

No-bake Scotcheroos combine the delightful flavors of butterscotch, chocolate, and peanut butter with the perfect amount of crunch from crispy rice cereal.

My sweet tooth is not very particular.It doesn’t discriminate, and all sweets are made equal in its eyes. (Do sweet teeth even have eyes?) But when you combine things like chocolate with butterscotch and peanut butter or crunchy with chewy…I am over-the-moon excited.These No-bake Scotcheroos do not disappoint, and they bring all of that goodness of flavor and texture my sweet tooth could EVER desire.

Plus, I love a simple dessert so much. Maybe it’s because baking always seems to have 89 steps, and I only have time to complete about 7 of them… Don’t get me wrong, I love abeautifulcakeor scratch-madepie,but something about the efficiency of a less-than-30-minute dessert that tastes just as good as those cakes and pies makes my heart sing like Celine Dion.Anybody else?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They are SO easy.Not quite as simple as rice crispy treats but not much longer either.
All the ingredients are pantry staplesso you can always be ready to whip up a batch, whether for a craving or last minute school treats.
They’re no bakeso you can enjoy them any time of year, even if the temperatures outside are crazy.

Ingredients

Light Corn Syrup
Sugar
Butter
Creamy Peanut Butter
Vanilla Extract
Salt
Butterscotch Chips
Crispy Rice cereal
Chocolate Chips: semi-sweet or milk chocolate both work great

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

Popular Substitutions and Variations

If you would prefer, you can substitutehoney for the corn syrup.
If you don’t like butterscotch chips,you cansubstitute peanut butter chipsor leave them out of the cereal mixture andjust use chocolate chipsin place of them in the topping.
In a pinch,you can substitute a cereal like corn flakesfor the rice crispy cereal.

How to Make Scotcheroos

Step #1.Line and grease a 9×13 pan. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and sugar and stir over medium heat until the butter is melted.

Step #3.Pour the mixture into the 13×9 pan and press down into it.

Step #2.Increase the heat to medium-high, and stir until it bubbles, then add the peanut butter, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, stirring until smooth. Stir in the cereal and mix well.

Step #4.Put the reserved butterscotch chips and chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring after each one until all melted. Pour the melted chips over the cereal and spread to cover the cereal mixture. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Recipe FAQs

What are Scotcheroos?

Scotcheroos are peanut butter rice crispy bars topped with melted butterscotch and then a layer of chocolate. They’re super easy to make and a favorite dessert with kids and adults alike!

Where did Scotcheroo bars come from?

Scotcheroos were originally printed on a Rice Krispies box in the ’60s! Many people think of them as rice crispy treats on steroids, and I happen to agree (but I still love both dearly). Are they a Mid-Western thing too? I know I grew up with them in Indiana but most people here in Utah haven’t had them.

Can you freeze Scotcheroo bars?

You sure can. Freeze Scotcheroos in an airtight container or sealable baggie for up to 2 or 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw them at room temperature until they’re soft enough to bite on in to.

Expert Tips

Be very careful not to overheat the chocolate chip mixture while melting it.If you do, it will seize. Once you reach the point where there are tiny lumps left, DO NOT MICROWAVE AGAIN, just continue to stir until smooth. Some people may prefer to melt them over low on the stovetop.