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Puppy Chow Recipe

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The Best Puppy Chow Recipe  (AKA: Muddy Buddies) EVER! Only 4 ingredients and a few minutes results in an irresistible dessert loaded with chocolate and peanut butter! The perfect sweet treat to feed a crowd! 

Overhead view of a bowl of the best puppy chow recipe with a spoon full of peanut butter and a bowl full of chocolate chips near it

My love language is dessert. Sometimes I even determine the amount of dinner I eat based on how much dessert I would like to consume that evening.

However, in my opinion, dessert has to be chocolatey…like insanely chocolatey. Or full of peanut butter. Or, if you make me something that’s both insanely chocolatey and full of peanut butter…you’ll win me over for life.

Seriously, usually the only time I eat desserts that are vanilla-y or fruity is when I’m trying to be polite…which is the opposite of my husband and kids. Their desserts of choice include vanilla cake, key lime pie, and gummy bears.

No thanks. This Puppy Chow recipe meets all the criteria for a perfect dessert, and then some! Plus it’s gluten-free and dairy-free!

This Puppy Chow Recipe is one of my top five favorite desserts. I’m usually satisfied with just a small amount of something sweet after dinner. However, when it comes to puppy chow, I could literally eat an entire batch myself. It’s the only treat that I consider truly dangerous (or maybe it should consider me dangerous).

Overhead view of a mixing bowl half of it filled with creamy peanut butter, the other half filled with chocolate chips, in the making of the best puppy chow recipe

I’m a midwesterner (born and raised) so I call this treat “Puppy Chow.” It has other names too, like muddy buddies, monkey munch, etc., but no matter what you call it, it’s delicious.

Listen carefully now, my version of this Puppy Chow Recipe is not for the faint of heart. You will never find weak puppy chow in my kitchen. You know what I mean? The stuff that is so thinly coated with chocolate and peanut butter that the powdered sugar barely sticks to it?

Not on my watch. I want clumps, and globs, and hunks, and chunks of chocolate-peanut buttery goodness.

Overhead view of a mixing bowl filled with melted chocolate and peanut butter swirled together in the making of the best puppy chow recipe

How to Make Puppy Chow Recipe 

Every step in making this recipe is so beautiful, I had to share some process shots with you! Start by melting equal parts of chocolate (semi-sweet or dark) and peanut butter together. (Look at that picture up there, seriously look). If you want it to be dairy free, just use dairy-free chocolate chips!

1. Don’t use too much cereal!

Next, put some cereal in the bottom of a large bowl, pour some of the peanut butter/chocolate mixture on top, and continue to alternate cereal/chocolate/cereal, etc. until you’ve used up all the ingredients. The key here is to start VERY conservatively with the amount of cereal! You do NOT, I repeat, do NOT want to use too much cereal. It will ruin your puppy chow, and consequently, your day.

side view melted chocolate/peanut butter being poured into a mixing bowl filled with rice squares cereal in the making of the best puppy chow recipe

2. Chill! 

Next, mix it all together, making sure the cereal is thickly coated . Then put it somewhere to cool off (outside in the winter, or in the refrigerator) before adding any powdered sugar.

This step is absolutely crucial. I am not into sickeningly  sweet desserts, so I like to use as little powdered sugar as possible. If you add the powdered sugar while the mixture is still warm it will soak right in and won’t help separate the chunks at all. Making sure your mixture is slightly cooled will mean you can use less powdered sugar!

Overhead view of a mixing bowl filled with rice squares cereal with a pool of melted chocolate and peanut butter poured on top in the making of the best puppy chow recipe

Once the mixture is at or just below room temperature, but not hard, add the powdered sugar until there is a thin coating and some of the pieces start separating. It’s helpful to use a bowl with a lid, so you can shake it to coat the cereal evenly.

3. Chill AGAIN!

Next, let it cool down even more (for about 15 or 20 more minutes) before adding a little more powdered sugar. You want to add just enough so that the puppy chow can be eaten without making your hands a chocolatey-mess.

Overhead view of a mixing bowl filled with rice squares cereal coated with chocolate & peanut butter in the making of the best puppy chow recipe

I LOVE this dessert because you get the maximum amount of insane deliciousness with minimal effort.  Seriously, it only has four (4!) ingredients!

It is gluten-free and can be dairy-free & vegan (with the right choice of chocolate)! It’s perfect to feed a crowd too, because people can take as much or as little as they’d like!

Side view of a bowl of the best puppy chow recipe coated in powdered sugar

Puppy Chow Recipe: Substitutions 

There are only 4 ingredients here people! But there are a few ways you can change this recipe up if you’d like!

  • Chocolate. I recommend using a dark or semi-sweet variety. In my opinion, making this Puppy Chow Recipe with milk chocolate makes it too sweet. But if you have a serious sweet tooth by all means use whatever chocolate you prefer! If you need an allergy-friendly chocolate both Sunspire and Enjoy Life Foods make great options!
  • Rice Cereal. Chex is my favorite cereal to use (or a generic equivalent)! However many people love Crispex!
  • Peanut Butter. You can substitute any nut or seed butter if you’re allergic to peanuts!
  • Powdered sugar. There’s really no substitute for this. You could make your own refined sugar free variety but it will NOT be white. So if you’re OK with that then go for it! 😉

Shop Puppy Chow Making Essentials

Side view of hands holding a bowl of the best puppy chow recipe coated in powdered sugar

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5 from 8 votes
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Puppy Chow Recipe

The Best Puppy Chow Recipe EVER! Only 4 ingredients and a few minutes results in an irresistible dessert loaded with chocolate and peanut butter! The perfect sweet treat to feed a crowd! AKA: Muddy Buddies! Plus, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! 

Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas puppy chow, easy puppy chow recipe, muddy buddies recipe, puppy chow, pupy chow recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chilling time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 15 servings
Calories 230.6 kcal
Author Laura

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Melt peanut butter and chocolate together, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  2. Next, add 3 cups of cereal to a large bowl. Pour 1 cup of your chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the cereal.
  3. Add 3 more cups of cereal to the bowl and then pour the rest of the chocolate/peanut butter mixture on top.
  4. Stir until the cereal is evenly coated. If there are pools of chocolate/peanut butter at the bottom of your bowl, add more cereal 1/4 cup at a time until all that deliciousness is coating your cereal. Remember we WANT clumps, so do NOT add too much cereal!
  5. Let the mixture cool slightly (I throw mine in the fridge or outside on my porch if it's cold out). You do not want it to harden!
  6. Once your mixture is at or below room temperature, add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
  7. Let cool for about 15 minutes.
  8. Add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until your cereal is coated to your satisfaction.
  9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, if it lasts more than 0.3 seconds.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts
Puppy Chow Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 230.6 Calories from Fat 110
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.2g 19%
Potassium 62.4mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 28.6g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2.7g 11%
Sugars 1.3g
Protein 6.1g 12%
Vitamin A 4%
Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 4.4%
Iron 22.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post was originally published on February 25, 2016. It has been updated with new photos and more helpful instructions, but the recipe remains the same! 

Overhead view of a bowl of the best puppy chow recipe with a mom's hand her baby's hand reaching into the bowl to take a piece

Question: What’s the dessert in your life that should consider you dangerous?

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

The Best Puppy Chow Recipe EVER! Only 4 ingredients and a few minutes results in an irresistible dessert loaded with chocolate and peanut butter! The perfect sweet treat to feed a crowd! AKA: Muddy Buddies! Plus, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! #puppychow #muddybuddies #dessert #glutenfree #dairyfree #vegan #chocolate #peanutbutter
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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Isn’t it amazing the foods we use to eat at sporting competitions when we were young?! I laugh at some of the things I thought were “fuel” for my body during swim meets! LOL! 🙂 But puppy chow IS the best!

      Reply

  2. I remember having this when i was in school but never had the recipe. I’m glad I found your blog so I can make this for my kids! Thanks for the post! : )

    Reply

  4. If I haven’t done so, I would love to invite you over at Blogger Spotlight Link and Pin-it Party! It runs every Thursdays, 7pm PST until Tuesdays, 7pm. We pin all the entries and you will be seen on five blogs. Hope to see you there!

    Reply

  5. Yum! You had me at Chocolate and Peanut Butter :). My very first kindergarten class in 1995, a little girl brought me a bag of this. I loved it! I haven’t had any since then, I’ve pinned your recipe so I can add it to my grocery list for next week. Thank you for sharing with Thankful Thursdays.

    Reply

  6. It appears I led an overly-under-indulged childhood: I’d never HEARD of this until this very afternoon. What is there not to love about this? Plus, those little chunks are just so doggone (pun intended) cute. Thanks for the introduction! Woof!

    Reply

  8. This looks so yummy. I have never made puppy chow before. I want to try it though.

    Thanks for linking up at the #bloggerspotlight! Pinned to the boards 🙂

    Reply

    • Helen! That’s an awesome question and I have zero idea what the real answer is! 🙂 I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and that’s just what it was called! Maybe because it looks like dog food? LOL Maybe because once you start eating it you just can’t stop…like a dog with it’s food? It’s called other things in different regions of the country! It’s kind of like Monkey Bread…there is nothing “monkey” about it! 😉

      Reply

  14. My son would love this recipe! He has really gotten into cooking lately and he’s been looking for some snack ideas. I’m pinning this for him now. Thanks so much for sharing at Inspiration Thursday. Hope to see you again tonight!

    Reply

    • That’s so awesome! How old is your son? My daughter (5) said she wanted to learn how to cook. My husband started with Mac and Cheese and she cried because she was scared that the pot was hot. Definitely need to try with something less involved next time! 😉

      Reply

  16. “However, in my opinion, dessert has to be chocolatey…like insanely chocolatey. Or full of peanut butter. Or, if you make me something that’s both insanely chocolatey and full of peanut butter…you’ll win me over for life. Seriously, the only time I eat desserts that are vanilla-y or fruity is when I’m trying to be polite…but I usually consider them a waste of calories and time (which is the opposite of my husband and kids, whose desserts of choice include vanilla cake, key lime pie, and gummy bears. No thanks).” —- I couldn’t agree more. We see this statement so equally well that think I love you. If only you were chocolate covered peanut butter. ????????

    Reply

    • Aly, I haven’t but I’ll bet that would be AMAZING! 🙂 It would definitely be sweeter than if you made it with peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips! If you try it you’ll have to report back with how your variation tasted! 🙂

      Reply

    • Hello Michelle! There are many varieties of semi-sweet and dark chocolate bars/chips that actually are dairy free (YAY)! Enjoy Life Foods makes a whole line of dairy-free, nut-free and soy-free chocolate baking products! I use many of the dairy-free chocolate options listed in this article as well! ???? I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions!

      Reply

    • Yes! Muddy Buddies and Puppy chow are the same thing (aka: monkey munch)! I do not use butter and use a different ratio of chocolate/peanut butter mixture to cereal! 🙂

      Reply

  21. This recipe looks good and all that but I don’t believe it should be labeled “gluten and dairy free” the chocolate chips has dairy.

    Reply

    • Hello Chelsea! There are many varieties of semi-sweet and dark chocolate bars/chips that actually are dairy-free (YAY)! Enjoy Life Foods makes a whole line of dairy-free, nut-free and soy-free chocolate baking products! I use many of the dairy-free chocolate options listed in this article as well! ???? I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions!

      Reply

    • Mine don’t! I think fir this of us who are dairy free, we understand that you need dairy free chocolate, which thankfully, these days, is easy to come by! Yay for Enjoy Life chips!!!

      Reply

  23. Hi Laura! As this is going around Pinterest again, it would be great if you made note in the title, or somewhere prominent, that this “Puppy Chow” is not for dogs before some idiot feeds it to their Christmas puppy and it dies from chocolate toxicity. The dogs of the world will thank you because sometimes they are smarter than their people. Mine is much smarter than I am but he would say I’m highly trainable. Thank you for your time. And for caring about our fur babies.

    Reply

    • Janie! Thank you for your concern for the puppies of the world! 🙂 I hope anyone who owns a dog would know to NEVER ever feed it chocolate! 😉 I hope you and your dog have a great Thanksgiving this week!

      Reply

  24. Question…would it work as well using natural peanut butter? We’ve made the switch and I’d rather forego the added sugar and hydrogenated oil, if possible. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Yes! True story, I am actually just about to make some and use natural! 🙂 You may need a touch more powdered sugar to get it to hold up but it should be great!

      Reply


      • Hi Laura, I was curious if there were any subtle differences with the natural peanut butter, and which you preferred? I have Skippy Creamy regular peanut butter and Laura Scudder Creamy natural peanut butter in the house and was really curious about this. Thank you!

        Reply

  26. Can you use wowbutter or sunbutter instead of peanut butter? I have a child with a peanut allergy and another child with dairy allergy.

    Reply


  27. Have made this recipe twice and am officially and desperately addicted. I like to leave them in a container in the fridge though. Makes the flavor seem more crisp!

    Reply


  28. I had to follow this blog as soon as I read this article and made this recipe. Also a Midwesterner, I call it puppy chow. And I couldn’t have related more to this article. I too limit my dinner intake to accomated for how much dessert I plan to devour and if I don’t have some sort of chocolate or peanut butter each night I can hardly fall asleep because I’m craving it so badly. I made this recipe for my family who loves lots of flavor and tons of toppings and it was a major success! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes. Thank you!

    Reply

  29. I’m thinking to make this recipe tonight for my family I was just going through some blogs to check out some new recipes but I couldn’t find one, but now I think I will try this one because it looks so yummy and healthy I kids will totally like it.thanks for sharing keep posting

    Reply

  30. This looks so good, I am definitely making some! Thank you for acknowledging allergies – my daughter is allergic to dairy and peanuts but that does not mean she doesn’t love a treat! Enjoy Life chocolate chips are the best and a regular staple in our home. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply


  31. This was my all-time FAVORITE snack for my girl scout camping trips. I just never made it before tonight, I have camp training this weekend and what a great memory to share with the girls! This was very simple and quick to make!

    Reply

  33. I wondered if I could make puppy chow without butter but the closest I came to finding a recipe was one which called for 2 Tbsp. of coconut oil instead. Thank you for posting this one! BTW, at one time Chex cereals was owned by Ralston Purina who made Puppy Chow dog food. This snack looks exactly like Purina’s “milk-coated” Puppy Chow. General Mills purchased Chex cereals, and then Purina merged with Nestle, and somewhere along that line the name on the Chex box recipe changed to Muddy Buddies.

    Reply


  35. Oh my goodness, this is so good! Thank you for the recipe! I chose yours because it had more peanut butter to chocolate, and I’m so glad I did. Two thumbs up!

    Reply


  36. This recipe was EPIC! I enjoyed the puppy chow and shared it with friends and teachers while at school. Thank you!

    Reply

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