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    Home » Easy Recipes » Desserts & Treats

    Special K Bars

    Published: May 11, 2025 · Modified: Jan 15, 2023 by Susan Moncrieff · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Special K Bars are a chewy, no-bake dessert bar loaded with rich peanut butter flavor and topped with a smooth chocolate-butterscotch layer. These old-fashioned cereal bars are a classic Midwest treat - made with just 6 pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes. If you love easy dessert bars or chocolate peanut butter recipes, this is a must-try!

    Chewy Special K Bars with peanut butter and chocolate topping on a white plate – a no-bake dessert bar

    If you’re craving more no-bake dessert ideas, you’ll love my Scotcheroos recipe - they’re very similar but use Rice Krispies instead of Special K. Want something with a brownie twist? Try these easy brookie bars, or if you're in the mood for something nostalgic and peanut buttery, my three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are a reader favorite.

    These Special K bars are great for bake sales, after-school snacks, or whenever you want a quick, chewy chocolate peanut butter bar.

    Table of contents

    • Why I Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Shopping Tip
    • Important Prep tip!
    • Instructions
    • What is the difference between Special K bars vs Scotcheroos?
    • Storage Tips
    • Other delicious desserts
    • FAQ's

    Why I Love This Recipe

    It's a no-bake dessert that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

    Only 6 ingredients—no baking, no fuss, just classic Special K treat bars.

    The combo of peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch chips is so nostalgic.

    The chewy texture is perfect—never dry or crumbly if you follow the tips.

    They’re freezer-friendly and ideal for make-ahead snacks or parties.

    You can easily tweak this and use other cereals like cornflakes or Rice Krispies.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for special K cereal including cereal, light corn syrup, chocolate and butterscotch chips, peanut butter and sugar.
    • Special K Cereal or a store brand also works.
    • Light Corn Syrup
    • Smooth Peanut Butter - I use a commercial-type smooth peanut butter (Use a brand like Jiff or Skippy or a store brand). I don't use all-natural peanut butter because I find the recipe may not turn out as well. It has to do with how the oil separates in the organic and all-natural brands.
    • Butterscotch Chips - If you find you don't have any, you can just add axtra chocolate chips.
    • Chocolate Chips
    • Sugar

    Shopping Tip

    Below is what light corn syrup looks like. This is a popular brand you will find in most stores. It's a clear liquid, and you can find it in the baking aisle.

    A bottle of Karo syrop used to make Scotcheroos (aka Special K bars)
    This is a popular brand of corn syrup. Light corn syrup is clear.

    Important Prep tip!

    Read through the whole recipe and pre-measure everything. You need to work fast, and the best way to do that in this recipe is to have everything measured and ready to go. If you let the ingredients boil too long or too hard, the final bars can be hard.

    Instructions

    Step 1
    In a large saucepan, add light corn syrup and sugar. Heat on medium heat until just melted and starting to boil.  I usually watch for the bubbles on the side of the pot, like the picture below.   The mixture does NOT need to come to a rolling boil.

    chocolate banana muffins
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    Adding peanut butter to melted sugar and corn syrup mixture for Special K Bars.

    Step 2
    Turn the heat off as soon as you have added the peanut butter.  Stir until smooth and remove from heat.  Do not overheat this mixture. It can make these bars hard.

    peanut butter and sugar mixture running off a spoon

    Step 3
    In a large bowl, add the sugar and peanut butter mixture into six cups of Special K cereal.

    pouring peanut butter mixture onto Special K cereal

    Step 4
    Dump the cereal, peanut butter, and sugar mixture into a well-sprayed or lined 9 x 13 casserole dish.  I line the casserole dish with parchment paper.  

    Helpful Hint - Over your kitchen sink, spray nonstick spray on the back of a large spoon or spatula. The cereal mixture will be easier to spread this way.
    It's okay to use a little pressure to compact and flatten the cereal mixture.

    smoothing the special K cereal and peanut butter layer

    Step 5
    Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. You can melt it on a stovetop with a double boiler or microwave. Use just enough heat to melt, or the chocolate will seize.

    melting chocolate chips and butterscotch chips

    Step 6
    Pour melted chocolate and butterscotch chips into the cereal mixture, spreading quickly to have a nice, thin, even layer.  Work quickly so the chocolate doesn't harden before it's all spread. It is a thin layer and covers the cereal mixture.

    spreading the melted chocolate and butterscotch chips on the cereal layer

    Step 7
    Cool slightly and then cut into squares. I let it sit on the counter (or the fridge) for a few minutes then cut it when the chocolate layer has hardened

    I like having parchment because you can take out everything in one piece.  Then, it's easier to cut into squares.

    Special K bars prior to cutting on parchment paper.

    I like cutting it into smaller pieces, roughly 2 square inches.

    Chewy chocolate peanut butter Special K Bars cut into squares – easy no-bake cereal bars.

    What is the difference between Special K bars vs Scotcheroos?

    Scotcheroos use Rice Krispies cereal. Technically, Scotcheroos are a Rice Krispie treat. To many people, the bar names are interchangeable. Both bars are quick, easy to make, and have a delicious peanut butter flavor!

    Stack of chewy chocolate peanut butter Special K Bars – easy no-bake cereal bars

    Storage Tips

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They can be refrigerated but should be allowed to come to room temperature before eating, or they will be hard.

    Wrap well if freezing. Place parchment paper between layers. Make sure to give enough time to warm to room temperature before eating.

    Other delicious desserts

    • Puppy chow in a small bowl.
      Easy Puppy Chow Recipe
    • a plate with full sized scotcheroo cereal squares and small cut pieces.
      Scotcheroos Recipe
    • Peanut butter chocolate chip bars with oatmeal.
      Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars - with oatmeal.
    • three chocolate chip cookie bars sitting on a white plate.
      Easy Cookie Bars with Cake Mix

    FAQ's

    Why do these turn out hard sometimes?

    Make sure you don't boil the sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter mixture. It needs to be heated enough to cover the cereal smoothly, but you are not bringing it to a hard boil.

    Can I use cornflakes?

    Yes! Some folks insist the cereal needs to be Special K cereal. I believe you can use what you have! Corn flakes will create a bit of a different texture in the cereal layer, but they still taste great.

    two special K Bars on a white plate.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Classic No-Bake Special K Bars – Chewy, Chocolatey, & Easy!

    If you grew up loving chewy, chocolatey Special K Bars, you're not alone! This no-bake recipe has stood the test of time—with creamy peanut butter, rich chocolate, and just the right amount of crunch. These bars come together in 30 minutes or less and never last long!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 24 pieces
    Calories: 236Kcal
    Author: Susan Moncrieff

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup Peanut butter
    • 6 cups Special K cereal
    • 1¼ cup butterscotch chips
    • 1¼ cup chocolate chips

    Instructions

    • In a large saucepan, add corn syrup and sugar. Heat until you see bubbles around the outside edge of the pan.
    • Add the peanut butter. Stir until well combined and take off heat
    • Add peanut butter mixture onto 6 cups Special K cereal in a large bowl.
    • Stir until cereal is evenly coated.
    • Press into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
    • Gently heat both the butterscotch and chocolate chips until melted. Either use a double boiler or a microwave.   Don't overheat or the chocolate changes  texture and isn't smooth.
    • Once the chips are melted, pour over the cereal mixture and spread evenly.  It's a fairly thin layer and that's all you need!
    • Place in refrigerator to cool - about an hour.
    • Cut into small squares (or large ones if you are feeding teens 🙂 ).

    Notes

    Helpful Hint - When trying to spread the cereal mixture, spray nonstick spray onto the back of a large spoon or spatula (while over your kitchen sink). The cereal mixture will be easier to spread this way. 
    It's okay to use a little pressure to compact and flatten the cereal mixture.

    How to Store

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They can be refrigerated but should be allowed to come to room temperature before eating, or they will be hard.
    Wrap well if freezing. Place parchment paper between layers. Make sure to give enough time to warm to room temperature before eating.
     

    Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 236Kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    **Initially published Oct. 29, 2014. Updated for images and clarity.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    1. Julie

      May 30, 2024 at 9:05 pm

      How can I make my special K bars soft . They kinda got alittle hard . Any tips for me .

      Reply
      • Susan Moncrieff

        June 01, 2024 at 8:47 pm

        Two tips that I have found make the Special K bars soft. Use fresh soft marshmallows. Don't grab the old ones you've had for months. Also, you want to just get the ingredients to a low simmer, not a hard boil.
        Hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Mary

      August 18, 2020 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      Just like mom used to make.
      Mmmmmmmm.

      Reply
    3. Giforce

      October 22, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      I've been making these for 30 years. To prevent them from getting hard use 3/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup margarine (not butter)

      Reply
    4. momcrieff

      October 29, 2014 at 7:32 pm

      Sorry, the recipe did indeed disappear. I'll have it figured out soon!

      Reply
    5. Patti

      October 29, 2014 at 9:57 am

      Looks great. I can't wait to try it. They seem a little healthy as well as decedant. My family love chocolate and peanut butter. Well, know doesn't....

      Reply
      • momcrieff

        October 29, 2014 at 7:39 pm

        Thanks Patti! Hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine did. This will now be a regular at my house!

        Reply

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    I'm Susan! I love sharing easy recipes, especially those that take less than 30 minutes and have less than 5 ingredients. I'm passionate about gardening and creating flower planters. My home is 100 years old and sometimes you will see it in my posts! It was a true fixer upper and I love it!

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