The Midwest classic you'll be chain-snacking. Cool, sweet powdered sugar morphs into chocolate and peanut butter goodness and finished with the satisfying crunch of Chex cereal. Yeah, you'll need to make this one in bulk.
If you can't eat just one potato chip, then say hello to the snack that you literally can't eat just one handful of without needing seconds.
Puppy Chow (also called "Muddy Buddies") is a treasure from the American Midwest that upgraded Chex cereal to it's finest potential: lovingly enrobed in chocolate and peanut butter and then doused in clouds of powdered sugar.
Sheer. Perfection.
And for a festive twist to serve at your next Christmas party, check out my Reindeer Chow for even more added chocolate!
Reasons Why Chocolate Lovers Make This Recipe
- Ready in minutes -- with just four ingredients and a microwave, you can make a big batch of Puppy Chow in preparation for those impromptu snack cravings.
- Timeless pairing -- do you ever really need an excuse to eat chocolate and peanut butter together? Plus, if you use dark chocolate, you get added heart-healthy benefits from both ingredients.
- Great for all ages -- this recipe is great if you need a new snack idea to pack for the kids or a unique snack for your next get-together with friends or family.
Ingredients and Variations
Puppy Chow is one of the easiest chocolate snacks to make, comprising of just 4 ingredients:
Chex cereal -- while I use Rice Chex for this recipe, you can experiment with other varieties as well. Since Chex is the base of this recipe, pick a flavor that you not only like, but also won't clash with the peanut butter or chocolate.
Premium milk or dark chocolate -- If you don't have any chocolate bars on hand, you can easily substitute with melting chocolate chips.
Creamy peanut butter -- creamy peanut butter easily coats the cereal and maintains the smoothness of Puppy Chow's final texture. If you don't have creamy peanut butter, you can use the crunchy kind instead, but note that this will alter the texture. Alternatively, if you don't like peanut butter, you can simply omit it, or perhaps substitute it with another nut butter or even hazelnut spread!
Powdered sugar -- you can never have enough powdered sugar, in my opinion, so I use a generous amount in this recipe so the cereal is completely coated. However, you can experiment with the amount you use based on your personal preferences.
Tips for Success
- I strongly suggest to use the suggested iterative approach when coating the Chex in the chocolate peanut butter mixture, otherwise you risk an uneven finish, with some cereal pieces even having entire bare spots.
- Using a resealable bag is a far cleaner method when coating with powdered sugar as opposed to adding directly to the mixing bowl.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers (if there are any!) in either a resealable bag or airtight container. Keep in a cool, dry place.
Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 microwave-safe bowl
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 gallon-sized resealable bag
Ingredients
- 8 ounces premium chocolate or chocolate chips
- 4 ounces creamy peanut butter
- 250 grams Rice Chex cereal
- 300 grams powdered sugar
Instructions
- Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. Stir in the peanut butter until fully combined.
- Pour the Chex cereal into a large mixing bowl and iteratively drizzle a few tablespoons of the chocolate mixture overtop, then toss the cereal with the spoon to coat. Repeat until the cereal is fully coated.
- Scoop the cereal mixture into a gallon-sized resealable bag and sprinkle the powdered sugar overtop. Seal the bag and vigorously shake to coat.
