I can’t think of a more popular party snack than Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow), made with Chex cereal coated in a chocolate, peanut butter and powdered powdered sugar.
Looking for a more fun snack ideas? You may like these Chocolate Chip Muffins, No Bake Granola Bars, or Classic Chocolate Cupcakes.
Did you grow up calling this amazing snack “muddy buddies”, or “puppy chow?” Or maybe you called it “Monkey Munch” or “reindeer chow?” We grew up saying muddy buddies, but I think puppy chow more accurately represents the scene as people race to scarf down this favorite snack.
What I LOVE about Puppy Chow:
- Adaptable: make this recipe your own with any kind of add-in (see ideas below).
- Feeds a crowd: it’s so easy to throw this snack together and you can make enough to feed a large group. (And trust me, your going to need enough to feed a large group!)
- Shelf life: You can make it ahead of time, or freeze it!
How to Make Muddy Buddies:
1. Pour Chex into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Divide powdered sugar. Divide powdered sugar between two ziplock bags, adding 1 cup to each bag.* Set aside.
3. Melt in saucepan: chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter (and salt, if using unsalted butter) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. (Don’t over-heat it, you want to heat it just until the mixture is smooth.)
4. Add vanilla. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Coat cereal. Pour over the prepared cereal in the bowl and stir to coat evenly. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
6. Shake with powdered sugar. Divide coated cereal between the two ziplock bags with powdered sugar, seal the bag and shake to coat the cereal.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: Muddy buddies will stay fresh for up to 1 week stored in an air-tight container at room temperature
To freeze: Place muddy buddies in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Substitutions and Add-in’s:
- Peanut butter substitutes: any type of nut butter will work
- Cereal Substitutes: Crispix could also be used.
- Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies
- Add M&M’s
- Add Reeses pieces
- Add Mini chocolate chips
- Add Reeses peanut butter cups
- Add Any small color candies
Try one of these cereal treats:
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Recipe
Muddy Buddies
Ingredients
- 8 cups chex cereal (rice Chex, corn Chex or a combination)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter , or add a pinch salt if using unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Measure cereal into a large bowl. Set aside. Divide powdered sugar between two ziplock bags, adding 1 cup to each bag.* Set aside.
- In a saucepan add chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter (and salt, if using unsalted butter) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. (Don’t over-heat it--just warm it until melted and smooth.)
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour over the prepared cereal in the bowl and stir to coat evenly. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Divide coated cereal between the two ziplock bags with powdered sugar, seal the bag and shake to coat the cereal.
- Muddy buddies will stay fresh for up to 1 week stored in an air-tight container at room temperature or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- M&M’s
- Reeses pieces
- Mini chocolate chips
- Reeses peanut butter cups
- Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies
- Any small color candies
Nutrition
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HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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This recipe makes a big batch! I have been snacking on it since I made it! Everyone who had it keeps saying how addictive it is. It’s easy and delicious, I’ll definitely print this one off and save it for forever!
Love them and make them every year. I like mine extra creamy so I do add more peanut butter and end up using about 4c of powdered sugar. I mix mine in a zip lock back. It is best to split the recipe between 2 gallon bags and have the kids do the mixing. Lots of fun.
This recipe is delicious and amazing!!!
If your chocolate seizes when adding the vanilla, it means your chocolate was probably too hot. Add a few drops of cooking oil, butter or heavy cream and stir vigorously to smooth it back out. Never add water or you will have to trash it and start over. You might try microwaving in 20 second intervals, stirring in between. Hope this helps.
Perfect 🤩 so tasty!! I used vegetable oil instead of butter and still worked!!
I make these Muddy Buddies with peanut butter chips instead of chocolate (can’t have chocolate) and they are divine! All my mahjongg friends were crazy about it and wanted to know how I got all that yum inside the cereal. I couldn’t believe they had never had this mix before!
I was sitting and craving something with chocolate, so I looked for a recipe using chocolate chips. I came across this Muddy Buddies recipe. I cut the recipe in half (wished I hadn’t LOL). These Muddy Buddies are fantastic on top of that easy to make.
Has anyone had their chocolate seize up when you add the vanilla? is there any way to save it once it does?
Yes, and I was coming to the comments to see if anyone else had the issue and figured how to resolve
I never new it was only good for a week when I was a kid I would have a giant bag of it from November to January
Can chunky peanut butter be used,
You sure can! Sounds amazing.
This is not the right recipe. There’s too much chocolate and too much peanut butter and not enough chex.
It should be 9 cups chex. 1 cup chocolate. 1/2 cup of pb. The rest of the above is correct. Make it the way thus recipe reads and its not right. The powerd sugar will not cover the chex.
Also the tons of adds is a pain.
How rude. You act as if there’s only one way to make a recipe. This is exactly how I like my puppy chow- lots of chocolate. The recipe on the Chex box doesn’t have enough chocolate to cover the cereal, in my opinion. This way tastes much better to me. To each their own! Don’t yuck someone else’s yum 😉
We called it puppy chow. Because if you fed your puppy, puppy chow brand., It was squares, and coated in a dried milk coating.
I got the original recipe from my grandma before it had a name.
If you don’t have a plastic bag you can pour the powdered sugar in the bowl and mix it in to coat the cereal.
Just like my mom used to make!
Made this recipe again and it is mm mm good!! I love the peanut butter and chocolate ratio. The powdered sugar covered it more than enough. I love that you get two big bags out of this! I did add almost an extra cup of Chex and it was great. I also love to add in red and green m&ms and pretzels for Christmas gifts.