Name: Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 9 cups Rice Chex cereal; 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

This puppy chow recipe (also called muddy buddies) is made with Rice Chex cereal coated in melted chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter, then shaken in a bag of powdered sugar.

Every piece ends up sweet, crunchy, and covered in that snowy coating.

It’s a go-to for movie nights, holiday cookie trays, bake sales, and road trip snacks, and it takes about 15 minutes with no oven. I pack it into jars for gifts or set out a big bowl next to these Christmas movie night snacks.

If you’re into no-bake treats and party snacks, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Rice Chex is the classic, but Corn Chex or a mix of both works the same. Creamy peanut butter coats more evenly than natural styles, which tend to separate.

Ingredients

9 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Measure the cereal into a very large mixing bowl.
Pick a bowl that seems too big, since you need plenty of room to fold without crushing the pieces.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and set it nearby.
Pick out any crushed or broken cereal pieces as you measure, since crumbs soak up chocolate and turn into sticky clumps.
Put the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then heat in 15 to 20 second bursts, stirring each time, until completely smooth.
Chocolate scorches fast in the microwave, so the short bursts really matter.
On the stovetop, melt everything in a small pan over low heat, stirring constantly.
The mixture should be glossy and pourable, about the thickness of warm fudge sauce.
Stir the vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate.
That small pinch of salt balances out all the powdered sugar.
Skip it and the whole batch tastes flat and overly sweet.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal.
Fold gently with a large rubber spatula, scraping from the bottom up, until every piece is coated.
Take your time here, about 1 to 2 minutes, since uncoated cereal won’t hold the powdered sugar.
Work while the chocolate is warm, because it thickens as it cools and gets harder to spread.
Put half the powdered sugar in a 2-gallon zip-top bag, add the coated cereal, then add the rest of the powdered sugar on top.
Seal the bag with some air inside and shake it hard for about 1 minute.
The trapped air gives the cereal room to tumble, which coats it more evenly.
No bag that big? Work in two batches or use a large container with a tight lid.
Spread the puppy chow out on the lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes so the chocolate sets.
If it still looks wet in spots, toss it with an extra tablespoon or two of powdered sugar.
Pile it into a bowl, serve, and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Melt slowly. Overheated chocolate goes thick and grainy and won’t coat the cereal properly. Short bursts and frequent stirring keep it smooth.
Fold, don’t stir. Chex breaks easily. A large spatula and a gentle folding motion keep the squares whole.
Add the sugar in two layers. Putting powdered sugar both under and over the cereal in the bag coats everything more evenly. Otherwise the bottom pieces end up bare.
Let it cool before storing. If you seal it while the chocolate is still warm, the pieces stick together in clumps. Give it the full 15 to 20 minutes on the tray.
Double the batch carefully. Doubling works, but coat and shake the cereal in two separate rounds. One huge batch is hard to fold without crushing, and the sugar won’t reach the middle of the bag.
Measure the cereal loosely. Don’t pack the cups. Packed cereal means less chocolate per piece, and you’ll end up with a thin, patchy coating that won’t hold the sugar.
Nut-free version. Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or cookie butter. It works exactly the same way, which makes it great for school events.
Use the right chocolate. Semi-sweet chips give the classic flavor. Milk chocolate makes it much sweeter, and dark chocolate makes it richer and a little less kid-friendly, so pick based on your crowd.
Fix a runny coating. If the puppy chow still looks damp after shaking, the chocolate was probably too warm. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then shake it again with another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Storage. Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Some people actually prefer it cold.
Freezing. Freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. It’s good eaten straight from the freezer.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Serve puppy chow in a big bowl for parties, or scoop it into small paper cups so it’s easy to grab without everyone reaching into one bowl. It’s great on dessert boards next to cookies and candy. For gifts, pack it in mason jars or clear bags tied with ribbon.

Storing Keep it in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to a week. In warm, humid weather, the fridge keeps the chocolate from getting soft. Give it a quick shake before serving, since a bit of the powdered sugar settles.

Customizing Stir in M&Ms, mini pretzels, or mini marshmallows after the sugar coating for a snack mix. Swap semi-sweet chips for white chocolate and add crushed candy canes for a holiday version. A spoonful of cocoa powder in the sugar gives you a darker, less sweet coating.