Perhaps you spotted a scotcheroos recipe on the side of a Rice Krispies box as early as the 1960s. The dessert is still a staple at sleepovers, potlucks, and bake sales throughout the Midwest, especially in North Dakota and Iowa. Most easily described as peanut butter Rice Krispies Treats layered with chocolate and butterscotch, scotcheroos are practically impossible to dislike. The base is made with puffed rice cereal that’s coated in peanut butter, melted sugar, and corn syrup to create a sturdy yet chewy foundation. The corn syrup is key: It’s what prevents it from becoming too hard or brittle, lending it a pleasantly bendy, not snappy, texture. You’ll also want to use creamy, no-stir peanut butters like Jif or Skippy, not brands that have a tendency to separate. This recipe also adds a heavy dose of both vanilla extract and salt to the cereal mixture, welcome additions that, while not what I grew up with in the Midwest, balance out the sweetness and appease my adult sweet tooth.
A top layer of melted semisweet chocolate swirled with melted butterscotch chips adds drama and the signature flavor the bars are named for. Nestlé Toll House Butterscotch Morsels, found in the baking section of most grocery stores, are the go-to brand for making scotcheroos, but Guittard Butterscotch Baking Chips are my personal favorite if you can get your hands on them. A showering of flaky sea salt on top adds to the wow factor and provides a sparkling crunch that tames any lingering sweetness.
What you’ll need
Guittard Butterscotch Chips
$18 At Amazon
Creamy Peanut Butter
$5 At Amazon
9x13 Metal Baking Dish
$28 At Amazon
4 Quart Saucepan
$230 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
6 hours 25 minutes
Yield
Makes about 24
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Lightly coat a 13x9" baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving generous overhang on the long sides. Place 6 cups puffed rice cereal in a large bowl.
Step 2
Cook ½ cup (packed; 100 g) dark brown sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, and 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, just until sugar is melted, about 3 minutes. (Do not bring to a rapid boil.) Remove from heat, add 1⅓ cups creamy peanut butter and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and stir until peanut butter is melted and combined. Immediately pour over puffed rice cereal and, working quickly, stir to evenly coat cereal. Scrape into prepared pan and gently press into a flat, even layer, taking care not to smash the cereal too much. (Pressing it in too hard can result in dense bars.) Set aside.
Step 3
Microwave 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton Kosher salt, and 6 Tbsp. water in a medium microwave-safe bowl on high power in 15-second bursts, stirring after each, until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk vigorously until smooth and pour over bars and spread into an even layer. (Alternatively, heat in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; do not let bowl touch water. Heat, stirring, until smooth.)
Step 4
Microwave 6 oz. butterscotch chips, remaining ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton Kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in another medium microwave-safe bowl on high power in 15-second bursts, stirring after each, until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk vigorously until smooth. (Alternatively, heat in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; do not let bowl touch water. Heat, stirring, until smooth.) Drizzle over chocolate layer in thin streaks. Using a chopstick or thin knife, swirl butterscotch mixture into chocolate layer, being careful not to overmix. Let sit at room temperature at least 6 hours.
Step 5
To serve, sprinkle flaky sea salt over scotcheroos if desired and cut into a 6x4 grid to make 24 squares.
Do Ahead: Bars can be made 1 week ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature, or freeze in resealable plastic freezer bags up to 3 months.
Recipe notes
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