Puppy Chow (aka muddy buddies) is a munchable, crunchable, sweet party snack mix. This easy-to-make muddy buddy recipe is dangerously delicious. See for yourself why it’s so hard to resist the next handful. One bite and you’re hooked!
Easy Puppy Chow Recipe aka Muddy Buddies
Puppy Chow is a crunchy classic snack made by coating cereal in a chocolate peanut butter mixture and covering it in powdered sugar. Never heard of it? You don’t know what you’re missing! While General Mills sells this popular treat at stores and is a fixture at parties in the Midwest, it’s super easy to make at home, but be warned, it’s addicting and NOT for dogs.
Now, I consider myself a master Puppy Chow recipe creator and let me tell you why. I’ve come up with the perfect ratio of peanut butter and chocolate to pour over the cereal and just the right amount of powdered sugar coating so that it stays crunchy without making your hands a chocolatey-mess.
I love this recipe because each batch can be customized with your favorite sweet and salty snacks. Craving more chocolate? Mix more in! Care for more color or crunch? Add candy, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, pretzels, or crushed chocolate chip cookies. It’s a fun activity to create with kids and let them toss in their favorite treats.
Looking for an amazing holiday version? Our Christmas Puppy Chow will be a show stopper!
What Is Puppy Chow
Wondering what this crazy concoction is? Simply put, it’s puppy chow for people! Muddy Buddies and Puppy Chow refer to cereal coated in chocolate and then some sort of powder. Most of the time, peanut butter is involved, but over the years, cooks have created different flavors.
Puppy Chow Ingredients
- Rice chex cereal: For this recipe, I use Rice Chex, but you can use Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Chocolate Chex, mixed Chex, or even Crispix cereal in your mix. Keep in mind the overall flavor will be slightly different. If you follow a gluten free diet, make sure you do not use Wheat Chex in your puppy chow snack mix.
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: Milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips can be substituted for semisweet chocolate chips.
- Creamy peanut butter: Processed peanut butter, like Jiff or Skippy, works best in this recipe. All-natural nut butters may not set well at room temperature. If you have a peanut allergy, sunflower seed butter, almond butter, and cashew butter will work well.
- Salted sweet cream butter
- Powdered sugar: Want to make your snack more fun? Funfetti Puppy Chow is super easy and delicious. Simply swap out the powdered sugar for funfetti cake mix, and use white chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Puppy Chow
- Make the Chocolate Mixture: Melt chocolate, butter, and peanut butter together in the microwave for 45 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 20-second intervals until the mixture is smooth.
- Coat The Cereal: Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and stir to coat completely.
- Shake In Powdered Sugar: Add the coated cereal and powdered sugar to a ziplock baggie and shake to coat.
- Serve: Allow the puppy chow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Puppy Chow is perfect for parties, holiday celebrations, gift-giving, portable snacks, or after dinner desserts. Serve some to your friends and save the rest for lunch bags and late-night cravings.
Tips & Variations
- Keep the Crunch: I like to spread the coated cereal on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets and let it rest for 20 minutes. This helps keep the cereal from sticking together and prevents it from becoming soggy.
- Bulk Up The Base: This Chex puppy chow recipe makes the perfect base for tossing with your favorite candies and savory snacks. Use various colors and textures to make it festive for the holidays or appropriate for special occasions.
- Customize Your Crunch: For extra crunch, stir in some M&Ms, sprinkles, Reese’s Pieces, crushed candy, cookie pieces, or chopped nuts.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc baggie for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze puppy chow for up to 3 months. Make sure your Ziploc bag is tightly sealed and pop it in the freezer. Then, simply place it on the countertop to thaw.
More Easy Chex Mix Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix {Chex Mix}
- Lemon Puppy Chow
- Slow Cooker Chex Mix
- Halloween Puppy Chow Chex Mix
- S’mores Snack Mix
- Ranch Chex Mix
If you tried this Puppy Chow Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Puppy Chow Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 cups rice chex or generic version
- 1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Using an extra large mixing bowl, add in the 10 cups of rice chex. Set it aside.10 cups rice chex
- Using a medium size heat safe mixing bowl, add the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and continue heating in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until the mixture is smooth.1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the rice chex. Stir until all of the chex are completely coated.
- Pour the coated chex and the powdered sugar into a 2 gallon ziploc baggie. Shake to completely coat the puppy chow.2 cups powdered sugar
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the puppy chow between the puppy chow between the 2 baking sheets. Allow the puppy chow to rest for 20 minutes.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc baggie for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze puppy chow for up to 3 months. Just make sure your Ziploc bag is tightly sealed and pop it in the freezer. Simply place it on the countertop to thaw.
- I like to spread the coated cereal on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and let it rest for 20 minutes. I find it helps keep the cereal from sticking together and prevents it from becoming soggy.
- This Chex puppy chow recipe makes the perfect base for tossing with your favorite candies and savory snacks. Use a variety of colors and textures to make it festive for the holidays or appropriate for special occasions.
- Stir in some M&M’s, sprinkles, Reese’s Pieces, crushed candy, cookie pieces, or chopped nuts for extra crunch.
I love that you mention the amounts of each ingredient during the instructions.
Thank you
it’s been a long time since I made this. thanks Jenn for reminding me.
Love Puppy Chow! I really love every recipe that you post (unless they have an ingredient that I really don’t care for).