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Ready in only 15 minutes, this insanely easy chocolate and peanut butter puppy chow recipe is a no-bake favorite!
Quick and Easy Puppy Chow
Every Friday in our house is movie night, and this puppy chow recipe makes a frequent appearance. The best part? This dessert is ready in 15 minutes, making it a no-bake favorite!
We’ve made it for as long as we can remember (us sisters use to sell it at boutiques when we were younger) and now love to serve it at parties and holiday gatherings.
Whether your family calls it “Puppy Chow,” “Muddy Buddies,” or “Muddy Munch,” this easy dessert recipe for kids is one we ALL love and one we know you’ll LOVE too.
why we love it:
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 5 minutes
- 9 cups Chex cereal – Use any variety such as Wheat, Honey-nut, Rice Chex, or Corn Chex cereal. Chex mix brands are all gluten-free except the Wheat Chex.
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips – or milk chocolate, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter – For best results use regular peanut butter but natural peanut butter, Nutella, almond butter, seed butter, or another nut butter can also be used.
- ½ cup unsalted butter – or use margarine or dairy-free butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- add-ins (optional) – marshmallows, peanuts, almonds, pretzels, M&M’s, Reese’s pieces, or customize with holiday candy
How to Make Puppy Chow
- PREP. Place 9 cups cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
- SAUCE. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the 1 cup chocolate chips, ½ cup peanut butter, and ½ cup butter by combining and cooking these until smooth (stirring frequently). Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- COAT. Pour the melted chocolate over cereal, lightly stirring with a spatula until evenly coated.
- Pour melted chocolate mixture into a 2-gallon ziploc bag. Add 1½ cups powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated.
- SERVE. Spread out on a piece of waxed paper to cool, then serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store.
Puppy Chow Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 cups Chex Cereal, rice or corn
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place 9 cups cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
- Pour into a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag and shake until well coated.
- Spread out on a piece of waxed paper to cool, then serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store.
Video
Notes
- S’mores: Prepare puppy chow as directed, then mix in 4 cups Golden Grahams and 2 cups mini marshmallows.
- Cookies and cream: Add about 8 crushed Oreos to the bag along with the powdered sugar.
- Holiday: Add 1 cup of holiday M&M’s or other holiday-colored candies to the mix.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
You can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Place cooled puppy chow in a freezer-safe container and store it for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw before eating.
My only wish is that I should have doubled the recipe! My family devoured this. I used white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips.
We love puppy chow and this recipe was complete perfection! Thank you so much for sharing.
What size Chex mix box?
One of our favorite treats! One time, I was out of cereal and still wanted some, so we tried it with popcorn!! Popped a bowl of popcorn and did the same with the ingredients!! WOW! I’ve made it with popcorn for so long, I have almost forgotten you can use cereal!!! And yes, we call it puppy chow!!
Thank you so much
Why do some of the chex mix ball up. Not all of mine are nice and single pieces
I have always loved puppy chow and this recipe is amazing! if you need like a snack for sports or dance, this is a great choice!
Puppie chow was always a favorite treat of mine when I was a child, now I enjoy making it with my own kids.
I have made this recipe several times, not just at Christmas, but all years. Young and old love the taste. Never lasts long.
Love this recipe. Will have to make another batch