If you’re looking for an easy dessert to whip up in less than twenty minutes, add these to your list! These rich and gooey bars are packed with rice cereal and peanut butter, then topped with chocolate. Can you say YUM?!
There is no actual baking involved in this recipe, so that’s another win for easiness. To make these, you will simply heat the sugar and corn syrup on the stove until the sugar JUST melts, then remove from heat and add peanut butter.
Next you’ll pour the heated mixture over crispy rice cereal, mix together and spread in a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper. Top that with melted chocolate and place in the fridge until the chocolate sets. How easy is that? Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
Tips for making this recipe:
- Do NOT overcook the sugar/corn syrup mixture. If the mixture boils, you have gone too far! You want to cook it so that the sugar JUST melts, then immediately remove from heat. Use your fingertips to check if the mixture is grainy if you’re questioning whether or not the sugar has melted. Overcooking causes the bars to be too hard.
- Stir the corn syrup and sugar constantly to avoid burning/overcooking it. It takes no more than 3-4 minutes on my gas stove to heat it.
- Make sure that you prepare your bowl of crispy rice cereal prior to heating the mixture. You’ll want to pour your heated peanut butter/sugar mixture over the cereal and mix together quickly before it begins to set.
- I like to top my scotcharoos with more candy just for fun! I added mini m&m’s to the bars pictured.
- NOTE: most Scotcharoos use half chocolate/half butterscotch chips for the chocolate topping, but I did not do that here since I prefer all chocolate. See the recipe note if you’d like to include butterscotch!
Scotcharoo Bars
If you're looking for an easy dessert to whip up in less than twenty minutes, add these to your list! These rich and gooey bars are packed with rice cereal and peanut butter, then topped with chocolate. Can you say YUM?!
Ingredients
Method
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- Pour crispy rice cereal into a large bowl, set aside.
- Add corn syrup and sugar to a medium saucepan and turn stove heat on medium. Stir constantly until the sugar has JUST melted (about 3 minutes), then remove from heat.
- Immediately add peanut butter to the saucepan and stir until combined.
- Immediately pour the mixture on top of the rice cereal and stir until ingredients are well-combined.
- Spread mixture evenly throughout the prepared 9×13 pan (use your hands if needed to press it down).
- Melt the chocolate chips using the stove or microwave. Spread the chocolate evenly over the bars.
- Immediately sprinkle with mini m&m's or your candy of choice if desired.
- Place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to one hour, or until the chocolate sets. Then store at room temperature.
Notes
**Most recipes also contain butterscotch chips in the chocolate topping. I did not do that for this recipe since I prefer all chocolate. If you would like to try with butterscotch chips, use ¾ cup chocolate chips plus ¾ cup butterscotch chips mixed together.
Tracy Zeimet says
Thank you!! These are my hubby’s FAVORITE!! I’m so glad I have this recipe now ❤️ Thank you for the wonderful tips as well!!
Jackie says
Yay! Thank you 🙂 Hope you enjoy them!
Aunt Becky says
I used to have to call my mom, every time I made these,as I could not find my recipe!!
Great memories
Xooxo
Jen says
Scotcheroos without butterscotch chips melted with the chocolate? Hmmm
Jackie says
I made a note in the post that most recipes use half chocolate, half butterscotch chips, which you can totally do! I just prefer it with all chocolate 🙂