Scotcheroos (No-Bake Dessert Bar)
When it comes to classic, crowd-pleasing no-bake desserts, Scotcheroos are a top-tier treat. These chewy bars are a nostalgic favorite, bringing together peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch in a no-fuss, addictively delicious combo. Best of all? No oven required!
Whether you’re making a quick treat for a potluck, need something sweet for after-school snacking, or just want an easy dessert that doesn’t require heating up your kitchen, Scotcheroos check every box.
What Are Scotcheroos?
Scotcheroos are a simple dessert bar made from crispy rice cereal, peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup, all topped with a luscious layer of melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. Originally popularized from a recipe on a cereal box, they’ve become a Midwest staple—and for good reason!
People sometimes make them with some vanilla, salt, and a mixture of brown and white sugar, but I found that this simple, 6 ingredient recipe, without the frills, really is the BEST way to make scotcheroos, and you get amazing results every time! Plus it is easy to remember, which means, you can make them anytime!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Crispy rice cereal – Classic Rice Krispies work great.
- Peanut butter – Creamy peanut butter is traditional, but you can sub in crunchy for texture.
- Granulated sugar
- Light corn syrup – This helps bind everything together and keeps the bars chewy.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Butterscotch chips
How to Make Scotcheroos
- Prep the pan
Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Set aside. - Make the peanut butter mixture
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and corn syrup. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to bubble. Do not let it boil—this is key to soft bars! - Add peanut butter
Remove from heat and immediately stir in peanut butter until smooth. - Stir in cereal
Quickly fold in the crispy rice cereal until fully coated. - Press into pan
Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and press it down gently with a spatula or your hands (lightly greased or with wax paper) to even it out. - Melt the topping
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. - Spread and set
Pour the chocolate-butterscotch topping over the bars and spread evenly. Let cool at room temperature until set, then cut into bars and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Scotcheroos
- Don’t overheat the sugar mixture: This is the number one tip to keep your bars soft and chewy. Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is just starting to bubble, remove it from the heat. Boiling it can cause the bars to harden as they cool.
- Work quickly: Once the peanut butter and cereal are mixed, press them into the pan before it starts to firm up. Speed is your friend here!
- Don’t pack it down too hard: Pressing the mixture too firmly can make the bars dense and hard. You want it compact, but not brick-like.
- Customize your topping: If you prefer more chocolate flavor, adjust the ratio of chocolate to butterscotch chips, or even use just one or the other depending on your taste.
- Add a pinch of salt: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before the chocolate sets can balance out the sweetness and add a gourmet touch.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Scotcheroos are a great make-ahead dessert. They store beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm, but bring them to room temp before serving for that perfect soft-chewy bite. Otherwise they will be hard.
Other Great Desserts
- Turtle Brownies
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Ice Box Cake
- Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
Scotcheroos are the kind of treat that disappear fast and leave everyone asking for the recipe. They’re easy, delicious, and totally no-bake—making them perfect for busy days or hot weather when you want something sweet without turning on the oven.
So grab that cereal box and some peanut butter—you’re just a few steps away from one of the best no-bake desserts ever.
Scotcheroos
Ingredients
- 5 cups Crispy rice cereal
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Light corn syrup
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Prep the pan Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Set aside.
- Make the peanut butter mixture In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and corn syrup. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to bubble. Do not let it boil—this is key to soft bars!
- Add peanut butter Remove from heat and immediately stir in peanut butter until smooth.
- Stir in cereal Working quickly, fold in the crispy rice cereal until fully coated. Do not wait on this step, or the peanut butter mixture will set too much and you won't be able to fold in the cereal.
- Press into pan Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and press it down gently with a spatula or your hands (lightly greased or with wax paper) to even it out. The mixture may be hot, so be careful.
- Melt the topping In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Do not overheat, or it will get lumpy.
- Spread and set Pour the chocolate-butterscotch topping over the bars and spread evenly. Let cool at room temperature until set, then cut into bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overheat the sugar mixture: This is the number one tip to keep your bars soft and chewy. Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is just starting to bubble, remove it from the heat. Boiling it can cause the bars to harden as they cool.
- Work quickly: Once the peanut butter and cereal are mixed, press them into the pan before it starts to firm up. Speed is your friend here!
- Don’t pack it down too hard: Pressing the mixture too firmly can make the bars dense and hard. You want it compact, but not brick-like.
- Customize your topping: If you prefer more chocolate flavor, adjust the ratio of chocolate to butterscotch chips, or even use just one or the other depending on your taste.
- Add a pinch of salt: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before the chocolate sets can balance out the sweetness and add a gourmet touch.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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