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Swirled Chocolate Butterscotch Bars. You don’t need to be a professional baker to make these deliciously EASY homemade treats. These bars require no oven, very little prep time, almost no effort, and use just seven pantry staple ingredients. But the very best part…they’re fun to make and are so DELICIOUS. These bars will make the perfect homemade Halloween “candy bar”, but will be equally great for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trust me, you’ll be making batch after batch of these easy bars.
After a whole lot of requests for these bars, today we finally have chocolate butterscotch bars! I mentioned to you guys last Friday that I’d been waffling back and forth on whether or not to share these bars here on HBH. I just wasn’t sure how everyone felt about butterscotch. It’s not a flavor I bake with much, and to be honest, my self-doubt was really taking over last week. It happens to us all, right?
Thankfully I have you guys to help talk me out of the crazy mind games I play with myself. Since so many of you kindly encouraged me to make a sweet butterscotch recipe, I decided to stop second-guessing. I am finally sharing the recipe I’ve been braining storming for weeks.
And you know something, I’m so glad I did!! These cute little bars are not only easy to make, they are delicious. So. Very. Delicious.
Here’s the story.
Originally I had pictured these to be much more of a spooky homemade Halloween style “candy bar”. But after testing out the recipe I decided, while these are great for Halloween, they’ll be equally awesome for Thanksgiving, and even Christmas too.
So I switched up the picture I had in my head and I made these instead.
The recipe is somewhat inspired by my mom’s Special K-Bars (my second recipe ever posted on the blog!). K Bars (as we call them) are really just an old school recipe for chocolate peanut butter bars. Mom’s made these bars for every family party I remember. And at the very least, once a week when my brothers and I were kids. We all loved her bars…we still do. So these bars are somewhat inspired by her recipe, but with my own little twists.
They’re fun and easy, and every chewy bite is roll your eyes back good.
Making these bars is easy, here are the steps.
As mentioned, these bars are made using seven pantry staple ingredients. Honey, peanut butter, butterscotch chips, vanilla, a little coconut oil, and of course, plenty of sweet chocolate.
Oh, and flaky sea salt too…if you desire.
To make the bar base…simply melt together the honey, peanut butter, and half of the butterscotch chips until smooth and creamy. I prefer to do this on the stovetop, low and slow. Butterscotch chips can burn easily, so using a low heat here is key.
Once everything is melted, stir in the corn flakes and dump the mixture out onto a baking pan.
Now add a very thick, even layer of melted chocolate (you can use dark, semi-sweet, or milk – use your favorite!). Next, take melted butterscotch and dollop it right over the chocolate. Then grab a knife and gently swirl the butterscotch through the chocolate. The design looks tricky, but it’s actually the easiest to do and always comes out looking so pretty
Chill. Top with sea salt (if desired). Cut the bars. And done. So simple and easy, right?
Once I had these made and cut, I knew they were going to be great. I could tell from the texture of the cereal base and the thick, thick layer of chocolate that these would be a new favorite.
The peanut butter combined with the sweet butterscotch is really the perfect pairing. The melted butterscotch creates the chewiest, sweet bars that leave you wanting just one more bite. As Asher said, “these are so addicting”.
Both Asher and my mom have decided these are actually better than the original recipe. Yes, they are similar, but it’s the butterscotch that really changes the game and makes these bars oh so extra special. YUM.
So, what would these bars be great for?
Well, aside from a deliciously quick treat to enjoy on an October Tuesday…pretty much everything!
As I said, I am excited to make these for Halloween. The word on the street is that Asher is having her own family Halloween party…since trick-or-treating is canceled this year. All Halloween parties need dangerously delicious treats, so I will be bringing these!
And then? Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes, these are great for both! I’ll be setting them out for my family to snack on after Thanksgiving dinner. And I’m already planning to wrap these up in my usual holiday cookie box. The options for these sweet treats are endless.
Whatever route you go, these bars will be loved and devoured. Making a double batch is highly recommended…and testing them out tonight…also highly recommended.
Looking for other quick Halloween desserts? Here are a few ideas:Â
Monster Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies
Lastly, if you make these Swirled Chocolate Butterscotch Bars be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Swirled Chocolate Butterscotch Bars
Servings: 20 bars
Calories Per Serving: 448 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups corn flakes cereal
- 4 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate (use closer to 5 for a THICK layer)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.2. In a large pot over low heat, melt together the honey, peanut butter, and 3/4 cup butterscotch chips until melted smooth, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, then stir in the corn flakes, tossing to combine. Spread the mix out into the prepared pan. 3. Melt the chocolate and 1 tablespoon coconut oil together in the microwave until melted. Pour the melted chocolate over the bars, spreading in an even layer. 4. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butterscotch chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil together in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spoon small teaspoon size dollops of butterscotch onto the chocolate. Using a wooden skewer or the tip of a knife, gently swirl the butterscotch in a circular motion through the chocolate. 5. Transfer the bars to the fridge and chill 1 hour, until set. Top with salt, if desired. Let the bars sit at room temp 15-20 minutes before cutting, then cut into bars. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.Â
These are absolutely delicious! I didn’t have enough chocolate chips for a thick layer but it was still so perfect and decadent and the swirls make it a showstopper with minimal effort. Thanks for another great family favourite!
Thank you Sarah! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made these last night and couldn’t keep my hand off them while they hardened in the fridge! They were so easy to make and delicious!
I am so happy to hear that, Allison! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
So dang good and easy. I accidentally didn’t follow the instructions and used all the butterscotch for the cornflake mixture and didn’t have any leftover for topping… so I improvised and used melted swirled peanut butter on top instead. Taste really great as well! This ones a keeper
Thank you so much Delaney! I am really glad this recipe turned out well for you!! xTieghan
A must make! One of the best squares ever! Everyone at my work went CRAZY over them!! Thank you for amazing recipes Tieghan!
🙂
Thank you for trying this recipe, Anne! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, Do you have a suggestion for honey substitute? I don’t quite have a cup of honey or maple syrup and am not in the mood to run to the store. Would white sugar do?
Hey Mary,
I would use a mix of honey and maple syrup. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
There needs to be wayyyy more directions in regard to the melting of the chocolate. This recipe doesn’t indicate what temperature the chocolate should be, how long to microwave or the power at which you should be microwaving it. My chocolate seized up and I ended up with a pan of what looked like dog poo.
Hey Katie,
So sorry you had issues with the chocolate. I simply microwave like stated in step 3. Perhaps try a different brand of chocolate next time, I love using Chocolove or Lindt. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was delicious! Everyone raved about the bars and said it needed to go into the permanent dessert rotation…even my boyfriend who’s usually not fond of desserts! I was originally worried about the bars being too thin from the 9 x 13 pan and almost sized down. I’m glad I didn’t though! They’re so rich that the thinner layer is the perfect amount. Next time I’ll add a little more flaky salt on top too. That really takes it to the next level!!!
I am so happy these turned out so well for you, Sarah! Thank you so much for trying them! xTieghan
So good and addictive; is it bad that I made these last night and got out of bed at 5 AM on a Sunday to have more? Could NOT stop thinking about them. A winner with my two children as well. Very rich, but also very delicious! Thank you!
Haha no that is amazing!! I am so happy these turned out so well for you, Carolyn! Thank you! xTieghan
These bars are delicious, but kind of hard to eat. If they are at room temperature, they are pretty melty and messy. If we serve them from the fridge, they are so hard to bite and chew! We will make them again, but maybe tweak them to get a consistency that’s a bit more tooth-friendly.
Side note – anyone else having trouble replying to comments?
Hi Natasha! I am sorry these did not turn out as expected! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help! xTieghan
Okay, these are ridiculously good. I made a batch and promptly gave half away because I knew I couldn’t control myself with the whole thing. Everyone had rave reviews, and I think these are just so delicious. I find leaving them in the fridge works best, but then letting them sit a few minutes at room temp before eating. Thank you for the amazing recipe, as always!
Amazing! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you Katie! xTieghan
Would it be okay if I subbed the honey with maple syrup? Or would the consistency change?
Hey Rabia,
Yes that would be okay to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Overall, my family liked these. My 4 year old son helped me make them and the steps are very simple to do together.
The things we liked:
– The butterscotch and peanut butter flavours go together very well.
– An easy no-bake treat!
– This was quick to make, aside from cooling time.
Things we would change:
– Less honey! As written, the base layer tasted like those sickly sweet sesame snaps.
– 4 year old says, “too messy” (but he didn’t complain about licking his fingers, haha!)
– Our cooling time was far greater than an hour for the chocolate/butterscotch on top to set, more like two and a half hours, so we would plan accordingly next time.
– It would be nice to have weight/volume measurements, especially for sticky ingredients like honey and peanut butter.
Something that confused us:
Our layers came out very different than the pictures, despite following the recipe exactly including the pan size. The top layer was so thin that we could see the cornflakes through it. The bottom layer seemed much thinner than the photos here.
Is there something to use instead of honey in this recipe? Maybe light corn syrup? I also wonder how much we could decrease that measurement before the cornflakes would no longer stick together.
Hi there!! So glad you love these bars and thanks for all the feedback!!
I am not sure why your layers where not as thick as mine. Are you sure you used all 6 cups of cornflakes?
Yes, you can use corn syrup. That will work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Glad you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
These look lovely! I plan to make them this weekend. Do you think they’d last it wrapped in plastic wrap and sent in the mail? They’re really a great holiday treat.
Hey Rose,
Yes that should be fine to do! Just be careful about the chocolate melting if you are shipping to a warmer temperature. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tieghan this looks amazing! I’m excited to try it asap but I need advice re butterscotch chips. I am living in South Africa where I can’t find them! Would you think that butterscotch sauce would work or do I need to make my own chips? Cheers!
Hey Neree,
I think butterscotch sauce would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Rice Krispies treats don’t hold up more than a day. How long can you keep these fresh tasting? I like to make my treats ahead of time. This recipe sounds amazing!
Hey Linda,
I keep these in an airtight container on the counter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan