Did anyone else grow up eating Scotcheroos or Special K Bars? They’re crispy, salty-sweet, peanut butter cereal bars with a chocolate butterscotch topping. And yes, they’re just as good as they sound — totally decadent and (regrettably) shareable!
We’ve given these classic, NO-BAKE treats the ultimate MB remix with a naturally sweetened, gluten-free base and a fudgy, vegan chocolate “butterscotch” topping. Simple methods, just 9 ingredients, and no corn syrup or butterscotch chips required! Let us show you how it’s done!
What is a Scotcheroo?
Scotcheroos were born on the back of a Kellogg’s Rice Krispies box in the 1960s. Classically made with chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies, these treats became especially popular in the Midwest.
Since then, the recipe has been adjusted and published across cookbooks and blogs. The following is our take on the chocolaty, peanut buttery cereal bar!
How to Make Scotcheroos
Our healthier take on scotcheroos has no corn syrup in sight yet tastes just like the classics. How? Maple syrup to the rescue!
When you heat it with coconut sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla, then stir in crispy rice cereal, you get a naturally sweetened, peanut buttery cereal base that holds together beautifully when pressed into a pan.
Then it’s time for the chocolate “butterscotch” topping (without butterscotch chips!). Instead, the butterscotch flavor comes from a magical combination of vegan butter, coconut cream, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt.
We combine it with chocolate chips, let it all melt, and then pour the mixture over the peanut butter base. After an hour (the temptation to hurry the process will be REAL), the chocolate layer will be set and it’s ready to slice into bars!
We’re SO excited for you to try these Scotcheroos! They’re:
Crispy
Salty-sweet
Decadent
Nutty
Snack-able
& Classic, yet healthier!
These no-bake treats are the answer to Scotcheroo nostalgia, afternoon snack cravings, chocolate + peanut butter dessert needs, and so much more!
More No-Bake Treats
- 2-Ingredient Vegan PayDay Bites
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints
- No-Bake Fudgy Chocolate Cake Bites
- 5-Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Pudding
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Vegan Scotcheroos (No-Bake!)
Ingredients
BARS
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter (we recommend a natural, drippy one // find our favorite brands here)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups crispy rice cereal (not puffed // we used Whole Foods 365 brand // ensure vegan/gluten-free as needed)
TOPPING
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free/vegan // we like Enjoy Life)
- 1/4 cup vegan butter (we like Miyoko’s)
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (we like Savoy)
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 generous pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch (or similar size) baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- BARS: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the maple syrup and coconut sugar. Heat, stirring continuously, until the coconut sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix again until well combined and warmed through, another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large heat-proof mixing bowl and add the crispy rice cereal. Mix gently until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the bar mixture to the parchment-lined baking pan, spread, and press into an even layer.
- TOPPING: Add the chocolate chips to a small heatproof bowl and set nearby. To your now empty saucepan (or a separate clean one) add the vegan butter, coconut cream, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or spoon until the coconut sugar is melted and the mixture is just beginning to bubble on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Once lightly bubbling, remove from the heat and carefully pour the hot butter mixture over the chocolate chips. Cover the chocolate chips with a lid or plate and let sit for 5 minutes, then mix well with a spatula until glossy and smooth.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the rice bars and spread to evenly cover. Then chill in the refrigerator for ~1 hour, or until the chocolate is set and no longer shiny. Carefully remove from the pan and gently peel away the parchment paper. Cut into bars (we recommend 16) and enjoy! Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with natural, unsalted peanut butter and Nature’s Path organic brown rice cereal.
Rach says
MB does it again! This recipe was easy and delicious. Next time I would push the crispies down a little more. I didn’t want to break them, but they needed a bit more compression. The choco topping is dangerous!
Whoop! Thank you for another lovely review, Rach! xo
Joy says
I thought I made this exactly as written, but the rice krispies ended up soggy and fell apart when I cut them. I would also say the topping was more like ganache than the traditional scotcheroo topping. The taste was really good on all accounts, but I’m going to be playing with the recipe to try to get a better texture in the future.
Hi Joy, what brand of cereal were you using? Is it possible it was puffed rice vs. crispy rice cereal? The topping is definitely ganache-like on this one!
Joy says
I used name brand rice krispies (since I’m a not-strict vegan). I think my biggest deviation was that I used bursts in the microwave rather than the stove so maybe it was related to that.
Stacey says
This recipe looks amazing! I have two questions, please.
1. Can I substitute soaked, sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat groats for the rice krispies, and if so, would I need to adjust the quantity?
2. I usually use Trader Joe’s unsweetened cacao chips. Given what others wrote about the chocolate topping being so sweet, do you think using these and still omitting the sweetener would work?
Thank you!
Hi Stacey, we aren’t sure if buckwheat groats would work, but let us know if you try it! For the topping, it might be okay if you enjoy super dark chocolate. You could taste the topping before adding to the bars and then adjust sweetness to taste!
Ana Terán says
Hello! Could you explain to me exactly what you mean by coconut cream? In my country there is coconut milk and coconut cream (both canned), but the latter is something like condensed milk, it comes full of refined sugar. From the recommendation you make, it seems to me that it is the part of the coconut milk that separates from the whey, but it confuses me and I see that it is in many of your recipes. Thank you!!
Hi Ana, some of our favorite brands are Native Forest or Savoy, which do not contain any added sweeteners. The texture is thicker than full-fat coconut milk, but not quite as thick as if you were to refrigerate full-fat coconut milk and use just the thick portion at the top (though that would also work!). Hope that helps! Let us know if you have further questions.
Sally Quinn says
We made these and they tasted DELICIOUS! However, they seemed to be very dry on the bottom. All ingredients were exactly as listed except we used regular rice crispies instead of the one’s recommended, maybe that was the issue ? Any advise on how to make the bottom a little less dry would be great.
Hi Sally, other readers have reported similar issues and we aren’t sure what might be causing it. What kind of peanut butter did you use?
Sally Quinn says
It was a new jar of Santa Cruz creamy dark roasted peanut butter. I wonder if it was the dark roasted part 🤔
Hmm, that shouldn’t make too much difference. If you try them again we’d suggest starting with ~1 cup less cereal and adding more as needed.
Stacy says
I made these as written except I used a 9×9 square pan. My bars stuck together and tasted delicious! Such a yummy recipe, thanks!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Stacy. So glad this recipe was a success for you!
Karen says
Another MB winner, thank you! I was hesitant due to the reviews of these not sticking together and because I couldn’t find the kind of puffed cereal you list. In the end I went with a Kind granola variety made with millet and other ingredients vaguely the same shape.
I followed the rest of the ingredients exactly. I pressed them down alot with a piece of parchment paper and a glass- mine did stay in pretty neat squares. Next time I will still add a little more pb.
The chocolate topping is so creamy and delicious! Mine was still quite runny after an hour, so I left it overnight not hoping for much luck. It was very hard but since I froze them anyway it worked fine and they defrost beautifully.
I will make these often, thanks again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Franju says
Anyone tried the recipe with almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter? Just wondering how the flavour would blend with crispy rice cereal.
Hi Franju, cashew and almond butter will probably work in place of the peanut butter as long as you enjoy the flavor of them!
Irene says
Grrr…was so looking forward to this. It turned into a crumbly mess as soon as I started to cut it into squares. I followed all the directions and used the suggested amount of sugar. It was cane sugar, not coconut, though it shouldn’t have made that much of a difference when melted. I pressed the rice mixture down in the pan a lot, so it was solid when it went into the fridge to chill. Now I have a whole thing of sweet peanut butter crispy rice cereal and broken chocolate. :( It does taste good. Maybe next time I will just add vegan marshmallows to get everything to stick together as it should.
Hi Irene, sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you. Cane sugar does act differently than coconut sugar. It caramelizes faster and could have resulted in a thicker “syrup” mixture, which would have made the cereal layer more dry. Thank you for sharing your experience and honest feedback!
Trixie B says
I made these and family loved them. They were very crumbly tho and chocolate topping was too sweet. Seems I’m not alone in that. Nevertheless I have been told I must keep these in the dessert rotation so I’ll be making again w/ less suger
Hi Trixie, Thanks for sharing your experience! We’re glad you enjoyed them overall! Slight crumbling is normal (it doesn’t hold together as well as a rice crispy treat), but it shouldn’t be super crumbly – see video for reference. We find the base needs the full amount of sugar to hold together. Also, make sure to press it firmly, use a drippy peanut butter, and use a spatula to make sure none of the sticky peanut butter mixture gets left in the pan. You could try dark chocolate chips in the topping for less sweetness, but we can’t guarantee the result. Hope that helps for next time!
Atara Dahan says
Can I leave out the butter or swap it for something that’s not butter, margarine, or oil?
Oily foods don’t make us feel so good.
Or do you have any ideas for a different chocolate topping that doesn’t require oil/butter?
Don’t care if it’s not “genuine”
Also do regular rice crispies work?
Hi Atara! You can just leave the butter out of the chocolate topping! Regular rice crispies will work. Hope this helps!
Rachel says
These were tasty but very crumbly. I didn’t have coconut sugar, so I subbed 1/2 white and 1/2 brown sugar. Next time I would take MB’s advice and reduce the overall amount of sugar when substituting. Because the bars were very sweet, I omitted the sugar from the chocolate. The bars are definitely best the day of baking–they lose their crunch in the fridge.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them overall, Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Hi Rachel, We did some troubleshooting to try to figure out why they were crumbly. We weren’t able to replicate the issue, but have a few ideas: 1) using a peanut butter that’s too dry, 2) not pressing down with the spatula when spreading into the pan, 3) a sharp knife will help with a more clean cut/crumbliness, 4) if you reduced the amount of sugar in the base too, that would very likely cause it to be crumbly because the sugar adds stickiness, 5) if using a larger pan or less sugar in the topping, perhaps the chocolate didn’t spread enough and was too thin, causing them to not hold together as well, and 6) using a spatula to get the peanut butter mixture out of the saucepan is best to make sure none is left behind!
Paige says
I really love the flavor of these!! Slightly less sweet than the ones I remember from my childhood, but for me that’s perfect. Mine came out a little crumbly, but I think that’s because I didn’t press them down into the pan well enough. Would make again!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Paige! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Jennifer says
I should have added that I made 1.5x the topping when I spread the base over 1.5x the space. I’ll try more peanut butter next time. Thanks!
Mary Noone says
How do you keep them from not falling apart when cutting them?
Hi Mary, ours didn’t fall apart when cutting, did you happen to make any modifications?
Rachel says
I don’t have coconut sugar. If subbed brown sugar, should I do 1:1?
Hi Rachel! Brown sugar is a touch sweeter than coconut, so if you like sweet stuff you could do 1:1, but reducing to 1/3 cup in the bars could work well. You can still use 2 Tbsp in the topping. Let us know how it goes!
Diane says
I usually like Minimalist Baker recipes and I own their cookbook. I also like sweets but these are way too sweet. I purchased the recommended 356 rice cereal and there is sugar in that too. I only eat organic so this turned into an expensive failure.
Hi Diane, we’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy them! This is a sweeter/more indulgent recipe to mimic the taste of classic Scotcheroos. If you’d prefer to use less sugar, you can omit the coconut sugar from the topping. Or you could try reducing the amount of coconut sugar in the bottom layer, but we can’t guarantee it will hold together as well.
Jennifer Doubt says
These are indeed delicious! For my first batch I tried spreading the base over an 9 x 11 pan for a higher chocolate-to-rice ratio. They got great reviews at our house but they were pretty crumbly. I bet if I had followed the recipe, the thicker base would’ve held together better. :) Otherwise, do you think a bit less rice / more peanut butter mixture would make for a more solid foundation?
Hi Jennifer, yes, more peanut butter should help with crumbliness. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Gretchen says
I made these this morning and they are delicious! I made them with smuckers natural peanut butter and regular Rice Krispies. The only change I made was to add a pinch of salt to the peanut butter mixture. Will definitely make these again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Gretchen. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Julie Earl says
Hi! These look incredible, but my kiddos aren’t big dark chocolate/semi sweet fans. Do these taste like dark chocolate? If so do you have any tips for making the topping taste more like milk chocolate (were dairy free so I get if that’s too tall of an order!) always love your recipes so much!
Hi Julie! These do taste like semi-sweet chocolate! We’re not sure how to make them taste more like milk chocolate while still keeping their structure, but let us know if you do some experimenting!
Kali says
I really want to try this recipe, but I would need to substitute the coconut cream. Could I use coconut oil instead? If not is there another suggestion?
Hi Kali, we think coconut oil might be too oily! You could try using cashew cream instead. However, we haven’t tried them with cashew cream yet!
Baiba says
Hi Dana,
A must-try-recipe, like, now! :)
Unfortunately I don’t have access to good vegan butter/margarine and coconut sugar.
Can I skip the vegan butter?
Can I skip the coconut sugar or replace with dried molasses, brown sugar or honey?
Thanks for your fantastic recipes!
Hi Baiba, we’d suggest trying coconut oil + a little extra salt. It won’t taste as much like butterscotch, but should work well texturally and still be delicious! We’d recommend brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar. Let us know if you try it!
Jan says
What are your thoughts on trying this with almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Hi Jan! If you like the flavor of almond butter it should work fine!
Franju says
Hi, It should like a great snack! Have you tried with less or no coconut sugar to reduce the total sugar content? Do you think the bars would still hold together or will they crumble if less or no coconut sugar is added? Thank you!
Hi Franju, we haven’t tried with less, but it might be okay! We wouldn’t recommend omitting it.
Franju says
Thank you for your input. I made the recipe using 1/4 c. brown sugar instead of 1/2 c. coconut sugar in the crispy rice mix and it turned out Delicious! and still plenty sweet. Next time, I will try no brown sugar at all :)
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jos says
Hi! Can you use vegan margarine in the chocolate topping ? Vegan butter is difficult to get here..
Hi Jos! That should work!