Scotcharoo Blondie Bars

I am sharing today another new recipe from 100 Afternoon Sweets! This might just be my favorite recipe from the new book. I do know that my family is addicted to them, and I fear you will be, too. They combine the perfect crunch and peanut butter flavor of a Scotcharoo bar with the gooey, brown-sugary goodness of a blondie bar.

(Also: Minneapolis friends! Join me at the LynHall to celebrate the launch of 100 Afternoon Sweets on October 3rd!)

What are Scotcharoos?

Scotcharoos are essentially an over-the-top Rice Krispy bar: instead of marshmallows, the crispy base is filled with butter, peanut butter, and butterscotch, and then topped with a thick layer of chocolate. Rumor has it that the recipe first appeared on a Rice Krispies box in the 1960’s, and they are still a midwest classic. They showed up at many a pot luck in my youth, and most the coffee houses I worked at sold them in thick squares.

Inspiration for Scotcharoo Blondies

While I do have a recipe for straight-up Scotcharoos in 100 Cookies, I wanted to take them a step further. I was inspired by Dominque Ansel’s caramelized puffed rice; in his book Everyone Can Bake he shares a recipe for coated puffed rice that he uses as a crust for chocolate cake.

I loved this idea, and decided to try it with my scotcharoo and blondie recipe. It worked perfectly. Too perfectly, actually, because now my whole family is addicted to these crunchy, gooey bars.

The bars are made in two steps: first, the scotcharoo base is made on the stovetop, and pressed into a 9 by 13 in pan. Then, the blondie base is assembled, and spread on top of the crispy layer. Going in to the oven, it will look like there is not enough blondie batter, but the top layer will puff and bake up beautifully.

Ingredient Notes for this Recipe:

• I use Skippy creamy peanut butter in all my baking – it is a personal childhood favorite, and I like the flavor best. But if you prefer a different brand that will also work. I haven’t tried making the Scotachroo base with natural peanut butter.
• I also used Rice Krispies brand crisp cereal; I have found sometimes the generic brands aren’t as crispy, especially when baked. But if you have one you love you could substitute it here.
• For an even richer flavor, you can use dark brown sugar in the brownie base. Reducing the amount of sugar can change how the blondies bake up, so I don’t recommend it.
• Many people make their Scotcharoos with honey instead of corn syrup. I haven’t tried it in this application, because the base is being baked (instead of just setting).
• Chocolate chips will also work here, if you need to replace the chopped chocolate. I like it chopped because the chocolate distributes more thoroughly throughout the batter.

Scotcharoo Blondie Bars

Servings: 24 small bars (or 12 large)

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 10 minutes minutes

These chewy bars combine the perfect crunch and peanut butter flavor of a Scotcharoo bar with the gooey, brown-sugary goodness of a blondie. Easy to make, serves a crowd!

Sarah Kieffer

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

Scotcharoo Crunch

• 1/2 cup [108 g] creamy peanut butter (I use Skippy)
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup [135 g] butterscotch chips
• 4 cups [120 g] Rice Krispies cereal

Blondies

• 12 tablespoons [1 1/2 sticks or 170 g] unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups [300 g] brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups [213 g] all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup [85 g] semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

• Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F [180C]. Grease a 9 by 13 in [23 by 33 cm] baking pan and line with a parchment sling.

For the scotcharoo crunch

• In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, melt the peanut butter, corn syrup, and butter. Add the butterscotch chips and stir until smooth (this will take a few minutes). Remove from the heat and pour the cereal into the hot mixture and use a spatula to stir until completely combined.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press it down into the pan in a compact layer, making sure the top is smooth. Set aside while you make the blondie batter.

For the blondies

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Add the egg and baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the flour and use a spatula to stir until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and stir again until the chocolate is evenly distributed. Pour the batter over the peanut butter crunch layer and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the top. The batter will be very thick and will be a little hard to spread – just go slow. It will seem like just a thin layer across the top, but it will puff up nicely in the oven.
• Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the blondies are set on the edges, the top is golden brown and just beginning to form cracks, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a couple of crumbs. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use the parchment sling to gently lift the blondies from the pan. Cut into squares and serve. The blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.