Special K Bars

4.67 from 6 votes
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Special K Bars – classic no bake bars that are super easy to make! Loaded with peanut butter and topped with chocolate and butterscotch for a delicious flavor combination.

No bake recipes are some of my favorite. They always come together quickly, and no matter what the weather they are always a hit. This combines chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch, which is a flavor combination that is insanely delicious!

These Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats skip the chocolate, but the peanut butter and butterscotch together is just a match made in heaven.

stacked special k bars with a bite taken out of the top one

 

Why This Recipe Works

  • Easy no bake recipe that you can make in minutes! You melt the ingredients in a saucepan and then just mix together.
  • Simple, every day ingredients you can keep on hand at all times.
  • These are a real crowd pleaser, so if you need something for a potluck, trust me these will disappear in no time!

What Are Special K Bars

They are a super easy no bake dessert recipe that has been around for years. I grew up with my aunt bringing these to pretty much every family function. They are a chewy bar made with Special K cereal, peanut butter, and then topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. A great flavor combo, that you never knew you needed!

special k bar ingredients

What You’ll Need

  • Special K Cereal
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Light Corn Syrup
  • Creamy Peanut Butter
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Butterscotch Chips
pouring chocolate over special k bars

How To Make Special K Bars

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.

  1. In a saucepan melt together the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. You want to stir frequently until it starts to bubble along the edges. You don’t want the mixture to really start to boil, just be on the edge.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
  3. Pour over the cereal and mix until well coated.
  4. Pour into your 13×9 inch baking dish, and press into an even layer.
  5. In a microwave safe bowl or over a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth.
  6. Pour chocolate mixture over the bars and spread evenly.
  7. Let the bars set up completely (a couple of hours) before serving.
stacked special k bars on a white plate

Recipe Tips

  • Use the commercial brand, mass produced peanut butter for this recipe. You want something like Jif or Skippy for it to work. Because you are combining it and almost making a candy with boiling it, the natural ones that seperate just don’t work the same.
  • Have everything measured when you start. This comes together very quickly, and if you let the mixture cook too long your bars will be hard, so make sure to have everything in place so you can work quickly.
  • Don’t cook your mixture too long, this will make your bars hard and not chewy. You want everything to melt together, and barely start to boil. As soon as you see bubbles form along the edges, you are done. Remove it from the heat and mix with your cereal.
  • I like my bars thick, and i like to make them in a 13×9 inch pan. So you may notice my recipe amounts are a little different then you may have seen or used in the past. Lots of recipes call for an 8×11 inch pan with less ingredients, and say a 13×9 in pan can work your bars will just be thinner. Well, a I picked the most common pan size and just adjusted my recipe to fill the pan. Plus I use a full box of cereal, so you don’t have just a little bit left that ends up getting thrown out.
  • The mixture will be sticky you can use non-stick spray on your hands or a spatula to press the cereal mixture into the pan. Another option is to lightly wet your hands, shake off all of the excess water, just have them damp and press the mixture into the pan.
a special k bar with a bite taken out of it
What is the difference between Special K Bars and Scotcharoos?

They are almost the same recipe, the difference is the cereal used. Special K bars obviously use Special K cereal, while Scotcharoos use Rice Krispie cereal.

How long do these bars last?

If you store these covered at room temperature they will last for 5-6 days. They always disappear much faster, but they should last close to a week.
They also freeze really well. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just take them out and let them thaw on the counter before serving.

Can I use something other than Special K?

Technically, you just need a crispy flaked cereal to make these bars work. Obviously the have the name because of the cereal used, but cornflakes would work if that is what you had on hand.

close up special k bars for pinterest

More Easy No Bake Recipes

close up special k bars
4.67 from 6 votes

Special K Bars

By Erin
Special K Bars – classic no bake bars that are super easy to make! Loaded with peanut butter and topped with chocolate and butterscotch for a delicious flavor combination.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a saucepan melt together the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. You want to stir frequently until it starts to bubble along the edges. You don't want the mixture to really start to boil, just be on the edge.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Pour over the cereal and mix until well coated.
  • Pour into a 13×9 inch baking dish, and press into an even layer.
  • In a microwave safe bowl or over a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth. If using a microwave heat in 45 second intervals, stirring after each until melted and smooth.
  • Pour chocolate mixture over the bars and spread evenly.
  • Let the bars set up completely (a couple of hours) before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 176mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Dessert Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24
Calories: 357
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About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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7 Comments

  1. These look amazing! I love the combination of the cereal with the classic peanut butter bar flavors to add more texture and flavor. Yummo!

  2. 5 stars
    This is the easiest and best recipe. I especially like that it uses the full box of Special K. We are not cereal eaters so I don’t like having 3 cups leftover. These bars are soft and chewy.