Special K-bar with a chewy texture

These crunchy special K-bars are the goodness of delicious peanut butter. This is a simple bake-free recipe that makes a delicious bar with crispy cereals, chocolate and butterscotch chips.

table of contents

Recipe details

Because these crunchy special K-bars are crispy, chewy, sweet and salty, which is the best in both worlds. They are addictive. They are perfect for a sweet afternoon snack or are laid out on a dessert table for guests. You’re going to love them!

Flavor: These special K-bars are packed with salty flavors, from chocolate to butterscotch, especially peanut butter. Texture: This dessert is wonderfully crispy from the cereal. There is also plenty of chewy texture from melted chocolate and gooey peanut butter. Time: This recipe takes less than 20 minutes. Ease of Use: Simple and quick, this bakeless recipe is easy. There’s no problem whipping these bars every time you get a craving.

What you need

Special K-bar ingredients with a chewy texture: Special K-cereal, peanut butter, butterscotch chips, salt, sugar, corn syrup, butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Ingredient Notes

Light Corn Syrup – This rich sweetener helps to keep the bar together when it cools. Granulated sugar – dissolved in syrup, this adds a sweetness to the bar. Special K cereal – this is the base for this dessert, and the flakes give it a flavour and crunch. Salt-free butter – this is used to oil pans. Creamy Peanut Butter – Creamy is the best here because it combines better than smoother and crunchier, but you can use crunchy PB if you like more textures. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – These chips are mixed with bitter and sweet chocolate. Butterscotch chips – These have a rich, buttery, caramel-like taste with toffee hints. Coarse sea salt – for toppings if necessary. This flake-like sea salt adds a salty flavour with every bite.

Add-ins and replacements

Replace another grain. Try making these bars with different grains, such as fruity pebbles and cocoa pebbles. Make it gluten-free – If you want to make this without gluten, substitute rice or corn-based cereals like rice creampie or corn flakes. Substitute chocolate chips – make this with other chips, such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate chips. Peanut butter tips can also be used. Dairy-free chocolate chips are dairy-free and dairy-free, and use oil instead of butter to remove dairy products from these special K-bars.

How to make a special, chewy K-bar

Bring the sweetener to a boil. Mix the granulated sugar and light corn syrup in a pot over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then remove from the heat and add peanut butter. Stir thoroughly in the peanut butter.

Pro Tip: Make sure the peanut butter is at room temperature and it will be soft enough to stir. The cold stuff from the peanut butter in the fridge is hard and chunky.

Steps to make a special K-bar with a chewy texture: Bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil, stir in a whisk, and combine with peanut butter.

Combine with a special K-cereal. Next, pour the cereal into a large bowl and add the peanut butter mixture. Stir everything with a large spoon before the cooled sugar is hard. Push the cereal mixture into the pan. Once everything is combined, push the grain mixture into a deep 9 x 13 inch baking dish, buttered with a spatula.

Steps to make a special K-bar with a chewy texture: Add the peanut butter mixture along with the special K-cereal and push it into the baking dish with a spatula.

Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a pot over low heat. Don’t rush through this process or don’t let the chocolate burn or be taken away. Refill the grain mixture. Once the chocolate has melted, pour it onto a baking dish to smooth it out. Add coarse sea salt if necessary. Set for about 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Steps to make a special K-bar with a chewy texture: Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and spread them over the cereal in a baking dish.

Recipe Tips

Use room temperature peanut butter. Peanut butter should be at room temperature. This should improve the mixing with sugar and prevent the mass from cooling when mixing the liquefied sugar. Choose creamy emulsified peanut butter – natural peanut butter (the type that needs to be stirred before use) is a good thing. In this recipe, emulsified brands are more easily mixed with sugar. Also, creamy mixes more smoothly. Once the peanut butter mixture is added to the grain, work quickly. As the sugar is beginning to cool down, you need to quickly mix everything and thrust it into a baking dish, then make it too strong. Do not hurry and melt the chocolate. Melting chocolate and butterscotch over low heat is important to avoid burning or grabbing. Be patient, and you will be rewarded!

Overhead view of a special K-bar plate with a chewy texture. Cereal and chocolate chips are scattered nearby.

FAQ

Why make a special K-bar stronger?

If the special K-bar is hard, you may have overcooked sugar and corn syrup. When this happens, the sugar hardens and crystallizes, making the bar hard instead of chewy. Bring the sugar to a boil, then remove from the heat and add peanut butter.

What is the difference between a special K-Bar and a Scotchloss?

The special K-bar and Scotchloss are roughly the same except for the cereal used. Scotchloss usually uses rice creampies, while special K-bars use special K-cereals. Otherwise, both use sugar, chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch to taste the flavor.

A special K-bar stack with a chewy texture, no bite.

Provide suggestions

These homemade special K-bars are great desserts that can be served alongside other sweet treats and drinks. Serve your favourite for the best dessert buffet.

Chocolate Treat: Combine these cereal bars with chocolate brandy fig bonbons, chocolate barks, chocolate covered dates, or pelo chocolate fudge. Cookies: Serve with chocolate macarons, pecan shortbread cookies, cookies, cream cookies or monster cookies. Cakes: Enjoy these special, chewy K-bars with tiramisu cake (video), chocolate mousse cake, baked mini cheesecake (video), and Nutella cake. Drinks: Serve these sweets with hot chocolate, caramel frappuccino (Starbucks Copy Cat), pumpkin spice latte, or iced caramel macchiato.

Create this recipe in advance

Go ahead: This recipe is pretty easy to make, but if you want to get a head start, you can mix the ingredients from the bar, push them into a baking dish and store them in plastic wrap at room temperature. Later, you can melt the chocolate and add it.

Storage: Store these special, chewy K-bars in airtight containers at room temperature. They last about 4 days.

Freeze: Wait for the bar to cool completely before cutting, then place in an airtight container or ziplock bag. If you need to create another layer, place the wax or parchment paper between them. These last in the freezer for 3-4 months.

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Complete recipe instructions