Scotcheroo bites are a fun spin on the classic chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch treat! Made in a mini muffin pan. The chewiness that we all know and love in a cute bite-sized shape!
You might also like our butterscotch bird's nests, our homemade almond joy and mounds bites, or our homemade Butterfinger bites!
My Grandma's Scotcheroo recipe has been a favorite dessert of mine for over 30 years. She taught me how to make them, and I taught my kids how to make them. Scotcheroos start with a peanut butter Rice Krispies treat base (made with corn syrup, peanut butter, sugar, and cereal) and are then spread with melted chocolate and butterscotch topping. I thought it would be fun to make a "cup" version. The original recipe is made in a 9"x13" baking dish, but my scotcheroo bites are made in a mini muffin pan.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Bite-sized treat. They are deliciously bite-sized and the perfect addition to holiday platters.
- Less sugar. Let me start by saying that these are not a healthy treat in any shape or form, but I do like that my recipe uses ⅓ cup of sugar when traditional scotcheroo recipes call for 1 cup. You don't need 1 cup.
- Unique flavor combination. Peanut butter, butterscotch, and chocolate are a unique blend of flavors and one of my favorites. I prefer it to chocolate and peanut butter. The butterscotch truly sets these treats apart.
What Others Are Saying
These are amazing! Love that you don’t have to cut them from a 9 x 13 pan, perfect bite-size and tastes wonderful.---Sherry
I've been using this recipe for my Christmas platters for 2 years now and people always love them!---Kalyn on FB
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Tips and Tricks
- Do not boil the peanut butter mixture. Many scotcheroo recipes direct you to bring the corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar mixture to a boil. Doing this risks the chance of overheating it, and the scotcheroos won't be as chewy once they've cooled. For best results, heat the mixture until smooth and creamy. It will be hot, but should not come to a boil. This is what my grandma did, and this is what I do as well!
- Use a mini muffin pan. It's easy to get the perfect shape by pressing the mixture into a mini muffin pan using a shot glass. It flattens the top and even leaves a small indentation to hold the chocolate butterscotch mixture.
- Don't overheat the chocolate. Microwaves vary, but I find that heating the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together for 30 seconds, stirring, then heating for an additional 15-20 seconds works great.
- Store in an airtight container. To keep the scotcheroo bites chewy and delicious, store them in an airtight container once the chocolate has had a chance to harden.
Ingredients
- Rice cereal: Any brand will work.
- Sugar
- Corn syrup: Grandma's recipe calls for Karo. That is a brand of corn syrup. If you are outside of the United States, it is sometimes called Golden syrup. You can also use honey in place of corn syrup, but it will give the treats a distinct honey flavor.
- Peanut butter: I use creamy.
- Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips: Grandma's recipe calls for a small bag of each. I'm not sure what size bags of chocolate chips came in back then, and I don't remember what measurements she used. I use an 11-ounce bag of each, but you can use less if you prefer.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Scotcheroo Bites
Step 1: Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter into a saucepan.
Step 2: Heat mixture until smooth and sugar is dissolved (just heat through, no need to boil). Remove from heat.
Step 3: Pour the peanut butter and syrup mixture over 6 c. of rice cereal. Stir until completely coated.
Step 4: Scoop the mixture into the muffin tin using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp. scoop). Press the cereal mixture down with a spoon to flatten it (a tiny measuring cup or shot glass works great for this). Allow scotcheroos to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or microwave.
Step 6: Remove scotcheroos from the muffin pan and place them on a platter. Spoon chocolate mixture over each scotcheroo cup. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Top Tip
If you want to take them up a notch, add a little sprinkle of sea salt to the top of each one!
Scotcheroo Bites FAQs
If you haven't had Scotcheroos before, you are in for a treat. Many claim them as a Midwest treat, but I grew up in California, and we had them there, too. Scotcheroos are a combination of peanut butter, sugar, Karo syrup, and Rice Krispies cereal. After combining those ingredients, you slather them with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. PERFECTION, and oh so rich.
Honey is an acceptable substitute for corn syrup. It will affect the flavor due to honey having a strong flavor, but the texture should be similiar.
One batch makes 36 bites. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
More Scotcheroo Recipes To Make
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Scotcheroo Bites
Equipment
- saucepan
- wooden spoon
- mixing bowl
- microwave safe bowl
- mini muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 6 cup Rice Krispies cereal
- ⅔ cup milk chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat syrup, peanut butter and sugar over medium heat until smooth and sugar has been dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Pour peanut butter and syrup mixture over 6 c. of rice cereal. Stir until completely coated.
- Scoop mixture into the muffin tin using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp. scoop). Press down with spoon to flatten.Allow scotcheroos to cool 15 minutes.Remove scotcheroos from muffin pan and place on serving dish.
- Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or microwave.
- Spoon chocolate over each scotcheroo.
Marsha Honke says
I only use 100% peanuts butter. No additives. Will this need to be modified?
Brandy says
Hi! I haven’t tried using all natural peanut butter before. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, let me know if you try it!
Gloria says
Sounds great!
Can I try using dark chocolate morsels? There is SO much sweetness in these, I thought maybe dark or semisweet morsels might give it a richer taste?
Brandy says
Absolutely! You’re totally right, they are very sweet! Using a darker chocolate would cut some of the sweetness.
Darlene says
Can corn syrup be substituted for honey?
Brandy says
Yes, but it will change the flavor as honey is much more flavorful than corn syrup.
Rebecca Livingston says
How long do these stay fresh for?
Brandy says
Up to a week. You can freeze them too. I prefer eating them fresh because sometimes when they are frozen and then thawed, the chocolate will bloom (get white spots on it). Still edible and delicious, but not as presentable.
Judy says
Nice little snack and very easy to make but I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with 60 instead of 30! Glad I had 2 trays to work with!
Sherry says
These are amazing! Love that you don’t have to cut them from a 9 x 13 pan, perfect bite-size and tastes wonderful.
Brandy says
Thank you Sherry! So glad you liked them!
Nancy Solomon says
Have made Scotcheroos for over 50 years - these are a nice diversion from the pan and cut . But.....the proportions are way off - either increase the chocolate/butterscotch by 2 or 3 or decrease the rice crispie proportions by 2-3 and you will have perfect combination - equal crispy base to choc/butterscotch topping.
Brandy says
To each their own. 🙂
Trace says
Is the "cup" on it's own (before the chocolate mixture is put on top) crunchy?
We love a crunchy rice cereal treat not the soft ones, ta
Brandy says
They are a little crunchier than rice Krispies treats, but still soft.
Peg says
My family has made hundreds of batches of scotcheroos. If you want them crunchy, increase the rice crispies a cup or two. And you can never have enough choc/butterscotch topping!
vicki says
@Brandy looks lovely will definitely try
@ Lori WOW BUTTER usually subs in quite nicely in recipes calling for peanut butter (i used it in my unbaked chocolate cookies and those butterscotch-marshmallow bars too)
Lori says
Any suggestions on what to substitute for the peanut butter. We have nut allergies in the family.
Brandy says
Hi Lori! I don’t know a lot about nut substitutions. You could maybe make a batch of Rice Krispies treats as the base and then add the chocolate/butterscotch mixture on top.
Brenda Vaughn says
I have a grandson with tree nut allergies. I think and will try Biscoff cookie butter. Same consistency as peanut butter.
Cherri says
I’m going to make them with almond butter!!
Lynn berlon says
Nice size…look forward to trying….would give it a 5 star without trying.