Pretzel scotcheroos are the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Pretzels and cereal are coated in a creamy peanut butter sauce and then topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch.
Another scotcheroo recipe? I know, I know. By now, we all know that I can't turn down a good scotcheroo treat. I've made Chex scotcheroo clusters, scotcheroo bites, scotcheroo truffles, and even peanut butter scotcheroo cookies.
Watch out step by step video!
Pretzel Scotcheroos
When I Am Baker shared her pretzel scotcheroos on Instagram, I knew I needed to create my own version. Pretzels are just about the only crispy snack or cereal that I have yet to use. My Grandma's scotcheroo recipe is the base for all of my scotcheroo desserts. Her peanut butter sauce calls for less sugar and always turns out perfect.
I used a combination of Rice Krispies cereal and chopped pretzels for my base, then covered them with the classic combination of melted butterscotch and chocolate chips. I sprinkled a handful of pretzels over the chocolate before it hardened. Crispy, sweet, salt, gooey, peanut-buttery, and delicious.
Pretzel Scotcheroo Ingredients
- Pretzels (obviously!): Chopped mini pretzel twists, but pretzel sticks would work too.
- Rice Krispies cereal: There are a variety of cereals that you can use. Chex, Special K, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes.
- Peanut Butter: I use creamy peanut butter, but chunky peanut butter is delicious too.
- Sugar: ½ cup of sugar is used to bind the peanut butter sauce.
- Corn Syrup: Sometimes called Karo Syrup (Karo is the brand). Light corn syrup is used in the peanut butter sauce.
- Chocolate Chips and Butterscotch Chips: Melted together and spread over the peanut butter cereal base. This combination gives the treats their signature flavor. My grandma's recipe calls for 1 (11 oz.) bag of each. It's a lot, and I like that, but you can always use less. Half a bag of each would work too, giving a thinner layer of melted chocolate.
How To Make Pretzel Scotcheroos
Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine chopped pretzels and cereal in a large mixing bowl.
Combine corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. You do NOT need to bring the mixture to a simmer. It just needs to be warm, smooth, and easily pourable.
Pour the peanut butter sauce over the pretzel and cereal. Stir to coat evenly.
Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or microwave. I usually use my microwave to heat the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips for 45 seconds, then stir and heat them for 15-20 seconds. Every microwave is different; I advise going low and slow—short intervals, stirring until smooth and creamy. DO NOT OVERHEAT CHOCOLATE.
Pour melted chocolate and butterscotch chips over the cereal mixture. Spread chocolate evenly.
Sprinkle with more chopped pretzels, and add a few whole pretzels if you'd like.
Allow the chocolate to harden (placing the scotcheroos in the refrigerator will speed up this process)—slice the scotcheroos into 32 portions.
Store in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze for two months.
So good. SO SO good.
Pretzel Scotcheroos Recipe
Pretzel Scotcheroos Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- 9x13 baking dish
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 4 cups pretzels chopped (3 cups for the bars and 1 cup to sprinkle on top)
- 11 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips
- 11 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place pretzels in a gallon-sized plastic bag. Hit with a rolling pin to crush pretzels into small pieces. Measure out 3 cups of pretzels and place into a large mixing bowl. Measure out another cup of crushed pretzels and set them to the side for later.
- Add the Rice Krispies cereal to the large mixing bowl with pretzels.
- Heat corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar over medium heat until smooth and sugar is dissolved (just heat through, no need to boil). Remove from heat.
- Pour the peanut butter and corn syrup mixture over the cereal and pretzel mixture. Stir until completely coated.
- Spread into baking dish. Pack down slightly.
- Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or microwave.I usually use my microwave to heat the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips for 45 seconds, then stir and heat them for 15-20 seconds. Every microwave is different; I advise going low and slow—short intervals, stirring until smooth and creamy. DO NOT OVERHEAT CHOCOLATE.
- Spread the melted chocolate over pretzel scotcheroos. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pretzels over the melted chocolate.Refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes). Cut into bars.
Alison says
Whoa, these are so good! I have a few large bags of pretzels I need to use up, so was able to use a bunch on a batch of these. I also had half a package of butterscotch chips, so I just used those plus a full package of semisweet chips. I love that they are a no-bake recipe, too, so they great for summertime; and they are so easy, so great for a crowd!
Brandy says
Oh, awesome! I’m so glad you liked them!