If you're from the Midwest, you probably know Scotcheroos well. So much sugar! I went back to the drawing board and scaled down the sugar in a big way. With less sugar, these grown-up healthier Scotcheroos let the peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch flavors shine!
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I hadn't had a Scotcheroo since, oh, my teenage years back in the 1970's, and I was craving the chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch and Rice Krispies combination.
So recently I made the recipe exactly as Kellogg's has it published, and let me tell you, my one bite (and it was my last) was exactly like putting a tablespoon of sugar in my mouth with a touch of peanut butter and chocolate flavors. Ugh. And hubby agreed.
We ended up tossing the whole pan out.
Seriously, who needs that much sugar? So I went back to the drawing board and scaled down the sugar in a big way. That makes this version a little bit healthier Scotcheroos. These grown-up Scotcheroos will satisfy any adult or child Scotcheroo craving without the sugar overdose. The flavors shine through so much better! I also like these peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies that don't overpower the palate with sugar, either.
How to make scotcheroos? They're so easy to make, you're done in about 20 minutes!
Ingredients
The ingredient list is simple:
- Corn syrup
- Sugar and salt
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla extract
- Rice Krispies
- Butter
- Unsweetened baking chocolate
- Butterscotch chips
Instructions
I didn't get many pictures of the process. It goes together so fast that I forgot! And I was mostly bent on getting the taste right. But here's how simple it is...
- In a large, non-stick pan, combine the corn syrup and sugar over medium-low heat, and bring it to a low simmer, stirring frequently. Once it starts simmering, continue to simmer for about 1 minute without stirring.
- Add the peanut butter and stir well until the peanut butter is thoroughly combined with the sugar mixture (no peanut butter lumps).
- Remove from the heat and add the Rice Krispies, stirring until well combined and you don't see any "orphaned" peanut butter mixture.
- Turn the mixture out into a 9x13 baking pan/dish lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Spread the mixture out evenly using a silicone spatula and pat it down firmly, but not so much that you crush the Rice Krispies into oblivion and the Scotcheroos end up too firm. Set aside.
- In a medium non-stick pan, over low heat, melt the butter, baking chocolate and the butterscotch chips, stirring frequently until completely melted and well-combined.
- Pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies mixture that's in the pan, and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate at least two hours. Cut with a sharp knife into small squares, let them warm up to room temp a bit and serve.
Storage
These healthier Scotcheroos will store in the refrigerator up to a week. It's easier to store them if you cut them into squares first, and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you stack them, use wax paper or parchment paper to keep the layers from sticking to each other.
You can also freeze Scotcheroos for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer storage bag. Again, first cutting them into individual servings and using wax paper to layer them is a smart idea.
More chocolate recipes
Looking for other recipes with chocolate? Try these!
📖 Recipe
Scotcheroos (the grown-up kind)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces baking chocolate unsweetened
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Heat the corn syrup and sugar in a large, non-stick sauce pan to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar has melted. Continue to simmer the mixture for one minute without stirring. Remove from the heat. Add the peanut butter, salt and vanilla and stir until the peanut butter is smooth and completely blended.
- Add the Rice Krispies to the mixture and stir until well combined and you don't see any "orphaned" peanut butter mixture.
- Turn the mixture out into a 9x13 baking pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Spread the mixture out evenly using a silicone spatula and pat it down firmly, but not so much that you crush the Rice Krispies into oblivion and the Scotcheroos end up too firm. Set aside.
- In a small or medium non-stick pan, over low heat, melt the butter, baking chocolate and the butterscotch chips, stirring frequently until completely melted and well-combined. Pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies mixture that's in the pan, and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate at least two hours. Cut with a sharp knife into small squares, let them warm up to room temp a bit and serve.
Theresa in Des Moines
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe! I really can taste the rest of the ingredients so much better now that they're not drowning in sugar! I'll be recommending this recipe to my friends.