Like many other people in this world, I always crave a little sweet treat. Whether that be chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, cake, brownies or pie, I love anything sweet.
Ever since moving into the dorms, getting that sweet treat late at night has been a little difficult. Baking something takes a lot of effort and a lot of dishes. When I have a test or a couple of papers to write, something that is that time-consuming is definitely not ideal.
However, I think I might’ve found a solution.
I’ve loved baking ever since I was younger. I love experimenting and making new things that I think my friends and family would love. Since I’ve been at college, my passion has had to take a back seat, my cravings have not.
I decided to challenge myself by making something easy I want to make and eat all the time. My solutions were some no-bake (ironic, since I love baking) and one-pan desserts that take no more than 15 minutes to prepare.
The first recipe I chose was scotcheroos — a well-loved, less-known classic of mine. This recipe first appeared on the back of a Rice Krispies cereal box and has remained a favorite of my family’s for years.
To make these delicious treats, you’ll need these simple ingredients:
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
To start making this recipe, you’ll need to grease a 9×9 baking dish. You can do this by either using butter or by spraying the dish down with a nonstick baking spray. After you’ve done this, set the baking dish aside.
After you’ve greased the dish, grab a medium-to-large sized saucepan and begin melting 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of light corn syrup over low heat until combined and semi-clear. Remove from heat, and add 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix until fully combined and smooth, then set aside.
Add 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal into a large microwave safe mixing bowl, then pour the sugar and peanut butter mixture over the cereal. Mix until cereal is fully coated, then transfer mixture to a greased baking dish.
Wash the saucepan before placing it back on the stove. Start melting 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate and 1 cup butterscotch chips on low heat until fully combined. Be careful not to overheat and burn the chocolate.
Then pour chocolate mixture over Rice Krispie mixture and set aside in a cool dry place to set. Add some fun holiday sprinkles to make the scotcheroos more festive. Once fully set, cut into bars and enjoy.
The second recipe that I’ve chosen is Fruity Pebble bars — a very versatile and delicious dessert.
I first found this recipe on Chelsea’s Messy Apron and have loved it ever since. To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 16 oz. (a full bag) of mini marshmallows
- a pinch of salt
- a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 6 cups of Fruity Pebbles cereal
If you prefer another kind of cereal, just replace the 6 cups of Fruity Pebbles with a cereal of your choice.
Before you begin, grease a 9×9 baking dish. After you’ve greased the pan, set aside 2 ½ cups of mini marshmallows from the bag. Grab a medium to large saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove and add 5 tablespoons of butter, then melt over low heat.
Once the butter is fully melted, add all but the reserved 2 ½ cups of marshmallows. Melt the marshmallows until fully combined with butter, remove from heat and add the pinch of salt and teaspoon of vanilla extract and set aside.
Pour the 6 cups of Fruity Pebbles into a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, then pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal. Mix until the cereal is fully coated, then add the reserved 2 ½ cup marshmallows.
Mix until the marshmallows are evenly distributed and then pour the mixture into the greased baking dish. Press down evenly, and then set aside in a cool dry place to set. Once fully cooled and set, cut into bars and enjoy.
Both of these recipes are absolutely delicious and writer approved. Share these recipes with your friends, or enjoy them all by yourself. Either way, these recipes require very little cooking time and very few dishes.
If you keep them covered and store them in a cool dry place, these desserts should last up to two weeks, so plenty of time to enjoy them to the fullest.
Kennedy can be reached at [email protected].
