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About This Recipe
When I made these for the first time during my 25 Days of Treats, I knew I’d instantly made my new favorite recipe and you guys definitely agreed! These Healthy Scotcheroos are seriously too good to be true and are perfect for enjoying all holiday season long.
These scotcheroo bars have all the best parts (and tastes) of the original recipe but without all that sugary, processed corn syrup.
We use a combination of syrup and honey, like in my Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars, to get the same sweet taste with less calories and added sugar. I’ve also added just a touch of protein in these bars to help make them even more balanced.
If you’ve ever had the classic scotcheroos, you know you can’t beat the crispy rice cereal layer made with creamy peanut butter, rich butterscotch and melted chocolate topping.
The best part of these easy scotcheroos is that they have all of that but made with ingredients you can feel good about eating!
Just like my Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars and Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, these no bake bars are seriously so easy to make and everyone will love them! A great recipe to make with the kids during the holiday season!
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Scotcheroos (Without Corn Syrup!)
- Easy to make! A great holiday activity to make with the kids!
- Just like the classic dessert (only healthier)! Full of chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch flavor – a guaranteed family favorite!
- Prepped in just 10 minutes and made with simple ingredients.
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and honey – no corn syrup required!
- An easy no bake dessert to keep stored in the freezer for anytime your sweet tooth arises!
- Peanut butter – since peanut butter is the one of the main ingredients in this recipe, you want to make sure to use a peanut butter you love the taste of! Since the flavor will shine through the rice krispy base. I love using natural peanut butter for these.
- Sugar free maple syrup – I used sugar-free maple syrup to bring calories a little more down but you can use pure maple syrup or extra honey too!
- Honey – the best natural sweetener! I love using honey in place of corn syrup or white sugar in recipes to make them healthier for you.
- Baking chips: you’ll need both butterscotch chips and chocolate chips for this recipe. I’ve found semi-sweet chocolate chips to be my favorite for these but dark chocolate or milk chocolate would work too. Use dairy-free chocolate chips if needed.
- Protein powder – I used PEScience vanilla (code Laurenfitfoodie to save!) but you can use any flavor you’d like (or omit the protein powder completely). If you skip the protein powder, you may want to add a few more rice krispies just so it doesn’t turn out too soggy.
- Rice krispies
- Coconut oil – a little coconut oil helps melt the chocolate chips to a melty, creamy consistency so it spreads nice and evenly over the rice krispie layer.
- Make this recipe vegan: use a plant-based protein powder, dairy-free chocolate chips and sub the honey for more pure maple syrup.
- Switch up your nut butter: you can also use almond butter or cashew butter for a flavor variation of these bars! Or use sunflower seed butter to make this recipe nut-free!
- Use white chocolate or caramel chips: you can use a different flavor chocolate chip (like dark chocolate chips, white chocolate or caramel, etc.) to add different flavors to these rice krispie bars.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Line an 8×8” dish with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter, syrup, honey, butterscotch chips and salt.
2. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each until the mixture is runny. Then stir in the protein powder.
3. Fold in the rice krispies until they’re all coated.
4. Then transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared dish. Make sure to press the mixture down well so it stays together after frozen. I used a piece of parchment paper sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to do this.
5. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Then pour evenly over top and smooth out with a rubber spatula.
6. Freeze for 30 minutes then slice and enjoy!
Once chocolate has set, slice bars into individual servings then wrap individually in parchment paper, wax paper or aluminum foil.
I prefer to store these in a freezer-safe zip-top bag in the freezer. You can store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcook the peanut butter and butterscotch mixture!
- When pressing the rice krispie and peanut butter mixture into your pan, make sure to create an even layer so the chocolate will melt in a smooth, thick layer.
- If desired, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the chocolate (before it has fully set).
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil?
Sure you can easily use butter instead of coconut oil.
Why are my scotcheroos not sticking together?
Be sure to add enough maple syrup and honey so that the rice krispies will stick together. If your mixture still seems kind of dry, add a teaspoon or two until the mixture presses down firmly. Also, make sure you’re pressing down the mixture firmly. I used a piece of parchment paper sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to do this in the pan.
Can I use the stovetop to melt together the butterscotch mixture?
Yes! Just use a small saucepan over low to medium heat to melt together the peanut butter and butterscotch mixture.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Healthy Scotcheroos (Without Corn Syrup!)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup peanut butter (80g)
- 1/3 cup sugar free maple syrup (80g) or pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey (80g)
- 1 Tbsp butterscotch chips (15g)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup protein powder (30g) can omit
- 3 cups rice krispies (80g)
Topping:
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (120g)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
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Instructions
- Line an 8×8” dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, Add the peanut butter, syrup, honey, butterscotch chips and salt. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each until the mixture is runny. Then stir in the protein powder.
- Fold in the rice krispies until they’re all coated then transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Make sure to press the mixture down well so it stays together after frozen (I used a piece of parchment paper sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to do this).
- Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Then pour evenly over top and smooth out with a rubber spatula.
- Freeze for 30 minutes then slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
