Scotcharoos

Scotcharoos are super soft peanut butter rice krispie treats covered with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. An easy, old fashioned, no bake treat.

More Butterscotch Desserts: If you’re a butterscotch lover, you might also want to try my Butterscotch Pudding Cookies — which uses both butterscotch pudding AND butterscotch chips. There’s also butterscotch pudding in my Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins. And butterscotch chips in my Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies and Seven Layer Bars. Delish!

What is a Scotcharoo?

A scotcharoo is similar, yet different from original rice krispie treats. Instead of using marshmallows, a combination of butter, sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter is used to give these no bake treats its soft and chewy base paired with the crispy rice cereal. The melted topping of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips is why they’re called, “scotcharoos.”

According to Wikipedia, the original Scotcheroos recipe was printed on the Rice Krispies box in the mid-1960s. They are popular in the Midwestern United States, especially Iowa and North Dakota.

Recipe Features

Let me tell you why you’ll love this recipe:

• Fast and Easy — Rice krispie treats, like these scotcharoos, are so easy to make and they come together super fast. The hardest part is waiting for the topping to set, which can be sped up in the refrigerator.
• No-Bake Treat — Melting ingredients in a pot and adding crispy rice cereal means you don’t have to turn on the oven and heat up your house. Even the topping is melted in the microwave.
• Irresistible — The chocolate butterscotch topping transforms these regular peanut butter rice krispies into scotcharoo bars. Everyone LOVES them! (I dare you to just eat one.)
  • BONUS: If you do an easy bakery swirl with your topping, it seems extra fancy.

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe:

• Butter – You can use unsalted or salted butter, depending on your salt tolerance. Scotcharoos can be quite sweet, so salted butter may be preferable.
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Corn Syrup – Helps smooth and dissolve the sugar, so it’s not grainy.
• Creamy Peanut Butter – Use a firm, no stir, creamy peanut butter like Jif of Skippy. Natural peanut butters may not work the same.
• Rice Krispies Cereal
• Chocolate Chips – I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate chips work too.
• Butterscotch Chips
• Oil – OPTIONAL, to help smooth the melted baking chips. Use a flavorless or light tasting oil like canola, vegetable, or coconut oil.

*NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How to Make Scotcharoos

First, measure the Rice Krispies into a very large bowl. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.

Next, you will make the peanut butter mixture.

1. Place the butter, sugar, and corn syrup into a large saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is hot, but NOT boiling, and the sugar is dissolved. (It may come to a light simmer and bubble at the edges, but as soon as that happens remove it from the heat immediately. The mixture will also change from thick and gritty, to thin and runny.)
3. Remove mixture from heat and add the peanut butter.
4. Stir until the peanut butter melts and the mixture is looks cohesive.

For the Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

• Pour the peanut butter mixture over the crispy rice cereal and stir until the Rice Krispies are coated evenly.
• Empty the peanut butter rice krispies into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
• OPTIONAL: Use wax paper and a mini rolling pin, or your hands, to flatten the top. (This helps the topping spread smoother.)

For the Topping

These would not be scotcharoos without the chocolate butterscotch topping. Here’s how to make it:

• Place the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and oil (optional) in a heat-safe bowl.
• Microwave at half power in 20 second increments, stirring in-between each interval, until fully melted and smooth.

• Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter rice krispie treats.
• Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the pan. (Use this tutorial for bakery swirled icing, if you want yours to look like mine.) Allow the chocolate to set. Then cut into squares.
  • TIP: Place pan in fridge for 15-20 minutes to help the chocolate set faster.

You’re going to love these soft and chewy scotcharoos. They are the ultimate no-bake treat!

How long are Scotcharoos good for?

If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, you can expect these chocolate covered rice krispie treats to last for up to one week. (If you don’t eat them all before then.)

Scotcheroos also freeze and thaw very well. I like to precut them and store them in a freezer-safe container with wax or parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Tips and Alternatives:

The secret for soft (NOT hard) Scotcharoos: Do NOT let the sugar mixture boil. If it starts to bubble, even at the edges, turn it off and remove it from the heat immediately.

Make sure the heat isn’t too high to begin with. You should cook the sugar mixture between the low and medium heat settings on the stovetop until the mixture goes from thick and gritty, to thin and runny. It still might look grainy, but the sugar won’t taste that way. (Go ahead and give it a taste to check – careful it’s hot!)

Don’t like butterscotch: Use peanut butter chips or extra chocolate chips instead.

More Cereal Treats

Looking for more no-bake cereal treats? Try these:

• Oreo Rice Krispie Treats
• Lucky Charms Treats
• S’mores Krispie Treats
• No Bake Rice Krispie Cookies
• Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats
• Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats

*Originally published 9/13/2012. Post updated August 2023.