Originally posted May 13, 2011. Updated 12/4/2020
Confetti Bars - Butterscotch, Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Bars -are a staple of any Manitoba holiday spread. Easy to make, quick to disappear!
When I first posted this recipe, I’d been dealing with a sick husband the past couple of days.
While shopping for "sick" groceries (stuff we didn't have on hand, that are good to have around for illness - OJ, chicken soup, yogurt, etc), somehow I started thinking about confetti bars.
Yeah, I have no idea either. My brain sometimes makes completely bizarre leaps like that.
Anyway, confetti bars.
At the time, I hadn’t had them in a long time, and had noticed that they definitely weren't the ubiquitous party / holiday treat there - we were still in Minnesota - that they are here (now that I’m back home).
What are Confetti Bars?
Confetti bars are a fun little confection made of marshmallows encased in a kind of butterscotch-peanut butter quick, creamy fudge.
You can't go to a Canadian potluck, Christmas dinner, or wedding social without coming across these things!
In my family, these bars, Noelles, my aunt's Sauerkraut Balls, and Dill Dip were basically foundational for any holiday get together.
I'm not taking any credit for this recipe itself, as it's one that you just learn as a kid, and pretty much everyone knows. You know, aside from most of the Minnesota locals that I know!
Are they a Canadian thing? Prairies-specific?
I don't know.
Whatever they are, they take like 2 minutes to make, and are super addictive. Definitely a case of "The whole being greater than the sum of its parts"!
How to Make Confetti Bars
These butterscotch marshmallow bars are incredibly easy to make, involve very few ingredients, and require no special techniques or even baking.
Confetti Bars Ingredients
Butterscotch Chips
Peanut Butter
Butter
Rainbow Mini Marshmallows
Basic Confetti Squares Technique
1. Measure the first 3 ingredients into a large, microwave safe bowl
2. Melt the ingredients together
3. Stir everything until smooth
4. Add marshmallows, stir to coat
5. Spread into a prepared pan
6. Chill until set.
7. Cut and serve!
Some Helpful Tips
- Be sure to prepare your baking pan before you start making the squares.
Butter or pan spray works fine, but I usually prefer to line it with parchment. This way, I can lift the whole thing out and cut into bars much more easily.
- Be careful when melting your butterscotch chips - you don’t want them to burn.
I’ll usually put them in the microwave for 45-60 seconds to start, stir well, then go in 20-30 second bursts from there.
- I usually stop microwaving it before it’s actually all melted, and stir the remaining bits of chips until they melt and everything is smooth.
Not only does this help prevent burning, it helps cool it down a bit - which helps the final texture!
- While it’s not 100% necessary, I like to let the mixture cool for a few minutes before adding the marshmallows. This lets it thicken up slightly, and makes it less likely to melt or shrink the marshmallows.
- While this will set at room temp, it will go a LOT faster in the fridge.
Variations
- While Rainbow marshmallows are traditional (and prettier!), you can definitely use plain marshmallows if you prefer, or if you can’t find the rainbow ones.
- You can swap the butterscotch chips out for chocolate chips.
- While peanut butter is traditional, you can swap it out for other nut or nut-adjacent butters.
As an example, sunflower seed butter would make this accessible to those who have peanut allergies.
This recipe is one of many fantastic Canadian recipes in my cookbook, "More Than Poutine: Favourite Foods from my Home and Native Land”.
"More than Poutine" is a Canadian cookbook like no other - written by a Canadian living away, it includes both traditional home cooking recipes, as well as accurate homemade versions of many of the snacks, sauces, convenience foods, and other food items that are hard to come by outside of Canada!
Order your copy here on this site, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller!
More Canadian Comfort Food!
Whether you’re a Canadian in the US or not, we could all use some comfort food these days. Here are some Canadian Favourites!
Beep
Clodhoppers
Dill Pickle Dip
French Canadian Pea Soup
Gluten-Free Imperial Cookies
Gluten-Free Pirate Cookies
Halifax Meat Paste Egg Rolls
Homemade Deep N Delicious Cake
How to Make Peameal Bacon and Back Bacon
Maple Butter Tarts
Persians Recipe
Poutine, My Way!
Puffed Wheat Squares
Tiger Tail Ice Cream
Looking for even more Canadian recipes? Check out our full Canadian Recipes list!
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Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Confetti Bars Recipe
Confetti Bars
Ingredients
- 1 Package Butterscotch Chips
- 1 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
- ½ Cup Butter
- 1 Small Bag Rainbow Mini Marshmallows
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, heat butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter. I like to microwave it for a minute or so, until the chips are about half melted. Stir until everything is melted, combined, and smooth.
- Add in mini marshmallows, stir until all are evenly coated. Use between ½ and 1 small bag of them, depending on your tastes. I usually use about ⅔ of a bag, but used a whole bag for this batch (as pictured). Sometimes you want more of the “fudge” part, sometimes you want more marshmallows. These bars are NOT a hard science 🙂
- When marshmallows are coated, spread mixture into a lightly greased pan. (I used 8″ x 8″ for 2″ thick bars, 9″ x 13″ is a popular size to use for thinner bars.) Chill until set.
- Slice up and serve!
Nutrition
I have been looking for this recipe for ever, thanks! Tastes just like home! I'm a Canadian transplanted to Arizona. It's so nice to have some taste of home.
Thanks!
Definitely a Canadian thing. Grew up in Saskatchewan, where they were always to be found wherever people brought baking, but it's been harder than I thought to find a recipe, and the only recipes I've found have been on Canadian sites (is it a prairies thing?) does anyone know how to do the chocolate ones - do you just use chocolate chips instead of butterscotch?
Yep - just use milk or dark chocolate chips in place of butterscotch. I'll add an extra tablespoon of butter in with it if using dark chocolate, but that's about all!
Finally!! Oh goodness in have been a searching for this for a so long. I also am a Canadian now living in Arizona and wow I could never describe this enough to anyone to get the recipe and I can not wait to make this for my kiddos. I am so glad I finally came across this.
Could be a prairie thing - I grew up with them in BC, but my Grandma was from Manitoba and they were one of her FAVOURITE. My mom always rolled them into a log shape covered while warm & rolled them in coconut and then made thin slices when it was cool. Definitely the same recipe though. Thanks for sharing!