What are we making for our guests?  

Scotcheroos

What are we drinking?

At home pumpkin spice latte

2 shots espresso (or sub 1/2 cup hot freshly brewed coffee but I prefer espresso)

1 cup milk of choice, preferably a milk that froths well (we love oat milk)

3 tablespoons pumpkin puree

1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, to sweeten

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream for topping (optional but recommended)

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte | Ambitious Kitchen

Cocktail hour - what’s on our minds?  

What is a scotcharoo?

Scotcheroos - Wikipedia

Scotcheroos are dessert bars with chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies. The recipe was originally printed on Rice Krispies box in the mid-1960s. They are popular in the Midwestern United States, especially Iowa and North Dakota.

Devin Alexander asked her Facebook friends what they wanted in The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook. Many of the responses were scotcheroos so she published a healthier version in the book.  Jennifer Evans Gardner said in her book Barefoot in the Kitchen: A Pregnancy Survival Cookbook that scotcheroos are a dessert that pregnant women should look forward to.  A section of the book Family Scrapbooks is all about scotcheroos. Scotcheroos were made by Kellogg's in 1965.

What is butterscotch?

What Is Butterscotch, and How Is It Different from Caramel and Toffee?

• Made with brown sugar and butter

• Cooked to soft crack stage. 

Recipe Source

Easy Scotcheroos Recipe - Tastes Better From Scratch

Ingredients 

• 6 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup light corn syrup*

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips , use a good quality brand or they wont melt well, or user Baker's chocolate

• 12 ounce bags butterscotch chips

High Level Steps 

Grease a 9x13' inch baking pan. Place cereal in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, and once boiling immediately remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.

2. Pour mixture over the rice cereal and stir until evenly coated. Press firmly into prepared pan.

3. Add the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, just until the chips are melted and smooth. 

4. Spread topping over the bars. Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Notes from author:

Store scotcheroos in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 1-2 days, for best taste and texture.

Notes

Corn Syrup: Substitute honey if you'd like to make scotcheroos without corn syrup.

To avoid hard scotcheroos, don’t over-cook the sugar mixture in the saucepan. Just bring it to a boil and remove immediately from heat. 

Make ahead Instructions: I think these are best served the day they are made, but you can prepare them in the morning or the day before and store them in an air-tight container before serving. 

Freezing Instructions: Prepare the scotcheroos in a freezer safe pan, cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before cutting and serving.