Are you ready for the ultimate no-bake dessert? This easy Puppy Chow recipe is ridiculously easy to make and is perfect for parties and holiday gatherings. It’s made with just 5 simple ingredients and is a fun recipe for the kids to join in and help. You can customize it with extra candies or keep it simple, and I’ve shared some of my favorite tips and tricks below. This is definitely a classic dessert treat that’s perfect to make this time of year!
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What Is Puppy Chow?
Puppy chow is a seriously addictive treat made with rice Chex cereal, coated in a mixture of melted chocolate and peanut butter, and then tossed in powdered sugar. And no, it’s not for dogs! 😉 It’s like a sweet, chocolatey alternative to Chex mix and is the easiest dessert for any party food table. Depending on who you ask, this snack also goes by other names, such as muddy buddies, reindeer chow, or monkey munch. No matter what you call it, one thing is for sure—it’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe for puppy chow mix:
- Rice Chex Cereal: I always make this recipe with Rice Chex (or a similar brand) cereal, but you can also try it with Corn Chex. The flavor might be slightly different, but it’ll still be just as tasty!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: This is what I use to make the chocolate-peanut butter coating for the cereal. I use 1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips, which is more than enough to create a nice thick coating. Dark chocolate will also work well, but milk chocolate will likely make it too sweet.
- Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter for the best results. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other nut butter myself, but you could try creamy almond butter or Sun butter if you can’t have peanuts. They’ll change the taste and, likely, the texture of the coating.
- Butter: I tested this recipe several times with and without a little butter. I found just a little bit of butter makes the chocolate mixture smooth and easy to stir.
- Powdered Sugar: Coats the cereal so it’s not sticky to the touch and gives it that signature “puppy chow” look!
What Else Can I Add?
I don’t always make my puppy chow the same way; sometimes, I like to mix things up and add some extra goodies! You can add anything you like to this recipe once the chocolate and powdered sugar coating is set. Just gently mix any extras in until everything is evenly distributed. Here are some ideas I think you’ll enjoy:
- Crushed peppermint candies
- M&M’s
- Mini marshmallows
- Pretzel pieces
- Salted peanuts
- Mini peanut butter cups
- Chocolate chips (white, dark, semi-sweet, or butterscotch)
- Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.)
You can add as many mix-ins as you like. And don’t worry about specific measurements for any of these additions—just add to your preference based on what you have to hand.
Tried & Tested Recipe Tips!
- Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts in the microwave. Stir every 20-30 seconds. The moment it starts to mix smoothly with the peanut butter, it’s ready. Don’t let it overheat, or it’ll become thick and lumpy.
- I add a little powdered sugar to the bottom of the ziplock bag first before adding the chocolate-covered cereal to the bag, followed by the rest of the powdered sugar. This way, you can be sure all the powdered sugar is evenly distributed to coat each piece of cereal!
- It may be hard to resist eating these as soon as you make them, but you definitely want to refrigerate them for about 30 minutes before serving so they can set. Sometimes, I even pop them in the freezer for a few minutes for the ultimate crunch!
How to Store Homemade Puppy Chow
You can store your puppy chow Chex mix in the refrigerator for about a week. I always keep them in an airtight container to ensure they stay fresh and crunchy. But be warned: they probably won’t last that long because they’re seriously addictive! You can also freeze homemade muddy buddies for up to 2 months. Either enjoy them straight from the freezer or let them come to room temperature before digging in.
Puppy Chow Recipe
Servings 14 servings (about ½ a cup each)Ingredients
- 7 cups Rice Chex cereal ($2.10)
- 1 ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips ($3.00)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter ($0.64)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.14)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided ($0.75)
Instructions
- Add the rice chex cereal to a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl add the chocolate, peanut butter, and butter. Melt the chocolate mixture in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts. The moment it starts to mix smoothly with the peanut butter, it’s ready. Don’t let it overheat or else it will become thick and lumpy.*
- Add the melted chocolate mixture to the bowl with the cereal. Carefully mix them together with a rubber spatula.
- Open a large ziplock plastic bag. Add about ⅓ cup of the powdered sugar to the bottom of the bag. Next add all of the chocolate covered cereal to the bag. Now add the rest of the powdered sugar to the bag.
- Seal the bag well and shake until the cereal is evenly coated with the powdered sugar.
- Spread the mix on to a parchment lined baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the chocolate and powdered sugar can set.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week and enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
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how to make Puppy Chow – step by step photos
Add 7 cups rice chex cereal to a large bowl.
In a separate bowl add 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup peanut butter, and 1 Tbsp butter.
Melt the chocolate mixture in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts. The moment it starts to mix smoothly with the peanut butter, it’s ready. Don’t let it overheat or else it will become thick and lumpy.
Add the melted chocolate mixture to the bowl with the cereal.
Carefully mix them together with a rubber spatula.
Open a large ziplock plastic bag. Add about ⅓ cup of the powdered sugar to the bottom of the bag. Next add all of the chocolate covered cereal to the bag. Now add the rest of the powdered sugar to the bag.
Seal the bag well and shake until the cereal is evenly coated with the powdered sugar.
Spread the mix on to a parchment lined baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the chocolate and powdered sugar can set.
This recipe is a kid-friendly treat that’s perfect for parties, movie nights, or just a sweet snack for anytime! You could also package them in cute bags or containers and give them as gifts during the holidays.
