The BEST Chewy Scotcheroos

These chewy, bakery-style scotcheroos are a family favorite and the perfect no bake dessert! They're like peanut butter rice krispies treats....but so much better!

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Why these are the BEST soft scotcheroos

Thick & Chewy: The trick to achieving a soft and chewy bar is not to overcook the peanut butter mixture. In other words, don't let it boil!
Perfect Texture (without getting hard!): My little secret to achieving the perfect compact, yet chewy texture is to crush one cup of the rice cereal. This helps fill in the gaps without having to press them down too firmly (which can make them too hard).
Thick Layer of Chocolate & Butterscotch: We're using two entire bags of chips for these to give them a thick chocolate layer - this is non-negotiable in my opinion!

scotcheroo bars with flaky sea salt on top

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

This no bake scotcheroos recipe uses simple ingredients that you can find at the grocery store!

Crispy rice cereal: You can use name-brand or store-bought, although I do prefer the texture of real Rice Krispies for these. You only need 1 box to make these.
Creamy peanut butter: I usually just use JIF but you can use any creamy peanut butter. Don't use natural peanut butter for these, as they will be too oily.
Unsalted butter: While many classic scotcheroo recipes don't include this, this will help keep the mixture soft and prevent it from crystallizing and becoming rock hard. You can use salted, just omit the added salt.
Light corn syrup: This is what gives it that irresistible chewy texture (and fun fact, it's not the same thing as high fructose corn syrup!). I recommend using Karo Syrup brand for best results but you can use generic brand, if needed.
Vanilla extract: Because of how few ingredients there are, I like using pure vanilla extract for these but imitation also works.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Use a chocolate chip that tastes good plain; I generally lean towards Ghirardelli, Hershey's, Guittard, or Costco brand (I'm not a fan of Nestle for these). You can also use milk or dark chocolate chips, if desired.
Butterscotch chips: You can find these in the baking aisle by the chocolate chips. You can use any brand but I made these with Guittard brand and they were unreal creamy and had the best butterscotch flavor.
Flaky sea salt: Optional, if you want to add a little extra pizzazz!

How to Make Scotcheroos

Follow these picture step-by-steps to achieve the perfect scotcheroo bars!

Step 1: Crush 1 cup Cereal

In a small ziploc bag, crush 1 cup of rice crispy cereal. Measure out the remaining 7 cups in a large bowl, combine with the 1 cup of crushed, and set aside.

Tip: Crushing this small amount will help achieve a chewy & compact texture.

crushing 1 cup of rice krispy cereal in bag

Step 2: Cook Mixture

Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an inch overhang on each of the long sides. This will help you lift the bars out of the pan to cut later.
In a large saucepan, add granulated sugar (1 cup), light corn syrup (1 cup), creamy peanut butter (1 ¼ cups), and unsalted butter (¼ cup, i.e. ½ stick). Stir constantly on medium-low heat until the mixture is combined and *just* starts to gently bubble. It’s important not to let it actually boil or it will result in rock-hard bars!
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), and salt (¼ teaspoon). The vanilla will cause the mixture to bubble, so be careful.

Tip: You want to mix until the sugar dissolves and starts to produce tiny bubbles. If you let it boil, they will get too hard!

Step 3: Mix in Cereal

Stir in rice crispy cereal (7 cups whole + 1 cup crushed) until fully coated.

Step 4: Press into Pan

Press cereal mixture into prepared 9x13 pan and lightly press down until smooth.

scotcheroo mixture pressed into 9x13 pan

Step 5: Melt Chocolate Chips

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, microwave semisweet chocolate chips (1 ¾ cups, i.e. one 12-ounce bag) and butterscotch chips (1 ¾ cups, i.e. one 12-ounce bag) in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each interval (even if they’re not melted, still stir!).

bowl of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips

bowl of melted chocolate chips and butterscotch chips

Step 6: Top & Refrigerate

Stir until smooth and all chips are melted. Pour melted chocolate butterscotch topping over slightly cooled cereal bars and spread until smooth. Top with flaky sea salt for an extra touch.

Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, or until chocolate mixture is firm. This is crucial for getting clean cuts.

spread chocolate butterscotch on scotcheroo bars

Step 7: Cut

Lift bars out of pan with the parchment, then use a large knife to press down in one solid motion. Wipe crumbs off knife between cuts for the smoothest cuts. Cut them in 12 for large squares or 24 for small squares.
Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Tips & Variations

Don't overcook: After having made one too many hard scotcheroos over the years, the secret is truly not to let the mixture boil (more than a few bubbles) before removing it from the heat.
Refrigerate before cutting: Ensuring the chocolate topping is firm & hardened is crucial for getting clean cuts.
Make a smaller batch: You can cut these in half and press into a 9x9 pan or even split the recipe in thirds and press into a loaf pan!

Storage & Freezing

Storage: These are best within 2-3 days but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These are easy dessert bars to make ahead since they don't require refrigeration and will stay chewy for days!
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing these.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I substitute the corn syrup for something else?

I don't suggest doing this, as the corn syrup is crucial for the soft & chewy texture. You can try using honey but I would start with using half the amount; just know that the taste & texture will not be the same.

How did you get the topping so smooth?

Two things! First off, the topping I used in the photos here were made from Guittard butterscotch & chocolate chips. The higher-quality chips definitely produced a smooth texture! The other thing that helps is that after you spread it on, to gently tap the pan on the counter to help it flatten out and pop any air bubbles.

Can I use natural peanut butter?

No, I don't recommend it for this recipe or your bars will be very oily.

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Best Chewy Scotcheroos

These chewy, bakery-style scotcheroos are a family favorite and the perfect no bake dessert! They're like peanut butter rice krispies treats....but so much better!

4.91 from 20 votes

Print Rate

Total Time: 25

Servings: 24

By: Melissa Rose

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 ¼ cups creamy peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups Rice Krispie Cereal divided (we’re crushing 1 cup)
1 ¾ cups semisweet chocolate chips (i.e. 12 ounce bag)
1 ¾ cups butterscotch chips (i.e. 12 ounce bag)

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 small ziploc bag, crush 1 cup of rice krispy cereal. Measure out the remaining 7 cups in a large bowl, combine with the 1 cup of crushed, and set aside.
Grease and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
In a large pot, add granulated sugar (1 cup), light corn syrup (1 cup), creamy peanut butter (1 ¼ cups), and unsalted butter (¼ cup). Stir constantly on medium-low until the mixture *just* starts to gently bubble. It’s important not to let it actually boil or it will result in rock-hard bars!
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), and salt (¼ teaspoon).
Stir in rice krispy cereal (7 cups whole + 1 cup crushed) until fully coated.
Press cereal mixture into prepared 9x13 pan and lightly press until smooth.
In a medium-sized microwave safe bowl, microwave semisweet chocolate chips (1 ¾ cups, i.e. one 12-ounce bag) and butterscotch chips (1 ¾ cups, i.e. one 12-ounce bag) in 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each interval (even if they’re not melted, still stir each time!).
Stir until smooth and all chips are melted. Pour over slightly cooled cereal bars and spread until smooth. Top with flakey sea salt for a extra touch.
Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, or until chocolate mixture is firm. This is crucial for clean cuts.
Lift bars out of pan with the parchment, then use a large knife to press down in one solid motion. Wipe crumbs off knife between cuts for the smoothest cuts.
Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

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.

Nutrition

The Best Chewy Scotcheroos