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This easy recipe for Scotcheroos only needs 6 ingredients and there is no corn syrup! Scotcheroos are a delicious treat with Rice Krispies cereal coated in honey, brown sugar, and peanut butter. They’re topped off with melted butterscotch chips + chocolate chips. You might find yourself not being able to stop eating these delicious bars. 

For more butterscotch recipes be sure and try my Chewy Butterscotch Peanut Butter Cookie Bars. 

A stack of scotcheroos topped with chocolate. Chocolate chips and butterscotch to the side of them.

Scotcheroos Recipe

Scotcheroos have long been one of my favorite treat recipes. There is something about that combination of butterscotch + chocolate + peanut butter that is so addicting. I have only ever had ones that call for corn syrup in the recipe. Nothing wrong with corn syrup, but I have found that it makes the scotcheroos kind of crispy and dry several hours after making them. Especially leftovers the next day!

Honey is the secret ingredient for a deliciously chewy & sweet scotcheroos recipe that won’t turn hard and dry after making it. 

These bars stay soft for days and the taste gets better and better as they sit. 

A scotcheroo bar leaning against another one on a white background.

Ingredients Needed

You will only need 6 ingredients to make this recipe. I also share tips for some of the ingredients so that you can easily replicate this recipe in your own kitchen. 

  • Rice Krispies Cereal – Off brand is much cheaper and exactly the same thing as name brand when it comes to this cereal. 
  • Honey – The “secret” ingredient to making perfectly soft and chewy scotcheroos at home. 
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Creamy Peanut Butter – No substitutes for this one! For best results do not use all-natural peanut butter in this recipe. It does not mix as easily and smoothly as regular creamy peanut butter (like Jif, Skippy, Peter Pan).
  • Butterscotch Chips
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Ingredients on a white background with each one labeled in black text with what it is.

How To Make Scotcheroos Without Corn Syrup

Learn how to make homemade scotcheroos with this easy recipe that does not call for corn syrup! Be sure and read to the bottom of the page where I share all the detailed instructions and ingredients in the recipe card below. 

  • Preparation : Prepare a 9×9 baking pan by lining with parchment paper or spraying with cooking spray. I prefer to use parchment paper because then you can pull the bars out of the pan, by the overhang, and cut them neatly into squares. Measure out the Rice Krispies and place them into a large mixing bowl. 
  • Stove : Combine the honey and brown sugar into a saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, just until it starts to bubble along the edges. You don’t want it boiling, just small bubbles around the edges. Take it off the heat and stir in the peanut butter until it’s all combined and the mixture is smooth. 
  • Scotcheroos : Pour it over the Rice Krispies in the mixing bowl and stir together. Make sure that all the cereal is coated in the peanut butter mixture. Dump it into the prepared pan and press it into the pan evenly. Use the back of a spoon or a measuring cup to gently press down on the bars to gat a smooth top. 
  • Chocolate Topping : Melt the butterscotch chips + semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for about 90 seconds. Make sure to stir it every 30 seconds. Pour this over the scotcheroos and evenly spread it around. 
  • Cool : Let the bars cool, at room temperature, for about 2-3 hours before cutting and eating. 

Step byt step instructions, with pictures, showing how to make this scotcheroo recipe without corn syrup.

Step byt step instructions, with pictures, showing how to make this scotcheroo recipe without corn syrup.

Step byt step instructions, with pictures, showing how to make this scotcheroo recipe without corn syrup.

Step byt step instructions, with pictures, showing how to make this scotcheroo recipe without corn syrup.

Step byt step instructions, with pictures, showing how to make this scotcheroo recipe without corn syrup.

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my helpful tips for this recipe.

  • Cool at Room Temperature : It might be hard, but make sure that you let the bars cool for 2-3 hours before cutting them. I promise they will be worth the wait! You can put the bars into the fridge to speed up this process, but if you do this, make sure to bring the bars back to room temperature for the best chewy texture. Again, I recommend cooling them at room temperature to keep that perfectly chewy and soft texture. 
  • Peanut Butter : Don’t try to substitute this with crunchy peanut butter or all-natural peanut butters. Use the regular creamy peanut butter. You need all that fat and oil to keep the treats moist and chewy. 
  • Use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips : Trust me! These bars are sweet enough with the honey in them. Unless you really, really like sweet stuff I would only use semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe. They perfectly balance out all the sweetness in the bars. 

Stack of scotcheroos with the top having a bite taken out of it to show the texture inside of it.

Scotcheroos Recipe FAQ’s

  • How To Store Leftovers
    • Keep leftover scotcheroos in an air-tight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days. I guarantee you they won’t last that long 😉
    • I do not recommend storing them in the fridge because it will change the texture of the bars. To keep that chewy and soft texture, keep them at room temperature, for the cooling process and the leftovers. 
  • Can I Double This Recipe?
    • Yes you can! Double every ingredient and use a 9×13 baking pan instead.
  • Variation & Substitution Ideas
    • Rice Krispies : For a fun twist (I have never personally done this) use cocoa Rice Krispies instead. I prefer the plain taste of the regular Rice Krispies but if you want to take the chocolate factor up a notch then use the Cocoa Krispies cereal. 
    • Peanut Butter Drizzle : Microwave some creamy peanut butter for about 30 seconds and then use a fork to drizzle it over top of the chocolate. This adds a little something to the top of the bars. Make sure you wait for the chocolate to set before doing this. 

Stack of Krispies treats with butterscotch and peanut butter.

Stack of scotcheroos with Rice Krispies cereal and chocolate chips in the background.

More Treat Recipes You’ll Love

A stack of scotcheroos topped with chocolate. Chocolate chips and butterscotch to the side of them.
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Scotcheroos


Author Jessica - Together as Family
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Set Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings 16
This easy recipe for Scotcheroos only needs 6 ingredients and there is no corn syrup! Scotcheroos are a delicious treat with Rice Krispies cereal coated in honey, brown sugar, and peanut butter. They're topped off with melted butterscotch chips + chocolate chips.

Equipment

9x9 Square Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups rice krispies cereal
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray well with cooking spray.
    * I prefer using pre-cut parchment sheets, that way you can pull the bars out (by the overhang) and cut them nicely into squares.
  • Pour the rice krispies into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring the honey and light brown sugar just barely to a simmer while stirring constantly. Once the mixture starts to bubble, even at the edges, remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Mix until the peanut butter has completely melted and incorporated into the mixture. 
  • Pour the peanut butter mixture into the mixing bowl with the rice krispies cereal and mix together until all the cereal is evenly coated. 
  • Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan, using greased fingers, the back of a spoon, bottom of a measuring cup (spray with cooking spray), or a spatula to create an even layer. 
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips together. Heat for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.
    * You may need longer than 90 seconds to melt the chips smoothly.
  • Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the rice krispies and spread into an even layer. Let sit at room temperature, about 3 hours or until completely set, before cutting and serving. 

Video

Notes

Serving Size : These scotcheroos are sweet so I always cut them into smaller squares. I can get 16 bars out of the recipe, but if you want bigger bars then you can certainly do that as well. The nutrition information is for 16 bars (1 serving = 1 bar), so if you cut them larger that information will be different than what is listed. 
Tip : I do not recommend putting the bars into the fridge to speed up the 'set time'. To keep that perfectly chewy and soft texture, let the bars set at room temperature (no need to cover the pan). Store any leftovers, in an air-tight container, at room temperature as well. 
Tip : These bars get better and better as leftovers. The bars are sweet, but when we ate leftovers the day after, they seemed to have mellowed out on the sweetness. I actually prefer these the day after I make them. The texture is softer and chewier and the sweetness is mellowed out some. 
Creamy Peanut Butter : Do not use all-natural peanut butter in this recipe. Of course, you can experiment if wanted. Use the regular creamy peanut butter because it melts really smoothly into the honey + sugar mix. 

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg

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3 Comments

  1. Have you ever tried to freeze these squares? If not, how many days can you keep them in a container on the counter? Thanks

    1. Together as Family says:

      I would say 5 days is the limit for storing this at room temp.
      I haven’t tried freezing them myself and wouldn’t suggest it because it changes the texture, even after putting them in the fridge the texture is different. To be fair, some people do store these in the fridge and freezer with success, depends on personal taste!