TOMORROW is my 2-year vegan anniversary (aka my vegan-versary!). To celebrate, I made this beautiful baby that I’ve been trying/failing/trying/failing/trying/failing for quite some time now. But here it is, the most successful version.
Not sure what Scotcheroos are? No worries—you’re not alone. I myself had much confusion regarding this title, but now I can confidently give you the low-down.
Growing up, I was familiar with two similar bars: Rice Krispy bars and Special K bars. I had never heard of a Scotcheroo. However, I eventually learned that what I was calling a “Special K” bar was actually a Scotcheroo. To be a Special K bar, it has to be made with Special K cereal . . . duh.
So what is a Scotcheroo? It can be made with a variety of cereals, but wheat flakes, crispy rice, or Chex-like cereals are the most common choice. The cereal is crushed and mixed with peanut butter and butterscotch flavors (hence the name SCOTCHeroo). Then, the bar is topped with delicious chocolate frosting.
Side note: my concept of a Special K bar was the same, but made with Special K cereal. It turns out that Special K bars a little different and do not necessarily contain butterscotch.
I thought I would never be able to make this as a (vegan) oatmeal . . . until I looked up what butterscotch actually was. When I realized I could “fake” butterscotch flavor by mixing butter extract and molasses, I immediately got to work creating this recipe. HOWEVER, if you are not vegan (or if you magically find vegan butterscotch flavor or butterscotch chips), I recommend using that instead of the butter extract-molasses combo. Because let’s face it, butter extract is a potent force and not everyone’s cup of tea.
Note: I originally conceptualized this as a baked recipe. However, the butterscotch and peanut butter flavors were too muted when baked, making it lose its Scotcheroo taste. I finally accepted that it worked better as stovetop oatmeal . . . at least for now. 🙂
And don’t forget to participate in the contest to become December’s Oatmeal Enthusiast!
All you have to do is leave comments. See details here.
Random Recommendations:
- [reads] My latest ThoughtCatalog post: “The Anxious Person’s Complete Guide to Hosting Your First Dinner Party“
- [vids] John Oliver beautiful critiques America’s pathetic attempts (or lack thereof) of sex education
- [shows] Have you been watching The Late Show with Stephen Colbert? It’s top notch.
- [reads] “The Smoke & Mirrors Behind Wheat Belly and Grain Brain” by John McDougall, MD
What you'll need:
- 2 tbsp PB2
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1/8 tsp coconut oil (optional)
- about 2 tbsp water (don't add all at once; start with one tbsp and add the rest little by little until you reach the preferred consistency)
- 1 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup (or more) grated zucchini or yellow squash (peeling is optional)*
- 2 tbsp PB2, or regular nut butter
- 1/2 tsp butter extract (McCormick’s is vegan)
- 1/2 tsp molasses
- pinch of salt
- maple syrup to taste (optional)
How to make it:
- Mix the frosting topping together and set in the fridge.
- Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/4 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
- Add grated zucchini and stir.
- While oatmeal is cooking, combine PB2, butter extract, molasses, and salt in a small bowl. Add 2-3 tbsp water and stir until combined. Add maple syrup to taste. If using regular peanut butter, you shouldn't need to add any water.
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed in the oatmeal, add PB2 mixture. If necessary, add more maple syrup a few drops at a time until it tastes sweet enough for you. You may feel that you don't need any! If you really want something authentic, use powdered sugar.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Top with PB2 chocolate frosting either by dropping a glob of it on top, spreading it on with a knife, or "pipe" it like traditional frosting. If you don't have a piping bag, put it in a Ziplock bag and cut off one corner on the bottom--pipe away! 🙂
- Add another splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (chocolate chips, crushed cereal like puffed rice or Chex, nuts, fresh fruit, etc.).
Just an FYI:
*I use yellow squash instead of zucchini so it doesn't have green streaks. They taste the same. You can replace the butter extract/molasses mixture with butterscotch chips or extract if you are not vegan (or if you find a vegan version).
Two years vegan! Woohoo!
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