Everything you love about classic Scotcheroos bars but faster, easier, and made in the microwave in less than 5 minutes! Made in a loaf pan, these are perfect for a quick treat or after school snack when you don't need an entire pan!
PS. Love these? Check out my microwave homemade star crunch bars!
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Why I Love These "Cheater" Scotcheroos
- Made in the Microwave: Yes, that's right! No stovetop needed. A true no bake recipe!
- No multiple layers needed: instead of having to make the multiple layers of traditional Scotcheroos, you can make these in ONE BOWL!
- No Corn Syrup: I love a traditional Scotcheroo, but these are made without corn syrup and get their gooey and chewy texture from the marshmallows!
- Makes a small batch: Sometimes you don't need or want an entire 9x13 pan of goodness staring at you for 2 weeks. This recipe makes just 8 squares, making them perfect for a quick treat!
And they have all the same flavors as Scotcheroos...but made easier! It's going to take a lot for me to want to go back to the extra steps of traditional ones!
What You Need to Make Small Batch Scotcheroos
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Butterscotch Chips
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Unsalted Butter
- Mini Marshmallows (10 oz. bag)
- Medium sized glass/microwave safe bowl
- Loaf Pan
Don't have a loaf pan? Simply cover a ceramic bowl or square tupperware container in parchment paper then press in the mixture!
How to Make Loaf Pan Scotcheroos:
Step 1: Melt Ingredients
In a medium-sized microwave bowl, add the chocolate chips, ¼ cup of the butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave on 50% power (important!) for 1 minute, then stir. Place back in microwave for 1 more minute on 50% power, then stir again until creamy (it's okay if a few chunks are left unmelted).
Step 2: Add Marshmallows
Add marshmallows on top of the mixture (don't stir) then microwave for 1 minute on normal 100% power. Stir until creamy (again, it's okay if a few marshmallows aren't fully melted).
Tip: If for some reason, the marshmallows don't fully melt when you stir them in, microwave for 10 second increments.
Step 3: Add Rice Cereal
Mix in rice krispie cereal and stir until fully coated. Mix in the remaining ¼ cup butterscotch chips.
Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray (or cover in parchment) then press the mixture into the pan. If desired, top with extra chocolate/butterscotch chips. Let cool for 20 minutes to harden or place in refrigerator for faster cooling.
Tip: To make them easier to press them down, you can spray your hands with nonstick spray or use parchment on top while pressing.
Step 4: Cut
Once cooled and "set" use a large knife to cut into 8 pieces (or smaller if you prefer!).
Store in an airtight container or bag for several days. These stay fresh for about 2-3 days before they start drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you don't have a loaf pan, you can press the mixture into a greased ceramic bowl or even a square tupperware container (just be sure to add parchment first if you're using a plastic container).
If you want to make a larger batch, you can make the recipe twice and press it into a 9x9" (thicker bars) or 9x13" pan (thinner bars). Note that I say "make twice" instead of "double" because you would need a really large bowl to simply double the recipe and it probably won't fit in the microwave (that amount of marshmallows would expand too much!). So for that reason, it's easier to make twice!
If you'd like, you could also make a larger batch on the stovetop on low heat but I find that it's easier for the mixture to overheat with this method (which then makes the bar texture taste kind of stale).
Most rice krispie cereal is gluten-free, but be sure to check your specific ingredients to verify everything is compliant! Also be sure to check your specific brand of marshmallows, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips, as some are not gluten-free. In other words, always verify that the actual brands you use are gluten free.
Sure, feel free to try variations! The taste will obviously be different & not like a traditional Scotcheroo but you can substitute the peanut butter out for another creamy nut butter. If you try this, be sure to report back in the comments below!
If you don't have butterscotch chips you could replace them for the same amount of extra chocolate chips to make these more like plain chocolate rice krispie bars.
Or for a more caramel & chocolate take, check out my microwave homemade star crunch bars!
Being from Iowa (aka. smack dab in the Midwest), scotcheroos are a barbecue or potluck staple! They get their name from the key ingredient: butterscotch chips.
Did you make these scotcheroos? Be sure to leave a comment below with how you liked them!
5 Minute Scotcheroo Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup butterscotch chips (divided in half, as you will be adding these at different times)
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups mini marshmallows (this is a little less than a 10oz bag)
- 2 ½ cups rice krispy cereal
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- In a medium-sized, microwave bowl, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips (¼ cup), ¼ cup of the butterscotch chips, peanut butter (¼ cup), and unsalted butter (2 tablespoons). Microwave on 50% power (important!) for 1 minute, then mix. Microwave for 1 more minute on 50% power, then stir again until smooth (it’s okay if a few chunks are left unmelted).
- Add marshmallows (3 cups) on top of the mixture (don’t stir) then microwave for 1 minute on normal power. Stir until smooth (again, it’s okay if a few marshmallows aren’t fully melted). If for some reason, the marshmallows don’t fully melt when you stir them in, microwave for 10 second increments.
- Mix in rice krispy cereal (2 ½ cups) and stir until fully coated. Mix in the remaining ¼ cup of butterscotch chips.Pour into a greased or parchment-lined 9x5" loaf pan and press down mixture until flat and compact. If desired, while still warm press extra chocolate/butterscotch chips on top. Tip: To make them easier to press them down, you can spray your hands with nonstick spray or use parchment on top while pressing.
- Allow to set at room temperature or place pan in refrigerator to speed up the cooling.
- Once cooled and “set” use a large knife to cut into 8 pieces (or smaller if you prefer!).Store in an airtight container or bag for several days. These stay fresh for about 2-3 days before they start drying out.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Susan Shupe says
I left a comment and rating, but when I checked for an answer the next day, my comment had been deleted! What gives?
Melissa says
Hey Susan! The comment wasn’t deleted, we just have to manually approve them to avoid spam comments. Replying to it now!
S.R. Shupe says
I liked finding a recipe for 1/2 the usual yield; however, they seemed to be really sweet. Maybe that's because the original Scotcheroos' recipe uses white syrup instead of marshmallows. I found it confusing about marshmallows when you say "3 c. "this is a little less than a 10 oz. bag." Exactly how much less? 1 oz. or 2 oz.? I had to weigh on a food scale since marshmallows don't easily measure in a dry container. I think my bag was 10.5 oz. so I went with 8 oz. That seemed to work okay. Also, I didn't bother with parchment paper, but sprayed the loaf pan & they came out fine. Thank you for your recipe!
Melissa says
Thanks for your feedback, I will clarify that in the post! When I measure out 3 cups, it’s about 6-ounces.
Allie says
So delicious! I’ve been wanting to try scotcheroos but was scared of the steps, this was so easy and so good!!!
Melissa says
So glad that you found this recipe easy and enjoyed it Allie!