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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.
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!
Erin’s Notes
- Easy. This is really an easy no bake recipe that you can make in minutes! You melt the ingredients in a saucepan and then just mix together.
- Easy to Find Ingredients. Simple, every day ingredients you can keep on hand at all times.
- Potluck Favorite. These are a real crowd pleaser, so if you need something for a potluck, trust me these will disappear in no time!
- No Waste. This is my favorite recipe because it uses a whole box of cereal. I hate when you make something that has just a little bit remaining and you end up wasting it.
What You’ll Need
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- Special K Cereal – the original flavor box of cereal, not the one with red berries or special versions.
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Corn Syrup
- Creamy Peanut Butter – commercial brand creamy peanut butter is best for this as it melts well and the oils don’t separate.
- Vanilla Extract
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Butterscotch Chips
Reader Comment
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.
How To Make Special K Bars
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Melt Ingredients. 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.
- Mix Together. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over the cereal and mix until well coated.
- Pan. Spread into your 13×9 inch baking dish, and press into an even layer.
- Make Topping. In a microwave safe bowl or over a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over the bars and spread evenly.
- Set Up. Let the bars set up completely (a couple of hours) before serving.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More Easy No Bake Recipes
- Monster Cookie Bars
- Star Crunch Cookies
- Puppy Chow Bars
- Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Avalanche Cookies
- Kool Aid Pie
Special K Bars
Ingredients
- 1 9.6 oz box Special K cereal (approximately 8 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
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.1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour over the cereal and mix until well coated.1 9.6 oz box Special K cereal (approximately 8 cups)
- 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.1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
- Pour chocolate mixture over the bars and spread evenly.
- Let the bars set up completely (a couple of hours) before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look amazing! I love the combination of the cereal with the classic peanut butter bar flavors to add more texture and flavor. Yummo!
These are so amazing and I loved them!
This is faaantastic!! I love Special K bars!! Thank you for sharing!
I am in love with these!! They are amazing!! YUM!
These bars are exactly what I need right now! I am making them tomorrow!
I love how quick and easy this is!! Such an amazing dessert!
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.
I want to make thinner bars. Would it work if I used a sheet pan? Thank you!
Yes, absolutely. You can use a sheet pan and press to as thin as you like!
Thank you so much!
Good ol’ Special K Bars can’t be beat! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I lost mine years ago and it was time to make them! Always a hit! Kids love them! Adults as well! Delicious!
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing an oldie but goodie, ‘can’t go wrong ‘ recipe! Special K Bars are a favorite in my family and my friends love them as well. I used Agave in place of corn syrup so I hope they’re delicious! These are super easy and great for pot luck, picnics, or any day of the week! Yum!