This chocolate recipe is one I’m sure many of you already have – and lots of you enjoy. In case you don’t, I thought I’d share my version! Since homemade puppy chow is one of my husband’s favorite Christmas treats, I wanted to share this puppy chow recipe (or muddy buddies as called by some).
There are so many variations of puppy chow – but they are all similar. Some recipes are made with Crispex and some are made with Chex. Some have more butter and some have less. They are all coated in powdered sugar and chocolate and all are delicious.
I took an evening and compared a couple versions with the official Chex recipe. I’ve tried many versions in the past but I think this recipe is the winner. This is the best recipe for puppy chow. My husband happily agrees.
Here’s my compilation recipe for Puppy Chow – and it only takes 5 ingredients!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.You can read more in my disclosure policy.
this …
Puppy Chow Ingredients:
8 cups cereal (Chex or Crispex, whatever you prefer) 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup butter 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (more or less as needed)
In a microwave safe bowl, mix chocolate chips, peanut butter and margarine. Microwave uncovered on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in thirty second increments until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Line one clean plastic grocery inside another. It’s a frugal trick that saves you dishes.
Measure 8 cups of cereal into the bag. Pour chocolate mix over the cereal. Twist the bags closed and gently shake the bag to coat the cereal. Toss until the cereal is completely coated.
Pour powdered sugar over the chocolate-coated cereal. Twist the bags closed and shake until the cereal is covered with powdered sugar. Periodically open the bag and move cereal around to make sure all pieces of the cereal are covered.
Empty the cereal into a covered container. Store in the refrigerator (or freezer). You can serve this puppy chow straight from the fridge or freezer. Enjoy your delicious and simple sweet snack!
Additional Puppy Chow Notes:
Puppy chow stores best in the freezer. This keeps it fresh, and honestly? You can serve it straight from the freezer without any additional thawing.
I like to store my puppy chow in quart freezer bags like these, so I can easily take a smaller bag out of the freezer when we need a special treat.
Did you know you can actually buy some brands of semi-sweet chocolate chips on Amazon for cheaper than in the store? I always watch for sales on chocolate chips, because I bake a lot. BUT, if you are in a pinch for time or baking ingredients, I recently discovered that a bundle of 6 bags of Ghiradelli’s semi-sweet chocolate chips are a good deal on Amazon!
I hope you and your family enjoy this easy puppy chow recipe as much as we do!
If you like Chex recipes, be sure to check out my 12 Days of Chex-mas! You can easily use this recipe for one of your days!
Want more easy & delicious recipes?
Sign up for our newsletter & get your free recipe book!
8cups cereal (Chex or Crispex, whatever you prefer)
1cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2cup peanut butter
1/4cup butter
1 1/2cup powdered sugar (more or less as needed)
Instructions
In a microwave safe bowl, mix chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter.
Microwave uncovered on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in thirty second increments until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Line one clean plastic grocery inside another.
Measure 8 cups of cereal into the bag.
Pour chocolate mix over the cereal. Twist the bags closed and gently shake the bag to coat the cereal. Toss until the cereal is completely coated with chocolate.
Pour powdered sugar over the chocolate-coated cereal. Twist the bags closed and shake again until the cereal is covered with powdered sugar. Periodically open the bag and move cereal around to make sure all pieces of the cereal are covered.
Empty the cereal into an air tight container. Store in the refrigerator (or freezer). You can serve this puppy chow straight from the fridge or freezer.
There's sort of an ongoing debate about the name of this chocolate-covered cereal treat. Some people call it puppy chow, while others know it by different names: muddy munch, monkey munch, or muddy buddies. Muddy Buddies is actually the official name of the recipe marketed by General Mills, the maker of Chex cereal.
What Is Puppy Chow? “Puppy chow” (a.k.a. muddy buddies) is the name for a homemade candy or snack that's made with cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. General Mills sells their own version of the popular treat, but it's easy to make at home with just a few ingredients.
Why Is My Puppy Chow Soggy? After coating the cereal mixture with powdered sugar, don't rush the process. Cool completely on a baking sheet until firm before packing into an airtight container. This step of cooling and drying is essential for puppy chow that will stay crisp, not soggy.
If you add the powdered sugar while the mixture is still warm it will soak right in and won't help separate the chunks at all. What is this? Making sure your mixture is slightly cooled will mean you can use less powdered sugar in the end.
However, you should still pick a food optimized for their size, breed, and age. Feeding adult dogs puppy food is generally a bad idea. Puppy food can cause rapid weight gain or nutrient deficiencies in older dogs, because they aren't likely to burn off all the energy provided by the nutrient-rich food.
Large breed puppy foods are different from “regular” puppy foods in that they are lower in fat and calories, contain slightly lower levels of calcium and phosphorus, and have a carefully balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.
In 2002 General Mills developed Muddy Buddies, the same recipe as Puppy Chow. But it can't be said that General Mills invented the recipe since Midwesterners recall seeing it and eating it long before the early 2000s.
How Puppy Chow Got Its Name. Chex cereal, originally made by the Ralston Purina Company, debuted in grocery stores in 1937. Because the company referred to their dog food as “dog chow” and cat food as “cat chow,” they jokingly called their new cereal line “human chow,” according to Taste.
Without giving the 'chow time to cool, all that scalding-hot fat will continue to absorb the powdered sugar, making it too sweet and a bit soggy inside . Spread the stuff out on a sheet pan and let it rest for 20ish minutes before tossing the mix in powdered sugar.
How Long Should I Soak the Puppy Food? For young puppies, soak the kibble for no more than 15-30 minutes. This allows the kibble to soften adequately without losing essential nutrients or risking fermentation.
If stored properly, bags of unopened dried dog food will generally last up to 18 months after manufacture. Once dried dog food has been opened, you should generally aim to use it within 6 weeks.
Something about clusters of chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar covered-Rice Chex looking like delectable little snow balls or something like that. Seriously though, nothing screams Christmas or the holidays more to me than Puppy Chow. Not even sugar cookies, and that's really saying something!
Because puppy foods are formulated to deliver higher amounts of protein and fat, along with other nutrients needed for a puppy's rapid initial growth, feeding puppy food regularly to a healthy adult can cause unwanted weight gain, among other health problems.
Its brown kibble-like appearance harkens back to the chow of the Purina company, and the name wasn't subtle, people called it Puppy Chow, knowing well that the dog food company manufactured that cereal. While party mix was a little more universally known for many decades, Puppy Chow was a neat quirk of the Midwest.
According to standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) — which regulates dog food manufacturing — the minimum amount of crude protein in dry puppy food is 22%, compared to 18% for adult diets. Puppy food also has more amino acids, fat, and minerals than adult dog food.
Puppy food does have slightly higher levels of calcium and phosphorous when compared to most adult dog foods. Puppy food also has a higher fat and protein content, meaning there are more calories per bite than the adult version of the same brand.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
