The Best Puppy Chow Recipe

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Puppy Chow, also known as ‘Muddy Buddies’, is a salty, sweet, no bake chocolate and peanut butter snack mix. It is most definitely the most addicting and satisfying peanut butter and chocolate concoction ever. If you’re wanting a snack mix without chocolate or peanut butter you need to try my Cherry Almond Chex Mix. It’s also one that you can polish off in one sitting without even realizing. Yum!

Pro Tips for Making the Best Puppy Chow

• This recipe calls for rice or corn Chex cereal. I’ve tried it with rice and I’ve tried it with corn and truth be told, I loved this recipe best when using both kinds of cereal. Of course, to each her own when it comes to this! Use what you have or can find. 🙂

• Use a large mixing bowl (larger than you think!) for stirring this all together. A large bowl ensures quicker, more thorough mixing and therefore a more evenly coated puppy chow. It’s better to have a bowl too big than too small.

• Use Salted Butter – The salt in the butter helps balance all that sugar while the butter itself helps the peanut butter and chocolate mix together better.

• Vanilla is optional! I didn’t notice a huge difference using it versus not using it, so again, no biggie if you leave it out. Some people swear by using vanilla extract, while others leave it out altogether. It really is a matter of preference.

• Tossing the puppy chow with powdered sugar in a zip top bag is the easiest, mess-free way to get everything coated. I like measuring 1 cup of powdered sugar on the bottom, adding in the cereal and then topping it off with another half cup. Seal with a lot of air inside and shake. After about 45 seconds, everything should be well coated.

• To ensure you don’t get large clumps of cereal stuck together, spread the puppy chow onto a baking sheet right after it’s been coated in powdered sugar to cool (or is it harden?). I usually don’t have any issues with clumps.

How to Make this Puppy Chow Recipe

Believe it or not, this recipe comes together in about 10 minutes and tastes so so good! A no bake treat at its best. For full recipe details and ingredient measurements see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Measure Chex Cereal

Measure out Rice Chex or Corn Chex (or a combination of both) into a large bowl.

Melt Chocolate, Peanut Butter + Butter Together

In a separate bowl, measure out chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter.

Microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring as you go, until it’s completely smooth and melted. Then add in the vanilla and stir. Pour melted chocolate mixture over cereal and stir to coat evenly.

Add Powdered Sugar + Chocolate Covered Chex Together + Toss

Add powdered sugar into the bottom of a large zip top bag. Pour in coated cereal and top with remaining powdered sugar. Seal bag closed and shake to coat.

Spread onto Parchment Paper

Spread finished puppy chow onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and separate any large chunks. Sprinkle over any extra powdered sugar as needed.

How to Store Puppy Chow

I have found the easiest and best way to store this recipe is spooning it right back into a large zip top bag. It’s airtight and can fit on any cupboard or shelf. Some people like their puppy chow cold, so it is totally okay to store it in the fridge!

If you’re giving as gifts, cellophane bags tied very tightly with ribbon will work as well. Makes for a great make-ahead gift.

Shelf Life

At room temperature, the puppy chow will last up to 10 days. In the fridge, it should last closer to two weeks. That is if you can stop snacking on it. SO deliciously addicting!

Love Puppy Chow? Try these other recipes:

• Rainbow Muddy Buddies
• Perfect no bake cookies
• Salted Chocolate & Ritz Nougat No Bake Bars
• Nutter Butter Nutella Icebox Cake
• Homemade Ice Cream Cake
• Scotcharoos

I hope Puppy Chow is on your list to make this week. It’s perfect for afternoon snacks, Halloween and other holidays or late night treats for us mommas. Enjoy, friends! 🙂

Fun Facts and Notable Attributes of Muddy Buddies

What is special about this puppy chow recipe? What makes so many people give this snack 5 stars? Is it the creamy peanut butter, the milk chocolate chips, or the fact that it looks almost like dog food? Below, I’ll share some of my favorite attributes of this recipe and a few fun facts.

1. It’s called puppy chow because it has a similar appearance and texture to dog kibble. Some people also refer to it as monkey munch, reindeer chow, or muddy buddies.
2. The reason behind the two most common names for the puppy chow recipe is that people started making it and called it puppy chow. Later, Chex officially published a recipe on the back of their cereal boxes but called it muddy buddies.
3. The recipe is incredibly versatile, for instance:
   • Some people aren’t fond of peanut butter, so they use sunflower seed butter or another nut or seed butter (like almond butter or cashew butter).
   • You can choose between rice cereal and corn cereal.
   • One doesn’t have to use milk chocolate. You can also use semisweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips.
   • You can add less powdered sugar or more powdered sugar, depending on your preferences.
   • If you find the recipe overly sweet, consider using less powdered sugar and using semisweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate. You can also use unsweetened peanut butter and rely on the sugar and chocolate to sweeten your puppy chow muddy buddies.
4. If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this chocolate-coated cereal mixture can last for up to two weeks. This means you can make puppy chow ahead in preparation for events you know are coming up.
5. Since muddy buddies is essentially a chocolate peanut butter mixture blended with corn or rice Chex cereal, you require little to no cooking skills to make the best puppy chow recipe (that’s this one, to clarify).
6. This puppy chow recipe only takes around 10 minutes to make.
7. You don’t even need a pot for making puppy chow; you can use a microwave-safe bowl.
8. Since muddy buddies largely consist of chocolate and peanut butter (both of which can be very sticky), ensure that you use non-stick spray on your mixing bowls. This will help you to wash off the remnants of the chocolate mixture after making the puppy chow recipe.
9. You don’t have to follow the recipe strictly to make the puppy chow good for your family. Follow the recipe strictly the first time, then play with it. You could probably add anything from M&M’s, mini marshmallows to shredded coconut and crushed nuts or even raisins and dates. Think of this sweet snack as your own personalized trail mix.
10. For those who loved puppy chow growing up, this is the best recipe you’ll find for the sweet treat. It adheres closely to the original recipe, and the most complicated step is to pour the chocolate mixture and gently stir it in.