I know, I know…most of you think these bars are called scotcheroos. But that name is simply just not accurate for this recipe, sorry to disappoint you all! These are O’Henry Bars and you are only allowed to make and/or eat them if you call them by their real name 😉
These have been a staple snack and family favorite for as long as I can remember. From church bake sales to potlucks to after school snacks, these bars are always a hit! They don’t have to stay refrigerated, they last a couple days (if they aren’t devoured immediately), and they transport easily. Bonus: these bars only require a couple ingredients to make and nothing crazy expensive either! Honestly, I can’t begin to tell you how many batches of these have been made by my family. Or, for that matter, how many servings I’ve consumed in my lifetime… but, let’s not go there since it’s just after New Year resolution time and I’m still under the gloriously incorrect impression that this is the year I may finally stay away from delicious “extra’s” like snack foods other than celery sticks. Haha, just kidding, no way am I passing up an O’Henry for veggies…I’m trying to get healthy, not go crazy!
All in all, these bars do at least have a little nutritional value what with the cereal and peanut butter, right?? And you could totally change it up and use Nutella spread on top or organic peanut butter or whatever else you health-conscious mind needs to justify this delicious snack. As for me and my house, we will stick with the original and I will add salad to my dinner meal plan for the week 😉 I’ve said it before but, seriously, life is about balance. The happiness gained from enjoying these bars offsets any guilt-about-snacking imbalance, trust me!
O’Henry bars are so simple to make and so addictive to eat, you are sure to love them. Only a couple tips with this post… First, make sure you use your favorite brand of peanut butter and good morsels of chocolate and butterscotch. I know it’s tempting to buy the off brand version to save a couple bucks but trust me, the end result will not be the same! Second, feel free to use off brand cereal and corn syrup. After many, many taste tests, those ingredients seem to have barely distinguishable effects on the end product’s taste! Third, melt and mix and spread thoroughly..lumps and dry pieces and too thin of a top layer have no place in this recipe!
Last, and most important, make sure to label them as O’Henry Bars and pass along the recipe as such. As a Northeast Nebraska small town girl at heart, there is simply no other name appropriate. Scotcheroos sound like a joke whereas Mr. O’Henry‘s bars demand respect! Also, I love it when people are confused by the name and then realize these are basically scotcheroos only sooooo much better. All joking aside, I hope you enjoy this recipe!!!
O'Henry Bars
Deliciously simple staple recipe for a go-to batch of bars!
Ingredients
-1 cup white sugar
-1 cup light corn syrup
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup peanut butter
-6 cups Rice Krispies
-1 cup chocolate chips
-1 cup butterscotch chips
Directions
1) Add sugar and corn syrup to pan and heat over medium high heat while stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
2) Remove pan from heat and add in peanut butter and vanilla, stirring well to combine.
3) Pour Rice Krispies into large mixing bowl and pour contents of pan over the top then mix all together well.
4) Pour combined mixture into 9×13″ sprayed pan and even out with spatula until fairly smooth and even on top and spread out to every side.
5) Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in microwave, stir every minute until combined and smooth.
6) Pour chocolate mixture over cereal mixture in pan and spread evenly.
7) Cool pan in the fridge for approximately half hour until top is set then slice into bars and serve!
Simplified By Stacie 