best ever homemade scotcheroos

A simple four-ingredient base, topped with a thick layer of melted chocolate. Scotcheroos are the ultimate potluck dessert, and the recipe couldn’t be any easier! So, there’s really no excuse for you to not be making these for every picnic, barbecue, and holiday from now until the last days of summer fade away.

this recipe

I think I nailed it on the chocolate-to-base ratio here, don’t you?? Plenty of chocolate, but not too much (if there even is such a thing).

Why This Recipe is The Best (and Easiest!)

• No Extended Cook Time – Let me explain. So many Scotcheroo recipes have you bring your sweetener mixture to a boil on the stovetop, or cook it for 10 minutes. I’ve found that heating the mixture just so things are melted together works fine, so we’re skipping those added steps!
• Brown Rice Syrup – I am not corn syrup’s biggest fan, and if you’re fine with it that’s cool! I just found that Brown Rice Syrup is a great alternative – and you can order it online from Amazon, or find it at large grocery stores or specialty grocery stores like a local food co-op.
• Speedy Chill Time – Once you’ve got the chocolate on, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to harden so you can cut and eat your Scotcheroos! I speed this up by popping the whole pan into the fridge.

• Soft Texture – Here’s another thing to file under “Things Stephanie is not a fan of” – Scotcheroos that are so hard you have to gnaw on them to take a bite. No, nope, nada. These have a soft texture – they’re firm enough to hold a shape, of course, but even after being refrigerated they’re the perfect bite-able consistency.
• Straight Chocolate – That’s right – my topping is untraditional because I left out the butterscotch chips! You can, of course, go the traditional route and use half chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips, but I am being a little bit of a rebel here.
• Vegan + Gluten Free – This recipe can easily be made GF and Vegan – just be sure to buy a certified GF rice cereal, and vegan/dairy-free chocolate!
• Sea Salt Flakes – This is, of course, optional, but if you’re a salty-sweet kind of person then you NEED to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on these!

I’m sure that was more information about Scotcheroos than you ever wanted to hear in your lifetime, but OH WELL. I’m passionate about my desserts, mmkay.

So, what are you waiting for? Get baking! Er, not because this is a no-bake recipe. Just some melting and pouring is all that’s required, here!

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Best Ever Homemade Scotcheroos

A simple four-ingredient base, topped with a thick layer of melted chocolate. Scotcheroos are the ultimate potluck dessert, and the recipe couldn't be any easier! 

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Dessert Bars

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: Scotcheroos Recipe, No Bake Summer Desserts, Easy Potluck Dessert, Easy Picnic Dessert

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Bars Setting Up: 2 hours

Total Time: 23 minutes

Servings: 20 large squares

Calories: 284kcal

Author: Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

• 6 cups rice krispie cereal
• 1 cup brown rice syrup see notes about where to find
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk, or dark depending on your preference

Instructions

• Prep: Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and set aside. Measure out your cereal and add it to a large mixing bowl (leave  room - we'll be adding the sugar mixture to it and stirring it later!)
• Make the bars: Add brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and peanut butter to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until melted into a smooth mixture. Pour into the bowl with the cereal, and quickly stir to combine. Press this mixture into an even layer in prepared pan. 

  I found that my recipe is more forgiving than some traditional scotcheroo recipes where the cereal mixture can harden really quickly, BUT I still don't recommend dawdling during these steps. 

  Melt your chocolate with the double boiler method (see notes) or in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, stirring between each. Pour chocolate over the bars and let sit up at room temp until the chocolate has completely set. You can speed this up by chilling them in the fridge. 
• Serve + Store: Once chocolate is set, slice and enjoy! Store leftovers well-covered in the fridge or at room temp for 4-6 days. 

  If the bars have been chilled in the fridge for an extended period of time, they may need to sit out a bit before you serve them - the chocolate will be quite hard after being in the fridge overnight.

Notes

NOTE: You can find Brown Rice Syrup in major grocery stores like Whole Foods or at local food co-op grocery stores. You can also order it from Amazon.

NOTE: If you want that nice shine on your chocolate, use the double boiler method. Fill a medium or small pot with 1 inch of water. Use a heat-safe bowl that can sit in the top of the pot without touching the water. Add your chocolate to the bowl. Heat the water over low heat, until just steaming. Place the bowl on the pot and stir the chocolate constantly, until it's about 75% melted. Remove from the pot of water and continue stirring until remaining chocolate is melted. Don't get any water in the chocolate - it will ruin it. 

NOTE: To make this recipe GF, buy certified GF rice cereal. To make it dairy free and vegan, use dairy free/vegan chocolate! Simple as that 🙂 

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal

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