Covered in chocolate and butterscotch, these Gluten Free Scotcheroos are peanut butter rice crispy treats that are easy to make and the perfect treat!
Does anyone remember these treats from your childhood? Or am I just showing my age now? I remember my mom or myself making something like this, but I guess I didn’t know they were called Scotcheroos. I don’t remember them being in bar form either. They were more like a drop cookie type and I remember cutting the recipe out of a magazine.
What are Gluten Free Scotcheroos?
The original recipe for Scotcheroos was found on the back of a box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. And of course the main ingredient was Rice Krispies. Instead of the usual rice krispy treats marshmallow mixture, Scotcheroos are held together with a peanut butter syrup. And then the whole thing gets covered in chocolate and butterscotch.
This all sounds innocent enough, right? Rice cereal, peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch. Where could gluten be hiding in that lineup? Oh, but there’s always gluten hiding in places you’d never think. Rice cereal, particularly Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, are made with barley malt, which makes them NOT gluten free.
When I was first diagnosed, I was buying all this stuff that I just didn’t think about having gluten, and Rice Krispies was one of ’em. And I kept getting sick and didn’t figure out why until months later when I finally started reading labels. I found out about the Rice Krispies, but also found out that certain brands of butterscotch chips also contain gluten!! Who knew?? Nestle brand are NOT gluten free, but I do know Hershey’s are (although they’re hard to find in my area).
Luckily, if you live near an Aldi, their store brand are gluten free and they’re really good actually! To make it even easier, Aldi’s store brand rice cereal is also gluten free!! So hit up your local Aldi before making these gluten free scotcheroos to get all the necessities.
How to Make Scotcheroos
It’s so simple to make any rice crispy treats and these scotcheroos are no exception! It’s a little different procedure than you might be used when making rice cereal treats, so here’s the easy steps:
- Add sugar and corn syrup to a small saucepan and allow it to come to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and add peanut butter to the syrup and mix well.
- Pour the peanut butter syrup over the rice cereal and mix to combine.
- Spread rice cereal mixture into a parchment-lined 9 by 13-inch pan, pressing to the edges.
- Combine chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe container and microwave at 30-second intervals until almost melted. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Spread chocolate mixture over rice cereal.
- If desired, melt a couple tablespoons additional butterscotch chips in small microwave-safe container for about 30 seconds, or until smooth. Dollop small spoonfuls over top of chocolate mixture and, using a toothpick, swirl this through the chocolate topping.
- Allow scotcheroos to harden in the refrigerator until set.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and make these gluten free scotcheroos. They’re a little bit of everything all rolled into one small square!
Gluten Free Scotcheroos
Ingredients
- 6 cups gluten free puffed rice cereal, such as Aldi's brand
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 cup (258 g) smooth peanut butter, such as Skippy (not natural peanut butter)
- 1 cup (150 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (150 g) gluten free butterscotch chips, plus an extra 2 tbsp, such as Aldi's brand or Hershey's brand
Instructions
- Pour rice cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
- Measure chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in microwave-safe bowl and set aside. Measure peanut butter into a small bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat. As soon as it reaches a full boil, remove it from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir to combine and pour over the rice cereal. Stir completely until all the cereal is coated, but work quickly. Press into prepared pan.
- Heat chocolate and butterscotch chips in the microwave at 30-second intervals until almost melted (everyone's microwave is different, but it took mine 90 seconds total). Stir until completely smooth. If desired, in a small microwave-safe bowl, add 2 tbsp butterscotch chips and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
- Spread chocolate mixture on crispy treats with an offset spatula. Drop small spoonfuls of melted butterscotch chips over chocolate and swirl with the back of a butter knife or a skewer.
- Allow bars to cool and set before cutting into squares and serving.
Adapted from The Kitchn’s Scotcheroos
Great recipe-these are soooo good!
Thanks, Pam! I love them, too!!
Where do you find gluten and soy free butterscotch chips
I’m not sure, Darla. I just Googled it but can’t find any that don’t have soy.