Easy small batch puppy chow recipe. Chex cereal coated in a mixture of butter, peanut butter, and chocolate then tossed with powdered sugar. The best sweet and salty snack!
Puppy Chow is one of my favorite snacks. Also known as Muddy Buddies, this sweet treat is made from Chex cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. Despite its name, Puppy Chow is not meant for dogs, but rather for humans who enjoy a sweet and crunchy snack.
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Why Is It Called Puppy Chow?
Puppy Chow is believed to have originated in the Midwest and looks very much like dog kibble.
What Is The Difference Between Puppy Chow And Muddy Buddies?
No difference - Muddy Buddies is the official name of the recipe marketed by the maker of the original chocolate-covered cereal treat, General Mills. This snack is also known as Muddy Munch, Monkey Munch, and Reindeer Chow.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made with pantry staples: Puppy Chow is made with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. This easy no-bake dessert recipe is a scaled-down version of the Puppy Chow recipe I've been making for years. It's a tested and perfected recipe that everyone loves!
- Easy to customize: While the basic recipe for Puppy Chow is delicious, there are many ways to customize it by adding new flavors and textures. Some popular additions include adding M&Ms, pretzels, crushed Oreo cookies, or extra chocolate chips. Although I use white chocolate chips to create a white chocolate Puppy Chow, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips instead.
- Recipe can be doubled: If you'd like to make a larger batch of Puppy Chow, just double or triple the ingredient amounts.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Rice cereal: Use Chex cereal or a generic equivalent. Although I mostly use Rice Chex, you can use a different variety like corn or wheat.
- Chocolate chips: I like making Puppy Chow with white chocolate chips but you can use dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate instead.
- Peanut butter: I recommend using creamy peanut butter. Don't use natural peanut butter because of the oil separation. Feel free to use another nut or seed butter if you have a peanut allergy.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter.
- Powdered sugar: Also called confectioners' sugar, this ingredient gives the Puppy Chow its signature white-dusted look.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Puppy Chow
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Place the white chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high in 30 seconds intervals, mixing in between until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir until smooth
- Add the cereal to the bowl and stir until the cereal is fully coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal to a gallon-sized resealable bag.
Pro Tip: Alternatively, you can keep the cereal in the bowl and stir in the powdered sugar but I find it easier to seal the ziplock bag and shake the ingredients together rather than stirring the ingredients together in the bowl.
- Pour the powdered sugar into the bag, seal the top, and shake until the cereal is fully coated with the powdered sugar.
- Transfer to a bowl and enjoy.
Pro Tip: The chocolate will not be completely firm but is still great to eat at this point. If you'd like to let the chocolate harden a bit before eating, spread the Puppy Chow out on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and place it in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section before beginning. Next, gather your ingredients so everything is close at hand.
- Use fresh ingredients. Stale cereal or old chocolate can affect the flavor and texture of the Puppy Chow.
- Shake the bag vigorously. When shaking the mixture in the plastic bag it's important to shake it vigorously. This will help to evenly coat the cereal and prevent the sugar from clumping.
Variations
This is the best Puppy Chow recipe - it's not only easy to make but it's easy to customize too. Consider adding in other ingredients like ¼ cup of any of the following: peanuts, pretzels, mini marshmallows, M&Ms or Reese's pieces, or holiday candies.
Storage
Puppy Chow tastes best within 1 to 2 days of making it but will keep well if stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This snack mix can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
For peanut butter-free Puppy Chow, use another type of nut butter or seed butter like cashew butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter.
Yes. To make a dairy-free Puppy Chow, use vegan chocolate chips or vegan white chocolate chips and margarine or vegan butter instead of butter.
Absolutely! As written, this recipe yields a wonderful amount of Puppy Chow for one or two people. If you'd like to make a larger batch, just double the ingredient amounts.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch Puppy Chow recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Peanut butter: Peanut Butter Balls, Peanut Butter Fudge, Buckeyes, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Toast With Apples
- Chocolate chips: Strawbery Scones, Peppermint Bark, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Skillet Cookie
- Powdered sugar: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Two Chocolate Cupcakes, Carrot Souffle, Apple Fritters, Ricotta Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie
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Recipe
Small Batch Puppy Chow
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups Rice Chex cereal
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the white chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high in 30 seconds intervals, mixing in between, until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir until smooth.
- Add the cereal to the bowl and stir until the cereal is fully coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal to a gallon-sized resealable bag.Pro Tip: Alternatively, you can keep the cereal in the bowl and stir in the powdered sugar but I find it easier to seal the ziplock bag and shake the ingredients together rather than stirring the ingredients together in the bowl.
- Pour the powdered sugar into the bag, seal the top, and shake until the cereal is fully coated with the powdered sugar.
- Transfer to a bowl and enjoy.Pro Tip: The chocolate will not be completely firm but is still great to eat at this point. If you'd like to let the chocolate harden a bit before eating, spread the Puppy Chow out on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and place it in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section before beginning. Next, gather your ingredients so everything is close at hand.
- Use fresh ingredients. Stale cereal or old chocolate can affect the flavor and texture of the Puppy Chow.
- Shake the bag vigorously. When shaking the mixture in the plastic bag it's important to shake it vigorously. This will help to evenly coat the cereal and prevent the sugar from clumping.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
J. Hegyi says
Great recipe.
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you.