Special K bars are a tasty twist on classic rice cereal treats. I love making cereal-based desserts because they are reminiscent of my childhood and are always a hit with kids. Instead of a marshmallow mixture that’s often used in cereal bars, this no-bake recipe is held together with a creamy and sweet mixture of sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter. The Special K cereal is stirred into the hot sugar mixture for a quick and easy recipe with no oven needed.
The bars are topped with melted chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and then sprinkled with a dash of flaky sea salt. The combination of the cooked sugar and chocolaty butterscotch frosting brings a comforting flavor to every bite, and you can easily add seasonal sprinkles or top these bars with your favorite chopped candy bar to make them extra special. For more no-bake desserts, try the best rice krispie treats, scotcheroos, or puppy chow recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Special K Cereal – this classic cereal is the base for these no-bake bars. You can use traditional Special K or another variety of cereal such as Special K Vanilla Almond.
Peanut Butter – creamy peanut butter gives these a nutty flavor. Use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer. I recommend using conventional no-stir peanut butter, not a natural peanut butter variety. Natural peanut butter may separate and make the bars oily.
Light Corn Syrup – the light corn syrup cooks with sugar before the peanut butter is added to make the creamy syrup that holds the cereal bars together.
Sea Salt – finish off these bars with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to help balance out the sweetness. You can also sprinkle them with sprinkles, chopped peanuts, candy, or colorful decorative sugar.
How to Make Special K Bars
1. Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with the softened butter, coating the bottom and the sides. In a large pot, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil and all of the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter.
3. Add the cereal to the peanut butter mixture.
4. Working quickly, stir everything together until the cereal is well-coated.
5. Transfer the mixture to the buttered cake pan.
6. Press the cereal bars into an even layer using a silicone spatula. The mixture will be very hot so use a spatula, not your hands, to spread the cereal.
7. Place the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a medium heat-safe bowl. Melt over a large saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring frequently, until smooth and combined.
8. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the top of the cereal and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the bars with flaky salt. Let stand until set, about 4 hours, before cutting into bars.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Grease the cake pan well. For bars that don’t stick, grease the cake pan well with softened butter. Grease both the bottom and sides of the pan. For the cleanest cut, let the bars set for about 4 hours before slicing.
- Make the chocolate butterscotch frosting in a glass bowl. Use a glass bowl that is heat-safe to melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips. The glass will transfer heat well and won’t melt while warming on the stove or in the microwave.
- Use caution when handling the hot syrup mixture. The cooked syrup is very hot and sticky, so be very careful when mixing in the cereal and use a spatula, not your hands, to press the bars into the prepared pan. To include your kids in making this recipe, have them measure the cereal into a large bowl or snack on a few extra chocolate chips while keeping a distance from the hot syrup!
- Try with different varieties of Special K. If you have a favorite variety of Special K cereal, you can make this recipe with any variety of Special K or use 4 cups of classic Special K with 4 cups of another flavor.
- Corn flakes variation. Swap the Special K cereal for the same amount of cornflakes cereal for an easy variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you need to stack the bars to fit them in the storage container, place parchment paper between the layers to prevent the chocolate from sticking. You can also freeze the treats in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature for 30 minutes or until thawed through.
Serve this dessert with a glass of milk, chocolate milk, or hot chocolate. You can also serve this with other dessert bars, such as my sugar cookie bars recipe, s’mores bars or strawberry rhubarb bars, if you are making them for a larger group. This recipe is also fun to individually wrap in small cellophane bags as a party favor or Christmas gift.
Special K bars and scotcheroos both have creamy icing made with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips, but traditional scotcheroos are made with rice cereal while this recipe uses Special K, a cereal that has larger flakes.
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If you’ve tried this Special K bars recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Special K Bars
Equipment
- 9×13″ cake pan
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon butter softened
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar (266g)
- 1⅓ cups light corn syrup (320ml)
- 1½ cups creamy peanut butter room temperature (408g)
- 8 cups Special K cereal (400g)
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (270g)
- 1 cup butterscotch chips (180g)
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with the softened butter, coating the bottom and the sides.
- In a large pot, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil and all of the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter.
- Add the cereal to the peanut butter mixture. Working quickly, stir everything together until the cereal is well coated. Transfer the mixture to the buttered cake pan and press it into an even layer using a silicone spatula.
- Place the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a medium bowl. Melt over a pot of simmer water or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring frequently, until smooth and combined.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the cereal and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Let stand until set, about 4 hours, before cutting into bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Grease the cake pan well. For bars that don’t stick, grease the cake pan well with softened butter. Grease both the bottom and sides of the pan. For the cleanest cut, let the bars set for about 4 hours before slicing.
- Make the chocolate butterscotch frosting in a glass bowl. Use a glass bowl that is heat-safe to melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips. The glass will transfer heat well and won’t melt while warming on the stove or in the microwave.
- Use caution when handling the hot syrup mixture. The cooked syrup is very hot and sticky, so be very careful when mixing in the cereal and use a spatula, not your hands, to press the bars into the prepared pan. To include your kids in making this recipe, have them measure the cereal into a large bowl or snack on a few extra chocolate chips while keeping a distance from the hot syrup!
- Try with different varieties of Special K. If you have a favorite variety of Special K cereal, you can make this recipe with any variety of Special K or use 4 cups of classic Special K with 4 cups of another flavor.
- Corn flakes variation. Swap the Special K cereal for the same amount of cornflakes cereal for an easy variation.
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