Scotcheroos are such an easy dessert. These are like Rice Krispie treats that got a major glow up! In this version of the classic treat, we are using less cereal and more ingredients for the sauce. This results in the perfect Scotcheroos that aren’t the least bit dry or hard. You will fall back on this recipe over and over. It is perfect to bring to parties and family events, or just as a delicious after school treat.
What Cereal to Use
I like using Rice Krispies to make these. They work perfectly every time. Another bonus to this cereal is that you can often find it gluten-free. If you aren’t in the US, you want to find a puffed or crispy rice cereal to make these.
Make the sugar and corn syrup mixture. Combine your sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once you start to see bubbles, remove it from the heat. Add the peanut butter. Stir it in until well combined. Combine the peanut butter mixture with rice cereal. Stir until fully coated. Then press into your parchment-lined pan. Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour over the cereal layer and allow to set.
That being said, if you would rather have a deep chocolate flavor there, skip the butterscotch chips. You can replace milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips with 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips. You. might even want to sprinkle some sea salt on top for another burst of flavor. I like to use parchment paper with this pan, whether I’m baking the recipe or not.
When you add the parchment paper, its helpful to flip the pan over and use the bottom to measure out two pieces, one that will run the length of the pan, and one that will run the width. I like to hold the parchment paper in place with small alligator clips. When you are done making your treat and ready to cut the bars, you can easily lift them out of the pan with the parchment paper. Then transfer them to a cutting board to make for easy cutting.
In this recipe, it is key to remove the sugar solution from the heat quickly. This is what will keep the mixture soft and make for Scotcheroos that aren’t hard. Contrast with my No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, which insist that you boil the mixture for one minute to ensure that the cookies set. This is a great dessert recipe to freeze. Flash freeze the bars in a single layer for a few hours. Then transfer to an airtight container. Return to the freezer and store there for up to three months. You can take out individual pieces whenever the craving strikes; these will thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes.
