Chocolate Scotcheroos Recipe
This Chocolate Scotcheroos Recipe combines crispy rice cereal with a gooey blend of corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter, all topped with a smooth layer of melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. It’s an easy, no-bake treat that comes together quickly and satisfies every sweet tooth.
Chewy Scotcheroos
I bet 90% of y’all have already had a Scotcheroo in your lifetime, especially if you are from the Midwest. They are in every cookbook that I have from all the little churches around my hometown of St. Joe, Iowa. If you look at Pinterest, you will see lots and lots of pictures of these yummy Rice Krispie treats with thick chocolate and butterscotch frosting.
Mom made these for us numerous times when we were growing up. We took them to cook-outs with cousins, to church outings, and to Lake Okoboji (our summertime vacation spot). Later on in life, Mom started getting fancy and rolling them into pinwheels, like noted at the bottom of this blog post. She even brought them to Texas when her and Dad were still able to visit us.
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIX INGREDIENTS – You’ll need just six pantry staple ingredients for this no bake recipe.
- CHEWY AND DELICIOUS – These scotcheroos are chewy and straight up delish. So many childhood memories come to mind!
- GREAT POTLUCK RECIPE – You’re going to want to take this large-batch bars to backyard barbecues and potlucks.
- MAKE BARS OR PINWHEELS – Choose how you want to present these bars. Both are excellent.
What You’ll Need:
- Rice Krispies
- sugar
- white syrup
- peanut butter
- chocolate chips and butterscotch chips
How to make Chocolate Scotcheroos:
Step 1
Boil sugar and syrup. Bring sugar and white syrup to a boil in medium sauce pan. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.
Step 2
Add Rice Krispies. Add Rice Krispies to a bowl and pour the peanut butter mixture over the top. Stir well to combine.
Step 3
Spread Rice Krispie mixture in a pan. Grease a large jelly roll pan and spread Rice Krispie mixture evenly, pressing down firmly with your hands. Make sure your hands have oil or butter on them to prevent sticking.
Step 4
Make topping. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. You can use double boiler or microwave on 50 percent power, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Step 5
Add topping to scotcheroos. Spread chocolate over Rice Krispie mixture. Let pan sit for approximately 30 minutes.
NOTE: I adapted this recipe to go into a large baking sheet which makes it easier to roll into pinwheels. The Rice Krispie layer is 1.5 times the original while the chocolate layer is the same. However, you can easily make the original and skip the rolling.
Step 6
Slice. Slice chocolate scotcheroos into 30 equal squares. Or see below for making these into scotcheroo pinwheels.
Storing and Freezing Scotcheroos:
- Store. These bars can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer storage. If can store them in the refrigerator, they will be REALLY hard to bite into, so be sure to let them adjust to room temp before serving.
- Freeze. Freeze scotcheroos in an airtight container, stacked and separated by parchment paper.
Recipe FAQs:
While I haven’t tested this, I believe you could but make sure the natural peanut butter is well-stirred and not too oily or dry—this helps the bars hold together better.
Don’t overboil the sugar and corn syrup—remove it from heat as soon as it starts to boil. Overcooking makes the bars dry and hard.
Yes, they stay fresh for up to 5 days at room temp in an airtight container or longer if refrigerated.
Other No Bake Dessert Recipes:
How to make Scotcheroos into Pinwheels:
- Make the scotcheroos recipe.
- Let them set up on your countertop – approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Add some oil to your hands for rolling.
- Starting at one side of pan, roll scotcheroos up into a large log, pressing gentlyas you roll.
- Once you finish rolling, let them set up again in the pan.
- Slice the roll into at least 20 pinwheels.
If you have little ones at home, making these Chocolate Scotcheroo Pinwheels is genius because there is less mess.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Chocolate Scotcheroos Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 cups Rice Krispies
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1.5 cups light corn syrup
- 1.5 cups peanut butter
- 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 12 oz. butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Boil sugar and syrup. Bring sugar and white syrup to a boil in medium sauce pan. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. 1.5 cups sugar, 1.5 cups light corn syrup, 1.5 cups peanut butter
- Add Rice Krispies. Add Rice Krispies to a bowl and pour the peanut butter mixture over the top. Stir well to combine.9 cups Rice Krispies
- Spread Rice Krispie mixture in a pan. Grease a large jelly roll pan and spread Rice Krispie mixture evenly, pressing down firmly with your hands. Make sure your hands have oil or butter on them to prevent sticking.
- Make topping. Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. You can use double boiler or microwave on 50 percent power, stirring frequently to prevent burning.12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 12 oz. butterscotch chips
- Add topping to scotcheroos. Spread chocolate over Rice Krispie mixture. Let pan sit for approximately 30 minutes.
- Slice. Slice chocolate scotcheroos into 30 equal squares. Or see below for making these into scotcheroo pinwheels.
- Make into pinwheels if desired:1) Make the scotcheroos recipe. 2) Let them set up on your countertop – approximately 20-30 minutes. 3) Add some oil to your hands for rolling. 4) Starting at one side of pan, roll scotcheroos up into a large log, pressing gently as you roll. 5) Once you finish rolling, let them set up again in the pan. 6) Slice the roll into at least 20 pinwheels.
Notes
- NOTE: I adapted this recipe to go into a large baking sheet which makes it easier to roll into pinwheels. The chocolate layer is less thick than the original recipe. You can make the original by using a 9×13 inch pan, 6 cups of Rice Krispies, 1 cup of syrup, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of peanut butter.
- Store. These bars can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer storage. If can store them in the refrigerator, they will be REALLY hard to bite into, so be sure to let them adjust to room temp before serving.
- Freeze. Freeze scotcheroos in an airtight container, stacked and separated by parchment paper.
Pretty sure I am the world record holder for most eaten in a lifetime. They never disappoint.
Don might be your competition! 🙂