Puppy Chow Popcorn, Easy No Bake Snack

Name: Puppy Chow Popcorn Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 10-11 cups plain popcorn, (2 (3.29 ounce) bags (can use butter or kettle too)); 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips; ½ cup creamy peanut butter; ½ cup unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 cups powdered sugar, (divided)

You’ll Keep Coming Back for More

Get ready for a dessert that’s so good, you’ll want to eat the whole bowl! Our incredible puppy chow popcorn takes movie night to the next level, turning a simple bag of popcorn into a crazy-good treat.

So, what’s the secret? This recipe takes a classic Puppy Chow Recipe and swaps out the Chex cereal for crispy, fluffy popcorn. It’s also easy to customize by adding festive sprinkles or candies to make it the perfect Christmas or Halloween Snack.

It’s the perfect mix of sweet & salty, crunchy & smooth. The best part is that it’s super quick to make, making it the perfect last-minute treat for a get-together or a quiet night at home.

If you love popcorn treats, you will be sure to love our Birthday Cake Popcorn, Popcorn Bars, and Cookies and Cream Popcorn

Why we think you’ll love it:

Simple ingredients: You likely have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now!
Great for all ages: Kids and adults alike will love this treat, and it’s a perfect party snack or for a family night at home.
Quick to make: From start to finish, this treat is ready in minutes, making it the perfect last-minute dessert or snack.

Ingredients to make puppy chow popcorn on a kitchen counter.

Puppy Chow Popcorn Ingredients

Plain popcorn (10 – 11 cups, two 3.29-ounce microwave bag) **Can use butter or kettle too – The crunchy base that holds all the chocolatey goodness. If you don’t have plain popcorn, you can use lightly salted or kettle corn.
Semisweet chocolate chips (1 ½ cups) – Melts into a rich, smooth coating. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips work just as well, depending on how rich you want the final product to be.
Creamy peanut butter (½ cup) – Adds flavor and helps the chocolate stick to the popcorn. You can also use almond butter or sunbutter as a substitute if there are peanut allergies.
Unsalted butter (½ cup) – Makes the coating extra silky and helps it spread evenly.
Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) – Rounds out the flavors with a sweet, warm finish.
Powdered sugar (3 cups, divided) – Creates that light, sweet coating everyone loves on Muddy Buddies-style snacks.

How to Make Puppy Chow Popcorn

Butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter in a saucepan.

Melted peanut butter chocolate coating in a saucepan.

MAKE POPCORN. Place 10-11 cups of popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. Remove unpopped kernels.

SAUCE. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Melt, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Pouring the chocolate peanut butter coating over a bowl of fluffy popcorn.

A bowl of popcorn coating in a chocolate peanut butter sauce.

COAT. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over popcorn, stirring until evenly coated.

The chocolate coated Popcorn covered with powdered suagr in a Ziplock bag.

Coated puppy chow popcorn spread out to cool on a baking sheet.

SHAKE. Add 1 cup powdered sugar to a gallon bag and add half of the chocolate-coated popcorn. Add ½ cup powdered sugar on top. Seal the bag and shake until well coated. Spread out on a piece of waxed paper to cool. Repeat this process with the remaining popcorn.

SERVE. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store.

A small bowl filled with puppy chow popcorn.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

Instead of using microwave popcorn bags, you can use ⅓-½ cup of unpopped popcorn kernels, which will make 10-11 cups of popcorn.
Don’t overheat the sauce: Use medium-low heat and stir frequently to prevent scorching the chocolate.
You can add festive sprinkles, M&Ms, or other candies.

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Puppy Chow Popcorn Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Puppy chow popcorn is an irresistible sweet and salty snack that's easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit.

Servings: 10

Prep: 10

Cook: 10

Cool Time: 15

Total: 35

Ingredients

▢ 10-11 cups plain popcorn, 2 (3.29 ounce) bags (can use butter or kettle too)
▢ 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
▢ ½ cup creamy peanut butter
▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 3 cups powdered sugar, divided

Instructions

Place 10-11 cups of popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. Remove unpopped kernels.
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 popcorn, stirring until evenly coated.
Add 1 cup powdered sugar to a gallon bag and add half of the chocolate coated popcorn. Add ½ cup powdered sugar on top. Seal bag and shake until well coated. Spread out on a piece of waxed paper to cool. Repeat this process with the remaining popcorn.
Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Instead of using microwave popcorn bags, you can use 1/3-1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn kernels, which will make 10-11 cups of popcorn.
Don’t overheat the sauce: Use medium-low heat and stir frequently to prevent scorching the chocolate.
You can add festive sprinkles, M&Ms, or other candies.

Make ahead of time. You can make this recipe up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also place the container in the fridge to help it stay fresh a little longer.

For more substitutions and tips, check out the full recipe post

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 61mg, Potassium: 266mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 319IU, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

Make it ahead of time?

You can make this recipe up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

How to store?

To keep your leftovers fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also place the container in the fridge to help it stay fresh a little longer.