No matter where you are located in the United States, 4th of July celebrations are a big (and fun!) ordeal. July 4th officially commemorates the day the United States declared its independence from British rule in 1776, nearly 250 years ago! Today, we celebrate it as a federally recognized holiday with parades, time off from work to spend with our families and (maybe most famously) delicious food.
While savory BBQ entrees and rich side dishes take the main stage at 4th of July gatherings, we would be remiss to ignore the creative and delicious desserts that round out our independence day meals. Consider taking one of these Midwest American staples to your next fourth of July potluck style event and you’ll be sure to impress your closest family and friends.
BE WARNED: these recipes are far from “healthy” but we can guarantee you that they will be the most simple, patriotic and oh-so delicious crowd pleasing treats you’ve ever had.
Scotcheroos
In our family’s opinion, nothing (and I mean NOTHING!) beats a scotcheroo when it comes to dessert. We have them at every semi-celebration, and oftentimes just because, because they are so good and so easy to make. And the best part is about these no-bake crowd pleasers are how ridiculously easy to “dress up” for different holidays – just add some festive sprinkles on top!
Ingredients
- 6 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal
- 1 cup of Karo Syrup
- 1 cup of Sugar
- 1 cup of Peanut Butter
- 1 cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup of Butterscotch Chips
Instructions
On the stovetop, in a large saucepan or a small stock pot, mix together the sugar and karo syrup on medium heat. Stir with a spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved, but make sure the liquid does not come to a boil as that can cause the scotcheroos to become rock hard! Once dissolved, turn the heat off and mix in the peanut butter.
Fold in the rice krispies cereal in as quick as possible while the liquid is still warm. One all of the cereal is thoroughly coated, spread it out in a standard 9×13 cake pan or baking dish until level and then let cool.
To make the topping, combine the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on “defrost” for 3-5 minutes, stopping to stir every 30-45 seconds. Chocolate is highly prone to burning in microwaves so using the “defrost” option and regularly pausing and stirring are key to making sure your topping is melted and not burned!
Once the topping is fully mixed and melted, spread it evenly over the rice krispies in the pan and then add some patriotic sprinkles on top while still gooey. Let cool too room temperature and then cut into squares for serving!
