Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies)
Posted Feb 21, 2018, Updated May 31, 2024
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The Best Puppy Chow Recipe (AKA: Muddy Buddies) ever! Only 4 ingredients (no butter) and a few minutes results in an irresistible dessert loaded with chocolate and peanut butter! The perfect sweet treat to feed a crowd!
Listen carefully, my 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.
Now the name of this treat can be controversial. 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.
I make this dessert more than any others on my website (except for our famous chocolate chip cookies). It’s my favorite and it’s so easy to make!
Puppy Chow Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
There are only 4 ingredients in this muddy buddies recipe! But there are a few ways you can adapt it 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 can make your own refined sugar free variety.
How to Make Puppy Chow
This puppy chow recipe is very easy to make, however the method matters, a LOT. I consider myself a muddy buddies expert, so I devised the absolute perfect method to making the best puppy chow ever – no butter required.
Melt Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Melt equal parts of chocolate (semi-sweet or dark) and peanut butter together. Start by warming it for 60 seconds, stir and then warm in increments of 30 seconds so you don’t make it too hot!
Stir
The chocolate peanut butter mixture together until it’s smooth and glossy.
Assemble
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.
Chill
Next, mix it all together, making sure the cereal is thickly coated . Then put the muddy buddies 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 in the end.
Add Powdered Sugar
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.
Chill Again
Next, let the muddy buddies 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.
Harden
Let the puppy chow sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, until it’s hardened.
Serve
Serve this puppy chow recipe at room temperature or only slightly chilled. If it is in an environment that is too warm, it could start to melt, so be careful.
Store/Freeze
Store this puppy chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week (if it lasts that long) or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Puppy Chow Recipe FAQs
Yes! this puppy chow recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months!
This puppy chow stays fresh for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container (but it usually gets eaten way faster)!
You can substitute sunflower seed butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc. for peanut butter.
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Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies)
Ingredients
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 cups Rice Chex Cereal
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt peanut butter and chocolate together, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Next, add 3 cups of cereal to a large bowl. Pour 1 cup of the chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the cereal.
- Add 3 more cups of cereal to the bowl and then pour the rest of the chocolate/peanut butter mixture on top.
- Stir until the cereal is evenly coated. If there are pools of chocolate/peanut butter at the bottom of your bowl, add more cereal ¼ cup at a time until all the melted chocolate is being used to coat the cereal – up to a total of 7 cups of cereal.
- 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.
- Once your mixture is at or below room temperature, add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Chill in the refrigerator for an additional 15 minutes.
- Add more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time until the cereal is coated to your satisfaction.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- 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! 😉
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is such a good recipe. I’ve agreed, for a long time, that there is no need for additional butter. Also, the idea of chilling, before adding the sugar, is brilliant. You don’t need as much sugar because it isn’t immediately absorbed by warm chocolate. And my favorite part is using semi-sweet chocolate. My granddaughter just got a whole bag as part of her birthday gift.
Thank you so much Mary! This is a recipe I love very much and am extra passionate about – so it always warms my heart when others enjoy my personal tweaks to make it perfect! 🙂
I make puppy chow about once every two years because I can’t stop eating it. Just made this recipe tonight and the technique was 🔥. Why haven’t I tried this before?? Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you Sara! It’s all about the technique! 😉 Here’s to many more batches of delicious puppy chow!
Wow!! Can’t wait to try this
You will love it Shelby!
This is the perfect puppy chow recipe, I’ve made it twice now.
Thank you Susan! It’s my favorite – I’m so glad you love it too!
This is so good! Love that it doesn’t call for butter like some do. I add a splash of peppermint extract when making this during Christmas time and add red and green peanut butter m&ms. Delicious!
Than you Ashleigh!
Yum!! This was great!
Thank you Kelly!
Can I add the cereal to the bowl in which I melted the chocolate and peanut butter?
Thanks !
Yes you can, just be sure to use a spatula to get all the melted chocolate mixture off the sides and bottom of the bowl and fully mix it in with the cereal. If you don’t, it will stick to the bowl instead of the cereal as it chills.
Easiest recipe ever, and it turned out picture perfect! Thank you!
Thank you so much Kris!
My 2 of 5 Granddaughters will one Friday for making Christmas Eve treats. Delani will be making the Puppy Chow. It’s her favorite!! She is in her Senior Years of College. She’s going to be a School Teacher. She will do an extra year to finish her Masters. My other Granddaughter Faith will be coming to help. She is due March with a baby girl. Faith is a Dental Assistant. We have 3 Great Granddaughters so far. Two of them are two years old and we have another that is 3 months old. They are so much fun!! Laura, thank you for posting this recipe. I’m making my list for the store. Have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!🎄🎄
Wow, you are one blessed mom and grandma! What a gift to be able to make puppy chow with so many beloved family members! Merry Christmas, Shirley!
Best Puppy Chow mix ever! I am a principal of an elementary school and made this as one of the choices for a staff of 75. They loved it! This recipe is so easy and the chilling part before adding the powdered sugar was a great idea!
Thank you so much, Jess!
Thanks so much! Must have Christmas favorite!
Thank you so much Maureen! Merry Christmas!
How long can this be stored and remain fresh?
It stays fresh for up to 5 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer!