Puppy Chow Recipe

Puppy chow, also known as Muddy Buddies, is one of my all-time favorite sweet snacks. This easy no-bake snack mix is made with Chex cereal coated in melted chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and butter, then covered in powdered sugar. The combination of crunchy cereal, chocolate, and peanut butter is completely irresistible!

I grew up making and eating puppy chow, and it's always been a staple at our house, especially during the holidays. It's the perfect treat for parties, movie nights, game day, or any day! It also makes a great homemade gift during the holidays. Put it in a cute jar or bag and share it with your family and friends. It's an EASY recipe that everyone loves!

It's the perfect treat for parties, movie nights, game day, or any day! It also makes a great homemade gift during the holidays. Put it in a cute jar or bag and share with your family and friends. It's an EASY recipe that everyone loves! So nostalgic!

Why You'll Love This Puppy Chow

• Easy to make: You only need a handful of simple ingredients and there's no oven involved.
• Chocolate + peanut butter: It's a classic combination that is hard to resist!
• Perfect for sharing: Puppy chow is great for parties, holidays, game days, movie nights, and gifting.
• Make-ahead friendly: It keeps well and can even be stored in the freezer.

Puppy Chow Ingredients & Substitutions

The ingredients are simple, you probably have most of them in your kitchen right now! I use Rice Chex because I love the light, crispy texture, but Corn Chex or Crispix will work too. Creamy conventional peanut butter works best for the smoothest chocolate-peanut butter coating.

• Chex Cereal – Chex Cereal is the classic ingredient in puppy chow. I prefer Rice Chex Cereal, but Corn Chex will work too. Crispix is another cereal that is commonly used to make puppy chow, just note that the shape of your puppy chow will just be a little different.
• Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, I think milk chocolate chips are too sweet for this recipe, but if they are your favorite and you like things super sweet, you can use them. Dark chocolate chips are a good option too.
• Peanut Butter – Conventional peanut butter like JIF or Skippy works best for this puppy chow recipe! I highly recommend using creamy peanut butter and not crunchy peanut butter. For allergy-friendly, peanut butter-free puppy chow, the peanut butter in this recipe can be substituted with cashew butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter (like SunButter).
• Butter – I like to use salted butter for a little salty kick! If you use unsalted butter, you can add a pinch of salt, if you wish!
• Vanilla Extract – A little vanilla extract goes a long way in terms of flavor!
• Powdered Sugar – a.k.a. Confectioners' sugar. Powdered sugar gives the puppy chow the perfect sweet finish, along with its signature sugar-dusted look.

How to Make Puppy Chow

Did I mention that puppy chow is a no-bake dessert? That's just one more reason to love it. Your fingers will be covered with powdered sugar by the end of it and you'll be buzzing from the smells of peanut butter and chocolate! Not really a bad thing.

Here's how to whip up a big batch of puppy chow in no time:

• Prepare your chocolate and peanut butter mixture. Use a medium, microwave-safe bowl to melt the chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter together. Start with 1 minute on high, stir, and heat again in bursts, stirring in between until the mixture is smooth. Lastly, add in the vanilla extract.
• Place your Chex Cereal in a large bowl. You will need six cups of Rice Chex. A lot of recipes I've seen call for nine cups, but a friend once taught me that six is the magic number. It really maximizes the chocolate peanut butter flavor. I'm officially converted!

• Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the cereal. Stir the mixture GENTLY with a spatula or large spoon, making sure to not crush the cereal. You want it to stay in whole, grabbable pieces! When the cereal is evenly coated, transfer it to a large Ziploc bag.

• Add the powdered sugar. You will need 1½ to 2 cups of confectioner's sugar, depending on how well-coated you like your puppy chow. Make sure to seal the bag before you give it a good shake! Kids love helping with this part. Shake until all of the cereal is evenly coated in white.
• Let It Cool. Spread the puppy chow onto a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Let it sit until the chocolate is completely hardened, about 2 hours at room temperature. To speed up the process, you can pop it in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes.

How to Store Puppy Chow

Puppy chow is a great make-ahead snack and keeps well when stored properly.

• Storing on the Counter: Homemade puppy chow will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Storing in the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Freezing: My preferred way to store puppy chow. Puppy chow is SO good frozen, trust me! Place the sweet snack in a freezer-safe bag or freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy frozen, right out of the freezer!

Tasty Variations

The classic chocolate and peanut butter combination is hard to beat, but there are lots of fun ways to switch things up!

• Cereal: You can use Crispix cereal instead of Chex.
• Extra Chocolate: Add a handful of mini chocolate chips after the puppy chow has cooled.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter: Use milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet for a sweeter, creamier flavor.
• Peanut-Free: Use creamy SunButter or another peanut-free alternative in place of the peanut butter.
• Nutty: Try creamy almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.
• Holiday Puppy Chow: Add colorful sprinkles or seasonal candies once the puppy chow has cooled.
• Sweet & Salty: Stir in pretzels, popcorn, or your favorite salty snack for a sweet-and-salty twist.

Puppy Chow vs. Muddy Buddies: Are They the Same Snack? 

Yes! Puppy Chow and Muddy Buddies are essentially the same sweet snack. Both are made with crunchy Chex cereal coated in chocolate and peanut butter, then tossed in powdered sugar. Muddy Buddies is the name used by Chex, while Puppy Chow is the name commonly used for homemade versions of the treat.

Whatever you call it, this chocolate peanut butter snack is always a hit!