Butterscotch layered Rice Krispie Squares

I miss my grandma. It’ll be exactly six months tomorrow that she passed away. And tomorrow would’ve been her birthday. It seems like yesterday we were sitting in her kitchen, finishing lunch with a helping of whichever dessert she’d just made. She made a lot of delicious sweets, but Butterscotch Layered Rice Krispie Squares was a treat I had never had, before now.

At Christmas, while my mom and Dad were here visiting. My mom and I both admitted to feeling like we weren’t sad enough when my grandma passed away. That sounds strange. I know. My Grandma had Alzheimer’s and she was no longer the same grandma as I had laughed with and hugged and who always kissed my cheek.

I was her buttercup and it makes me angry that I wasn’t more upset. She was in a lot of pain and watching her you couldn’t wish for her to stay, and I think, in part, that made it easier to say goodbye. And I think because of that I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be sad. So, my mom and I both did what my grandma would do and got stoic. We dug in and got tough.

That conversation at Christmas ended with both my mom and me in waterfalls tears. And finally feeling like we were able to let go and just miss her and be sad. We sat and talked about her and our conversations turned to her cooking and my mom reminisced about all her desserts. Together we recreated her bread recipe, you can find that here. And then my mom started talking about these Rice Krispie treats. I added them to my list of things to make right away.

Even though I miss my grandma like crazy, I also feel completely connected to her through her recipes, even the ones I’ve never tried. I can actually picture her (years before I was born) standing in the kitchen at the farmhouse with the light streaming in from the window, laughing as she made these Butterscotch Layered Rice Krispie Squares. My aunts and mom are sharing stories about their favourites from childhood and it feels like she’s still here with us.

How to make Butterscotch Layered Rice Krispie Squares

So, the first time I made this I doubled the butterscotch layer, but it was just too much sweetness unless you’re really looking for that extra peanut-buttery butterscotch taste then, by all means, load it up! These will remind you of confetti squares. The butterscotch bars loaded with coloured marshmallows, but with the crunch from the Rice Krispie Cereal.

This recipe moves pretty fast. You’ll have to work quickly so that your Rice Krispies and the sauce don’t set up before you can stack everything. So, my most important tip is to have everything measured out ahead of beginning this recipe.

Then, start with the peanut butter butterscotch first. In a small pot over medium-low, heat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Then stir in the butterscotch chips and stir until they melt. Remove the pot from the burner and set this aside, but give it a stir every couple of minutes so it stays smooth and doesn’t set up.

Next, start on the Rice Krispies. In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the marshmallows. Continue stirring constantly until the marshmallows have melted completely. Add in the Rice Krispies and stir to combine.

In a greased 8’x8′ pan press in half of the cereal mixture. Then slowly pour the butterscotch mixture onto the base layer. Then dot the top with the remaining Rice Krispie mixture, gently pushing the cereal together. Be patient here, it may take a bit to press it together. Don’t press hard or the butterscotch layer will overflow the top layer. Chill for about an hour or until set.

Pro-tip: Run your fingertips under water and shake off the excess before pressing the cereal into the pan and your fingers won’t stick!

I may have never had my Grandma’s version of this treat. But I will make sure my boys get these Rice Krispie squares often. We’ll celebrate her life and make memories of our own. I hope you’ll do the same with your loved ones and hug them extra tight tonight.

If you love Butterscotch Layered Rice Krispie Squares, check out these other delicious Grandma inspired recipes, I’m sure they’ll hit the spot:

• Grandma’s Oatmeal Coconut Lace Cookies
• Peanut Butter Pie
• Hopscotch Cookies

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If you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!

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