Special K Bars
25 Comments
Updated: 09/15/25
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These no-bake Special K Bars are a quick and easy dessert made with chewy peanut butter cereal and topped with a rich chocolate and butterscotch frosting—perfect for bake sales, potlucks, or an after-school treat.
I am all about the easy dessert bars, and there’s nothing I love more than a no-bake cereal bar! These Special K bars are definitely a favorite – if you like Scotcheroos and Rice Krispies treats, you are going to love them!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s so easy to make, literally 15 minutes and you are done! These bars don’t take much time at all.
- These delicious Special K with chocolate bars are no bake, so if it’s hot out you don’t need to turn your oven on. A wonderful summer dessert!
- This recipe uses basic pantry staple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand so you can make these any time you want.
These are always a hit wherever I take them!! Thanks for the recipe!
Ingredients for Special K Bars
- White sugar – Sweeten these chewy Special K bars with some granulated white sugar.
- Light corn syrup – This will add sweetness to the cereal bars and also helps to bind them together. The corn syrup also gives the bars a soft and chewy texture.
- Creamy peanut butter – I prefer to use creamy peanut butter but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you want to add a little more texture to the bars.
- Vanilla extract – Add more depth of flavor to these Special K bars.
- Special K Cereal – I highly recommend using this brand of cereal, but you can make them with plain corn flakes, too.
- Butterscotch chips – Melt one cup butterscotch chips with chocolate to create the best creamy topping.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – You can use a different chocolate if you prefer. Milk chocolate and dark chocolate would both be great mixed with the butterscotch.
How to Make Special K Bars
In a large saucepan, heat sugar and corn syrup over medium-low. Stir frequently and don’t let the mixture boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir to combine and remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the cereal into a large bowl and add the peanut butter mixture. Gently stir to coat the cereal evenly. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer.
Place the butterscotch chips and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat them for one minute and stir. Microwave them again in 10 to 15-second increments, or until melted and smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture over the bars in the pan.
Place the pan into the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is firm. Then cut into bars and serve.
Storage
They will store well for up to a week at room temperature in an airtight storage container in a cool, dry place.
Fridge: You can also keep them in the fridge, but keep in mind that they will harden and will need to sit at room temperature to soften before serving.
Freezer: Place leftovers into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely before eating.
Pro Tips
- Make sure you work quickly when mixing the cereal with the wet peanut butter mixture. Once it begins to firm up, it can be difficult to work with.
- Do not use a “natural” peanut butter. Go for the emulsified peanut butter with no oil on top. If you do use a natural peanut butter, you’ll to ensure it is thoroughly mixed so that the texture of the special K bars is not affected.
- Want thicker bars? Use an 8×11 inch pan instead of the 9×13 inch pan.
- Top with flaky salt to really enhance the flavors.
- If you line your baking dish with parchment paper, you can easily lift the dessert out to cut it on a nice flat surface.
Why Are My Special K Bars Hard?
The key to soft and chewy bars is to not overcook the sugar and corn syrup mixture. You want to heat it but not let it boil, so keep an eye on it and adjust the heat if necessary.
Storing Special K Bars in the refrigerator will also make them hard, so it’s a good idea to let them sit out at room temperature to soften before serving them.
Ready to make a batch of these easy Special K bars? The combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch with the crispy cereal is the best! They will be a hit with the kids and the adults – I can promise you that. Enjoy!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Special K Bars
Easy no bake peanut butter cereal bars that are so delicious! These Special K Bars are soft, chewy and perfect.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 ¼ cups light corn syrup
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cup Special K cereal
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Combine sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Do not bring to a boil. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Put cereal in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter mixture; stir until thoroughly coated. Press onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Microwave butterscotch morsels and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until smooth. Spread over cereal mixture.
- Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping is firm. Cut into bars.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 702kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 136g (45%), Protein: 12g (24%), Fat: 15g (23%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg (1%), Sodium: 838mg (36%), Potassium: 353mg (10%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 60g (67%), Vitamin A: 1714IU (34%), Vitamin C: 20mg (24%), Calcium: 27mg (3%), Iron: 29mg (161%)
How To Serve Special K Bars
These peanut buttery bars are perfect as a dessert on their own or as part of a spread of sweets! Pizza Bars are a great cookie bar loaded with caramel, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and a white chocolate drizzle. Fans of cream cheese frosting are going to love these soft and tender Banana Bars.
Maybe you need to whip up a few Irish Coffees or Cold Brew for the crew!
More No-Bake Recipes
- Cereal Bars with Cheerios, M&Ms, and peanuts are a super easy dessert bar that takes less than 30 minutes to make. They’re great for a little afternoon pick me up.
- For a great snack, make a batch of Peanut Butter Granola Bars. No baking required and they are sweetened with honey, so you can feel good about them!
- Cheerio Bars are super easy and perfect for potlucks, sports snacks, or anytime! They are a peanut lover’s dream made with peanuts and creamy peanut butter.
- These No Bake Cookies are a favorite sweet treat and great for any occasion. They are made with 7 pantry staples I know you’ve got on hand, so you can make them anytime you want something sweet.
Becca says
We substituted the corn syrup for honey, so delicious!
Julie Evink says
That sounds great!
Teri W. Hitterdal, MN says
Thank you for the recipe! I made these for the first time for my extended family and they were an instant hit. Many people gave me compliments on the bars, and were surprised to hear it was my first try making them. They are even requested above my usual desserts at home!
Brooke Kill says
I’m happy to hear that Teri! They’re a favorite in my family too!
Debbie says
No bake dessert recipes are some of my very favorite. I can’t wait to try out this Special K bars recipe.
Courtney says
So delicious! I also love how easy these are to make!
Susan says
Yummmmm!!!
Courtney says
Thank you!
Kristen says
These Special K Bars look AMAZING! Do you think I could replace the peanut butter with Sunbutter (sonwflower seed butter), since I cannot have peanut butter?
Courtney says
I would think so!
Alyssa says
I can’t wait to make these Special K bars. They sound so good!
Courtney says
They are definitely a family favorite.
Cynthia says
These special k bars look deliciously sweet!
Courtney says
Good luck eating just one!
Brittany says
Oh my, these Special K bars look perfect for my holiday menu! I love that it’s no-bake and can be made ahead of time to keep the holiday focused on my family!
Kathryn Gagne says
Hi Julie, I used to make these years ago, but lost my recipe. Glad to have found your recipe. When I used to make them I didn’t use the butterscotch chips, I didn’t have any, but had a larger package of chocolate chips and that worked very well too! Yummy
Courtney says
Yay! So glad you found this recipe! 😊
Lynn says
Yummy, yummy, yummy!
kathy says
There was NOT enough chocolate/butterscotch icing to even COVER the 13X 9. I worked in a bakery & thought only 1 cup of each would not be enough, but still followed it. I should have DOUBLED the icing! Also, leaving it out on the counter is much better than putting in fridg. for many reasons. sorry.
Pamela Occhino says
Is the nutrional information for ONE COOKIE???
SFos says
I’m wondering the same thing! 😱
Malinda says
These are always a hit wherever I take them!! Thanks for the recipe!
Danielle says
Made these over the weekend and they were gone in no time! Everyone loved them! Thanks for sharing!
Julie Evink says
A classic that can’t be beat!
Alison LaFortune says
The butterscotch chips were my kids’ fave part of these bars! Crunchy & chewy– yum!