If you’ve never tried puppy chow before, then you are missing out! Crunchy rice cereal is coated in melted chocolate and peanut butter before being lightly dusted with powdered sugar. I mean, how can you go wrong when all this recipe requires is your microwave and a large bowl!?
The texture is what really makes it oh so satisfying. The crispy crunchy center hides beneath a smooth, thin coating of deliciousness. It’s no wonder people become obsessed. Potluck anyone? So if you’re craving this decadent cereal treat, then I suggest you make an extra LARGE batch so you have enough for both snacking and gifting! For more delicious peanut butter dessert ideas, try my no-bake peanut butter bars or my peanut butter buckeyes!
Why Do They Call It “Puppy Chow”?
This addicting snack is called puppy chow because simply put, it closely resembles dog food, more specifically kibbles. I should note that this treat is NOT for dog consumption! Is it the best name for something so irresistible? Not at all, but it’s fun and SO delicious. Other names for this popular Midwestern snack are reindeer chow, muddy munch, muddy buddies, monkey munch, doggy bag or better yet, human chow. So you name it whatever makes you happy.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Classic puppy chow can be made using just 4 ingredients, however I prefer adding butter and vanilla extract to mine. It’s what takes it from average to amazing.
Rice Cereal or Corn Cereal– Rice Chex is traditionally used but you can always swap for a generic version you like. Crispix is another cereal brand made very similar with both rice and corn.
Chocolate– I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips so the end result isn’t clawingly sweet but dark chocolate or milk chocolate works well too.
Peanut Butter- Your standard creamy peanut butter is best. Jif and Skippy are popular brands. *See substitutes below.
Powdered Sugar- AKA confectioners sugar is the only sugar you should use. Granulated sugar is not an option.
Butter- Unsalted butter adds a richer flavor and smoother texture but can be omitted if desired.
Vanilla Extract- This is a must in my opinion. It adds another layer of delicious flavor that doesn’t require much added effort.
How to Make Puppy Chow
Step 1: Melt the chocolate and butter together in a large heat-proof bowl either using the microwave or a double boiler. Mix well making sure to not overheat or you will scorch the chocolate.
Step 2: Add the peanut butter and stir until combined. It should look smooth and glossy.
Step 3: Add the salt and pour in the vanilla extract then mix. Set aside until slightly cooled but not thickened.
Step 4: Pour melted chocolate mixture over rice cereal. I suggest adding the chocolate and cereal in increments so the cereal does not clump together.
Step 5: Using a spatula, stir gently until the cereal and chocolate is completely coated. You can add more cereal if there are any pockets of unincorporated chocolate hanging around.
Step 6: Lastly, coat the cereal thoroughly with powdered sugar. You can do this in a 2-gallon Ziploc freezer bag, brown paper grocery bag, or an extra large bowl. I like to break up all of the cereal pieces by hand when coating them so I like to use a bowl. Add more powdered sugar as needed until everything is sufficiently coated. If using a bag, shake well to coat. Kids love to help shake it up!
Step 7: When the chocolate fully hardens, it’s ready to devour!
Pro Tips for this Recipe
- Try using bittersweet chocolate in your next batch of puppy chow. You can go all in or use half semisweet chocolate. There’s a lot of sugar coating these pieces so a darker chocolate helps balance the sweetness.
- This recipe is RICH! I like to make a big batch and mix it with regular Chex cereal, corn flakes and some roasted peanuts for a slightly lighter party mix.
- You can add JUST ENOUGH powdered sugar to coat the cereal or totally douse it so they’re snowy pebbles; very much up to you. I suggest starting with less then doing a taste test and adding more if desired.
- Use a rubber spatula if mixing in a bowl. This will help to scrape all the chocolate off the bowl while preventing your puppy chow from breaking into small pieces.
- Parchment paper is not necessary. The cereal will not stick together if it’s properly coated in the bowl or bag.
Substitutions & Variations
- This recipe calls for Corn Chex but you can use Crispix or any generic cereal with a similar shape.
- Use white chocolate chips and crushed Oreo sandwich cookies for a tasty cookies & cream take.
- Feel free to add REESE’S peanut butter cups into the mix with your powdered sugar.
- Play around with other Chex cereal flavors! Honey Nut, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, or Cinnamon Chex would all be delicious!
- Mix in pretzels, peanuts or any nut for a crunchy, salty addition.
- Melt caramel chips with the chocolate or use peanut butter chips for the peanut butter lovers out there.
- Add Christmas sprinkles to the bowl when mixing for a festive touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Puppy Chow VS Muddy Buddies
Depending on where you live this tasty snack is either called puppy chow, muddy buddies, moose munch, monkey munch or reindeer chow! The recipes are all quite similar, only the names have changed.
Can you make puppy chow without peanut butter?
You can use any nut butter, sun butter, almond butter and even cookie butter to make this puppy chow recipe. If you’re not a fan of those flavors this recipe can be made with straight chocolate and a bit of butter. You might need to add an extra pinch of salt if your substitute nut butter is unsalted.
What’s the best way to melt chocolate?
The best way to melt chocolate without burning it is by using a double boiler. Add the chocolate to a bowl and place it on a pot of simmering water. The water must not touch the bowl, the heat needs to come from steam, not direct contact. Heat until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, let stand a minute or two then stir.
The FASTEST way to melt chocolate in in the microwave. Use 50% power in 20 second bursts after an initial burst of 30 seconds at full power. Stir in between bursts and remove from microwave after mostly melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
How should it be stored?
Puppy chow is best stored in a sealable plastic bag or other airtight container for up to a week at room temperature. If refrigerating, it will last up to 2 weeks. You can also definitely freeze it if you want to make it in advance or have leftovers, although that’s never the case in our house. To do this, I suggest laying it flat in a freezer bag. It should last about 6 weeks. If the cereal gets sticky while thawing, add some more powdered sugar to soak up any extra moisture.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup peanut butter smooth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 cups Chex cereal plus more if needed
- 3 cups powdered sugar plus more if needed
Instructions
- Add the 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and 2 tbsp butter to a large bowl.You can either melt it using a double boiler or by microwaving it. To Microwave start with one 30 second zap at full power then stir and do 20 seconds at 50% power, until mostly melted. For a double boiler place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt. The water should not touch the bowl.
- Once the chocolate is mostly melted you can stir in the peanut butter. Mix until smooth.
- Add in the salt and vanilla extract and mix. Allow the mixture to cool down a bit. More room temperature than hot, but not cool to the point of thickening back up.
- Add about 6 cups or half a bag of Chex to a large bowl. Pour the chocolate mixture on top and add about two more cups of cereal on top. Gently mix together until all the cereal is coated. Add more cereal if you see unincorporated chocolate.
- Now it's time to coat the cereal in powdered sugar. You can do this by adding cereal in batches to a sealable gallon-sized plastic bag with a cup of powdered sugar at the bottom and shaking until cereal is coated, adding more powdered sugar if needed. You can also do this in a large bowl. I love my puppy chow to be all individual pieces instead of clumps so I add the powdered sugar to a large bowl with the about half of the chocolate coated cereal. I add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar on top and use my clean hands to mix and separate. I bit messy but worth it!
Notes
- Try using bittersweet chocolate in your next batch of puppy chow. You can go all in or half semisweet. There's a lot of sugar coating these pieces so a darker chocolate helps balance the sweetness.
- Puppy Chow is RICH! I like to make a big batch and mix it with regular Chex cereal, corn flakes and some roasted peanuts for a slightly lighter party mix.
- You can add JUST ENOUGH powdered sugar to coat the cereal or totally douse it so they're snowy pebbles; very much up to you. I suggest starting with less then doing a taste test and adding more if desired.
- Use a rubber spatula if mixing in a bowl. This will help to scrape all the chocolate off the bowl while preventing your puppy chow from breaking into small pieces.
Nutrition
