For the Love of Special K Bars

I’m fairly sure the Internet doesn’t really need another post with the world-famous Special K Bars recipe. I mean, seriously. We could all search a thousand recipe posts on Pinterest for these sinful delights. But I’m defying the blogging gods and posting this anyway because these bars are just too powerful. 🙂

I made this classic Special K Bars recipe last Friday night and, as it always does, it brought back memories of my mother-in-law, Mary, who passed away in 2013. I can’t quite remember when it started, but at some point, years ago, Mary made Special K bars when Teacher Man and I visited her and my father-in-law. I raved because, of course, I looooove these bars and could easily eat half the pan if left to my own devices.

Since that first initial pan, my mother-in-law would make these bars for me every time we came to visit. I know. I was so lucky! (The only potential downside being I had to fight with my father-in-law and Teacher Man over who got to eat the most rows. Have you ever seen those boys cut into a pan of these bars? Experts, I tell you!)

When I posted this memory last weekend along with a photo of my Special K bars on Facebook, I received quite a few comments from people who had their own Special K bar stories.

• One friend said his mom used to make them at the family’s lake home and he doesn’t remember a pan lasting more than hour. (Yep, sounds about right.)
• Another wrote that Special K bars are her Relay for Life team’s claim to fame and they’ve sold thousands of bars over the years for a good cause. (Now that’s awesome!)
• Still another likes to make the case that Special K bars qualify as a breakfast food – it is cereal, after all, with a good dose of protein from the peanut butter. (Agreed!)
• And several friends told me Special K bars were their mother-in-law’s favorite, too. (See – the power of the Special K bar!)

I kind of got a little veklempt at all these delightful stories about our connections to Special K bars and the family members we love. I will always have wonderful memories of my mother-in-law – her kind heart, her love of good stories and her completely infectious laugh.

And we’ll always share our love of Special K bars.

My favorite picture of my in-laws at our house with Joe to celebrate his 9th birthday in January of 2013.

Can I refrigerate Special K Bars?

Sure thing! That’s how Teacher Man loves these bars best. I personally prefer them at room temperature but it’s totally your call.

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Special K Bars

The world famous recipe for Special K Bars, a perennial favorite for pretty everyone I know!

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 bars

Calories 226 kcal

Equipment

• mixing bowl
• saute pan
• 4-cup glass measuring cup
• 9×13 pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Corn Syrup
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 6 cups Kellogg's Special K Cereal
• 6 ounces Chocolate Chips
• 6 ounces Butterscotch Chips

Instructions

 

• Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a pan over medium heat, stirring often. Bring to a boil and immediately take off the heat.
• Stir in the peanut butter. Add this mixture to the Special K cereal and mix thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan and press down on the mixture.
• Combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for about 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 25-30 seconds and stir until mixture is completely melted. Do not over-microwave; chocolate mixture can burn. (You can also do this step in a pan over low heat on the stove.)
• Pour chocolate mixture over the Special K bars in the pan and smooth with knife.
• Let set for at least 15 minutes and then enjoy!

Notes

• If you are like Teacher Man, you probably like your Special K bars refrigerated; he feels they are best when cold.
• If you’re like me, you like them at room temperature. There is no right or wrong answer. In our house, I cut a few bars to store in the fridge for Teacher Man and leave the rest on the counter.
• if you like more chocolate, use 1 (12 ounces) bag EACH of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. It’s what I would suggest – wink, wink.

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 36.4gProtein: 5gFat: 7.9gSaturated Fat: 2.8gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 139mgPotassium: 112mgCalcium: 16mg

Keyword dessert bars, no-bake bars, no-bake dessert, no-bake recipe, Special K Bars

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