Butterscotch Bliss in Every Bite
Have you ever made scotcharoos before? They’re a fun cross between rice krispie treats and peanut butter bars, and boy are they good. Once set, they have a candy-like chewiness and sweetness to them without being over the top. I add a pretty (and easy!) butterscotch swirl throughout the chocolate top of mine, because easy desserts can be beautiful too 🙂
I originally shared this recipe a few years ago, and today I’m just slightly modifying it with some coconut oil to make the topping extra smooth and glossy.
In case you’re new around here or haven’t heard of scotcharoos before, here’s everything you need to know about this unique no-bake dessert:
What’s So Great About Scotcharoos?
- They’re the perfect combo of salty & sweet.
- You can make (and decorate!) them easily and quickly.
- My recipe makes quite a lot of bars, so it’s perfect for bringing to parties or making for a crowd.
- Kids can have fun helping with greasing the pan, spreading the chocolate, and creating the swirl.
What You Need
Here are a few of the key ingredients that will make your scotcharoos turn out just like the pictures:
- Peanut butter. Use regular, creamy peanut butter. I have not tried making these with “natural” peanut butter, and I would be hesitant to recommend it as it could make the scotcharoos fall apart or be too oily (a problem some people have reported when making my no-bake cookies!).
- Corn syrup. This helps hold the ingredients together and balance the flavors. Notice I’m not using the controversial high fructose corn syrup–just plain old light corn syrup.
- Granulated sugar. I tried making scotcharoos with brown sugar and found them to be too sweet, so stick with all granulated.
- Coconut oil. A tiny bit of coconut oil melted with the chocolate and butterscotch toppings makes them pour and spread more evenly and smoothly and gives a nice sheen once cool.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Scotcharoos
- Cook the corn syrup, sugar, and butter over medium-low heat just until the butter melts, then increase the heat and stir frequently until the mixture boils.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and combined.
- Add the cereal and stir until well-combined.
- Spread and press the mixture into a greased, foil-lined 9×13 pan and set aside.
