Chocolate Butterscotch Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos are the classic Midwestern church-basement bar, the one that disappears off the platter before the casseroles even cool. The base is a peanut butter and corn syrup mixture stirred into crispy rice cereal, then pressed flat and topped with a melted blanket of chocolate and butterscotch chips.

The trick is heat control. The corn syrup and sugar should come just to a boil, no further. Boil it too long and you get a rock-hard bar that breaks teeth. Pull it the moment bubbles break the surface and stir in the peanut butter off the heat for a chewy, sliceable result.

The topping is the easy part as long as you melt the chips low and slow over hot, not boiling, water. Direct heat or a microwave on high will seize the chocolate into a grainy mess. Patience here pays off in a glossy, snappy top layer.

Pro Tips

• Butter the pan generously, or line it with parchment leaving an overhang, so the whole slab lifts out clean for slicing.
• Press the cereal mixture down with a piece of buttered parchment or wax paper. It keeps the cereal from sticking to your hands and gives you an even, level top.
• Chill until the topping is just set but still has a little give. Cold straight from the fridge means a shattered chocolate layer when you cut.
• Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for tidy squares.

Variations

• Sub almond butter or sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter for a nut-free or different-flavor take.
• Swap the butterscotch chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt across the warm topping for a salted-caramel feel.