When you are in the mood for something tasty but don’t want to heat up the oven, puppy chow is the way to go! We also like making Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats, Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, and Fruity Pebbles Rice Krispies Treats! I grew up enjoying puppy chow (for humans, not dogs) so it was a shock to me that my husband had never even heard of it until we started dating. He didn’t even know it by it’s other name – muddy buddies – which seems to be more commonplace on the West Coast as compared to the Midwest, which is why I spent most of my formative years. Paul loves puppy chow so much that he decided years ago that he was going to take over as the head puppy chow maker in our household. Over the years, he has made adjustments to the recipe on the back of the Chex box and that’s the recipe I’m sharing today. The secret to the best puppy chow ever is to use chunky peanut butter and to have a higher chocolate to cereal ratio than the original recipe called for. Also, to use lots of powdered sugar to make sure every last bit of the puppy chow is coated in a sweet dusting of sugar. This puppy chow isn’t for dogs, it’s for you and what makes it even better is that it is a no-bake treat that you can whip up quickly and easily. Perfect for a fast way to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings or to get your kid comfortable with cooking in the kitchen.
What is puppy chow?
Puppy chow also known as muddy buddies, is a homemade treat that is popular in the United States. It’s a combination of cereal, peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar. With simple additions and changes, you can have it become a seasonal snack or leave it plain for any time of the year. Puppy chow (aka Chex mix muddy buddies) may be forced to endure an unsavory name (seriously, who wants to eat something that sounds like it’s made for your pet?) But there is nothing unsavory about this dish. The combinations of salty, sweet and crunchy just make it so great you want to pop another handful in your mouth. My secret to making this puppy chow recipe is to use chunky peanut butter and higher chocolate to cereal ratio than the original recipe. This really helps to hit that chocolate craving and gives a nicer texture to the finished cereal.
How to make puppy chow
Can you use different flavored Chex mix cereal?
You can! We always use plain rice Chex mix cereal, but you can certainly change it up a little and corn Chex or another flavored variety. With there being so many different flavor options available, you can mix it up and try them all to find your favorite flavor combination.
Can you freeze puppy chow/muddy buddies?
Assuming that you want to make it in advance or that you simply want to portion it out so that you don’t risk eating it all in one sitting (it’s THAT addicting!), you CAN store your puppy chow in a freezer by placing it inside of a Ziploc bag to keep it nice and fresh. Thaw or eat frozen (your choice). Just make sure that you label the bag clearly and remember where you stored it within your freezer. You don’t want to accidentally forget it’s there and place something on top of the bag as that could crush the cereal! If you like this puppy chow recipe and it’s October, you might also like my Halloween Chex mix muddy buddies!
More Easy Treat Recipes Like This!
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies Easy Marshmallow Popcorn Balls Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats Best Homemade Granola Bars Christmas Pretzel Hugs Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars Lucky Charms Snack Mix Oreo Truffles
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