Buckeye Scotcheroos

Buckeye scotcheroos are an extra peanut buttery version of the classic chewy and sweet-and-salty dessert bar beloved across the Midwest.

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Ohio State vs Iowa can only mean one thing – another buckeye takeover of a different states dessert for #PBchocSat! Homemade desserts in Iowa, and most of the Midwest, consists of a lot of bars. The scotcheroo is the most quintessentially Iowan dessert bar, a rice treat made with melted peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar instead of marshmallows as used in rice krispies treats and topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips – similar but not to be confused with buckeye rice treats.

Due to already consisting of a decent amount of peanut butter (1.5 cups to be exact), I didn’t have to do much to transform them into buckeye schotcheroos. I added a little bit of peanut butter chips into the chocolate and butterscotch topping and sprinkled mini buckeye candies on top. That’s it! Other than the garnish on top you might not be able to tell there is anything different from the classic, but they are secretly just a little bit more peanut buttery.

Here’s the ingredient list for the buckeye scotcheroos where I have highlighted the new additions in scarlet and gray, because obviously. Don’t like corn syrup? You could make scotcheroos with honey:

• Corn syrup
• Granulated sugar
• Margarine
• Creamy peanut butter
• Crispy rice cereal
• Chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips
• Peanut butter chips
• Mini buckeye candies

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BUCKEYE SCOTCHEROOS

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Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 6 cups puffed crispy rice cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup mini buckeye candies

Directions

1. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, generously grease, and set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, add corn syrup, sugar, and margarine. Place over medium heat and cook, while stirring, until margarine melts. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and immediately stir in the peanut butter until blended. Add puffed rice cereal and stir until evenly distributed.
3. Transfer mixture into the prepared pan, pressing lightly to spread evenly.
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter chips. Heat for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Pour over bars and spread evenly to cover.
5. All to cool completely, about 20 minutes, before cutting into 24 squares.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.