AKA - Muddy Buddies
"Try Puppy Chow for a quick and easy snack. No baking needed, and just a few ingredients. Everything is better when it's homemade!"
This simple delicious treat is something everyone of all ages loves. Chocolate peanut butter and cereal coated in powdered sugar... what is there not to LOVE!?? This base recipe is a blank canvas for you... Add in any little mix ins' your little heart desires... My favorite is chunks of Reeses peanut butter cups and Reeses Pieces... and yes... for all the social media gurus out there... I pronounce them... Reese's Pee-sees! lol WYKYK! You can deffinately play with your food on this recipe... What are you waiting for... go make you some!
Classic Puppy Chow
Servings – 10 Cups Prep Time – 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
8 cups corn, rice or wheat Chex cereal
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, I use Jiff
1 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips, I like TollHouse or Ghirardelli
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Optional Additions:
Mini M&M's
Mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds
Oreo cookies, chopped
My Homemade Peanut Butter Cups or Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped
Reese's Pieces
Butterfingers candy bar, chopped
Directions:
Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
In a separate large microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, butter and salt. Microwave in multiple intervals of 15 seconds, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth.
Mix in vanilla.
Pour over the cereal. Stir well until the cereal is evenly coated. Take care not to crush the cereal while stirring.
Pour half of the cereal mixture into a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag and pour half of the powdered sugar over it. Seal and shake until the cereal is evenly coated. Repeat with the other half of the cereal and powdered sugar. Shake until all the cereal is well coated.
Pour into a large bowl and enjoy! If desired, stir in one or more of the fun fix'ins listed above!
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature OR freeze and enjoy right out of the freezer!
Notes:
Variation Ideas
One of the best things about this snack is how easy it is to customize for occasions, holidays and even just to things you like. I’ve made lots of Puppy Chow variations over the years and here are my favorites:
Cookies and Cream: A rich, chocolatey snack mix that tastes like an Oreo. Add in crushed Oreo cookie pieces and chunks of cookies and cream Hershey bars.
Double Chocolate Flavored: Use dry brownie mix instead of powdered sugar.
Nutella Flavor: Use Nutella® instead of peanut butter for a different flavor. Add in roasted hazelnut halves for a crunch.
Make It Seasonal: Try fun twists for every season. Fall leaf colored sprinkles with orange and brown M&M's, Valentine colored sprinkles and red, pink & white M&M's, Goblin Goodies purple and green M&M's with eye candies, and Peppermint Bark with crushed candy canes and chunks of peppermint Andie's Mints.
Fruity: Use white almond bark or white melting chocolate (adding a 1/2 cup in addition to) as the coating in place of the chocolate and peanut butter, coat in powdered sugar, add in Fruity Pebbles or Trix cereal pieces with chunks of freeze dried pineapple and strawberries and white chocolate chips. This became a summer favorite in my house when the kids had a lemonade stand!
Switch Up The Cereal: Don’t have Chex cereal? Try Golden Grahams, with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, or Cookie Crisp with chunks of Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, or even Cinnamon Life cereal with a light dusting of cinnamon and sugar for the coating.
The possibilities are ENDLESS!
Nutrition:
Calories: 484 | Carbohydrates: 76 | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 18mg
"This recipe is a keeper. I made them as per the recipe, and they were delicious! I even use tostadas for a crispy version!"
CWT is not a certified dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on national brands used per recipe.