If you love Rice Krispie Treats, but are looking for something with a bit more flavor then its time to make this Scotcheroos Recipe! Perfect ratio of brown butter melted gooey marshmallows to rice krispies mixed with melted butterscotch, plus a thick topping of peanut butter chocolate ganache. The best chocolate rice krispie treat recipe you will ever need!
What is a Scotcheroo?!
Scotcheroos are a basically a rice krispie treat made with butterscotch, peanut butter, and chocolate. A simple, but rich dessert created in the 1960’s and printed on the Rice Krisipie boxes sold in stores. A childhood favorite that never gets old!
Best Ration of Marshmallow to Cereal
No one likes a hard rice krispie treat right? So how do you get the perfect Scotcheroo texture? Make sure to have more marshmallows than cereal and don’t go over board with the butterscotch chips.
This recipe has just the right ratio for a rice krispie treat that will keep a great texture for days! I use 40 ounces of melted marshmallow with 6 cups of cereal.
What is Browned Butter?
Brown butter is made by cooking unsalted butter until the milk solids turn a medium brown color. This process cooks out any of the water in the butter resulting in a rich nutty or toasty flavor. A great technique for adding more depth to your baked goods.
To make brown butter (also called beurre noisette), simply place your butter in a light colored skillet so you can see the color change and cook on medium heat. First the butter will start to foam as it melts, then it will slowly change from a golden hue to a darker more toasty brown color. It should start to give off a nutty aroma as it browns.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache
Don’t even think about having a Scotcheroo without a thick layer of peanut butter ganache! The trick to not making this simple dessert too rich, is the choice of chocolate.
I prefer to use German’s Sweet Chocolate with about 48 % Cocoa. This seems to be the sweet spot for a perfectly blended ganache to balance the butterscotch and marshmallows.
How to Store Scotcheroos Recipe
After the ganache has set, I slice my chocolate rice krispie treats into squares. Place the squares in an air tight container layered with parchment paper. If you need to stack them, place some parchment paper or wax paper between the treats. Store at room temperature for 3-4 days for maximum freshness.
FAQ’s for Scotcheroos Recipe
Can Chocolate Scotcheroos be frozen? Yes, simply prepare the scotcheroos in a freezer safe pan, cover with twice with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the pan at room temperature for 2 hours before cutting and serving.
How to Make Scotcheroos without Corn Syrup? This recipe for chocolate peanut butter ganache topped scotcheroos does not use corn syrup. Just marshmallows, butter, and butterscotch!
What about Scotcheroos without Butterscotch Chips? The name Scotcheroos is derived from using butterscotch, but if you’re not a fan thats ok too. Simply swap out the butterscotch chips for chocolate chips or white chocolate chips. You can even use rough chopped roasted peanuts for a great pairing to the peanut butter chocolate ganache topping!
Scotcheroos Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 Tbsp (226 grams) Unsalted Butter browned
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 20 ounces Melted Marshmallows
- 6 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal
- 1 Cup (175 grams) Butterscotch Chips
- 1 Cup (260 grams) Creamy Peanut Butter
- 10 Ounces (280 grans) German Sweet Chocolate melted
- Flaky Sea Salt optional
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- First, brown your butter by placing in a large saucepan or pot on medium low heat. Stir until butter is melted. Continue to stir and heat until butter has past the foamy stage, is fragrant and brownish in color (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon to browned butter.
- Then, immediately add marshmallows to browned butter to prevent any further cooking of the butter. Continue to stir using a wooden spoon on low to medium low heat until marshmallows are completely melted.
- Remove pot from the heat and set on heat proof surface. Stir in cereal until incorporated and then fold in the butterscotch chips.
- Transfer rice krispie treat base into prepare pan by scooping out large spoonfuls and patting the mixture into a level rectangle with your hands.
- Next make your peanut butter chocolate ganache.
- Melt german chocolate by chopping a baking bar into chunks, or using baking chips in a heat proof bowl in the microwave or by using a double broiler. If you choose to use the microwave method, heat in 30 second increments stirring between.
- Add peanut butter to melted chocoalte and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Pour peanut butter ganache onto rice krispie treats and level with an offset spatula or small rubber spatula.
- Let Scotcheroos sit at room temperature for an hour for the ganache to set or place in fridge for about 20 minutes.
- Slice using a sharp knife. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.