Best No-Bake Scotcheroos Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Our Best No-Bakle Scotcheroos Recipe delivers scrumptious, layered flavor and cozy nostalgia in a no-bake treat that takes just 30 minutes to put together! This homemade goody is perfect to make with little ones. An adult can take care of the stovetop steps while kids can stir the mixture, smooth the topping, and make the cool marbleized design! 

• Candy bar flavor: A decadent combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch complements the cereal’s slightly toasty, subtly sweet flavor.
• Crispy and creamy texture: The snap and crackle of the rice cereal is set off beautifully by the creaminess of the peanut butter. A thick, satisfying layer of chocolate and butterscotch makes the treat irresistible.

School’s out, and this deliciously flavorful grab-and-go dessert bar is great for celebrations! Summer is the perfect time to play in the kitchen with kids and whip up some seriously yummy recipes in the process. After you’ve enjoyed the Best No-Bake Scotcheroos, be sure to check out our Kids Printable Recipe Coloring Pages. This downloadable mini cookbook is the perfect intro to the joy of having fun in the kitchen as a family.

Table of Contents

• What are the Best No-Bake Scotcheroos?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Best No-Bake Scotcheroos
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Kid-Friendly Recipes

What are the Best No-Bake Scotcheroos?

• Scotcheroos are layered treats featuring a base of crispy rice cereal mixed with a cooked syrup of sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter, and salt. The peanut butter rice krispies mixture is pressed in a pan and covered with a milk chocolate and butterscotch topping.
• This is a no-bake dessert. After the cereal layer is frosted with the milk chocolate and butterscotch topping, it sets at room temperature for at least two hours.
• The original Scotcheroos recipe first appeared on the back of a Rice Krispies box in 1964, and its list of simple ingredients and no-oven preparation appealed to busy homemakers, especially in the American Midwest. Creative variations, like using cookie cutters to make shaped Scotcheroos or making ball-shaped Scotcheroo “truffles,” are new twists on a generational favorite.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) pan
• Parchment paper
• Small saucepan
• Double-boiler (optional)
• Offset spatula

Key Ingredients and Why

• Crispy rice cereal

  • Crispy rice cereal forms the Scotcheroo base, giving this bar its signature texture.
  • If you’re a traditionalist, stick to Rice Krispies or a similar crispy rice cereal. But it you want to mix it up, substitute a cereal like Special K or Rice Chex for some or all of the crispy rice cereal. For a double-chocolate version, use Cocoa Krispies in this recipe.

• Granulated sugar

  • Sugar adds sweetness to the cereal mixture.
  • The sugar is melted with the peanut butter, corn syrup, and salt to make a smooth syrup that holds the cereal together in a cohesive layer.
  • The sugar caramelizes slightly in the syrup mixture, adding a lovely toasty note.

• Creamy peanut butter

  • Peanut butter gives Scotcheroos rich, nutty, savory flavor that is the perfect counterbalance to bars’ sweetness.
  • Peanut butter adds delightful creaminess to the cereal layer of the Scotcheroos.
  • Additionally, the fat in peanut butter prevents the cereal layer from becoming brittle.
  • Creamy is the traditional choice here, but if you’re looking for a little more nuttiness, you can use crunchy peanut butter.

• Light corn syrup

  • Corn syrup provides sweetness in this recipe.
  • Importantly, corn syrup gives the Scotcheroos their characteristic chewiness and a delightful stickiness.
  • Additionally, corn syrup is essential because it prevents the granulated sugar from crystalizing and gives the Scotcheroos a cohesive texture. This makes cutting the bars easy and helps keep them soft and fresh longer.
  • Alternatively, you can use an equal amount of honey instead of corn syrup.

• Salt

  • Salt is crucial for balancing out the sweetness of the Scotcheroos.
  • If you adore a sweet-salty combo, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on the top before it sets.

• Milk chocolate

  • Milk chocolate, which has 38% and 42% cocoa solids, provides a sweet, mild chocolatey taste with no bitter notes. It pairs well with butterscotch.
  • Chopped milk chocolate melts more easily, but you can use milk chocolate chips.
  • With more milk solids and less cocoa solids than darker chocolates, milk chocolate is the best choice for a topping with a creamy consistency, making it soft enough to bite into easily.
  • However, if you prefer the taste of darker chocolate, you can use an equal amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in this recipe.

• Butterscotch chips

  • Butterscotch chips are divided in this recipe. Half are melted with the milk chocolate, and half are swirled on top. The butterscotch melted with the chocolate adds a rich, warmly sweet, caramelized taste to the Scotcheroos.
  • The swirls of golden-brown butterscotch add visual appeal to the treats.

How to Make the Best No-Bake Scotcheroos

• Prep:
  • Line a 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) pan with parchment paper.
• Make the crispy rice base: 
  • Place cereal in a large bowl.
  • In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, and salt until liquified and the sugar is melted.
  • Pour the corn syrup mixture over the cereal and stir to coat evenly.
  • Press into prepared baking dish.
• Make the chocolate-butterscotch topping:
  • Melt the chopped milk chocolate with one cup of the butterscotch chips in a double boiler or gently in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.
  • Spread the topping evenly over the cereal layer.
  • Melt the remaining butterscotch chips. Drizzle over the chocolate topping.
  • With a toothpick, drag through the butterscotch to make a decorative pattern.
• Set and serve:
  • Let set for at least two hours until set and topping is hardened.
  • Cut into 24 pieces.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• For a little more texture, you can use crunchy peanut butter.
• You can make your own corn syrup by using my recipe
• You can use honey instead of corn syrup. It will add another layer of flavor, and it will be delicious.
• For a classic Scotcheroo recipe, make sure to use crispy rice cereal and not puffed rice cereal. The latter isn’t crunchy, and you won’t get the same results.
• You can press these into muffin tins lined with paper liners for easy serving later.
• Instead of the butterscotch swirl, you can top the chocolate with crushed peanuts or sprinkles before it sets. If you do this, melt the full amount (1 ½ cups/ 9 oz/255 g) of butterscotch into the chocolate so you still get the butterscotch flavor.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

You can make Best No-Bake Scotcheroos in advance.

• The Scotcheroos will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
• If it is very warm in your kitchen and the chocolate is getting too soft, you can refrigerate them. Note that they will become more brittle in the fridge and should be brought to room temperature before serving.

FAQs

• How do I make sure my No-Bake Scotcheroos have a perfectly chewy and pliable texture?

  • Take care not to overcook the syrup mixture–overcooking the syrup could make the bars too brittle. Remove it from heat when the mixture is liquified and the sugar has melted.
  • Cool the bars for at least two hours before cutting and serving. You can refrigerate them briefly during the setting period to ensure they have the right texture to make cutting easy.

• Can I make the Best No-Bake Scotcheroos gluten-free?

  • Yes, you can make Scotcheroos gluten-free.
  • Use crispy rice cereal that’s clearly labeled “gluten-free.” Although rice is gluten-free, rice cereal can contain malt flavoring (made from barley), which contains gluten.
  • Butterscotch chips can also contain barley, so check that the package says gluten-free.

• Can I reduce the sugar and corn syrup in this Best No-Bake Scotcheroos Recipe?

  • NO, you can not reduce the amount of sugar or corn syrup in this Scotcheroos Recipe.
  • Sugar and corn syrup not only make the bars sweet, but they are essential for creating a soft and chewy texture. Reducing sugar and corn syrup will result in bars that are grainy, crumbly, dry, and tough.

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