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Puppy Chow, also lovingly called muddy buddies, is the sweet, salty, chocolate-and-peanut-butter snack mix that disappears the second you set the bowl down. I make a giant batch every time the girls have friends over, and it is gone in about five minutes flat. If you love no-bake snack mixes, you have to try our cinnamon sugar sweet Chex mix next.
With just a handful of pantry staples and no oven required, this is the easiest crowd-pleasing treat you will ever make.
Puppy Chow Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 20 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 588kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, chocolatey, and peanut buttery under a snowy powdered sugar coating
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, totally no bake like our fluffernutter dip
Quick Answer
Melt peanut butter and butter, then stir in chocolate until smooth and add vanilla. Drizzle the mixture over Chex cereal and toss to coat. Add the coated cereal and powdered sugar to a large paper bag and shake until every piece is covered in a snowy white coating. Stir in M&Ms or your favorite add-ins and store in an airtight container.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Melting the peanut butter and butter first. Warming them together creates a smooth, pourable base so the chocolate melts evenly without seizing.
- Coating the cereal in batches. Working in halves keeps every piece evenly coated instead of clumping in one giant chocolate blob.
- Shaking in a paper bag. The bag tosses the powdered sugar over every nook and cranny for that signature snowy finish, with way less mess.
- Using semi-sweet chocolate. It balances the salty cereal and peanut butter so the mix is sweet but never cloying.
- Storing it cold. Keeping puppy chow in the fridge or freezer sets the coating so it stays crisp and snackable for days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is completely no bake and comes together in about 15 minutes.
- Kids and adults are equally obsessed, making it perfect for parties, holidays, and movie nights.
- It is endlessly customizable with mix-ins, just like our winter wonderland trail mix.
Key Ingredients
A handful of pantry staples is all you need for classic puppy chow, plus a few fun add-ins to make it your own.
- Chex Cereal: The crunchy base. Rice or corn Chex both work beautifully and stay crisp under the coating.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate and Peanut Butter: Melted together, they form the rich, glossy coating that defines puppy chow.
- Butter and Vanilla: Butter smooths out the chocolate mixture while vanilla rounds out the flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: The signature snowy coating that makes every piece irresistible.
- M&Ms and Add-Ins: Stir in candy-coated chocolates, pretzels, mixed nuts, or peanut butter chips for a loaded muddy buddy mix.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Puppy chow is a blank canvas. Try one of these fun twists.
- Make it loaded: Toss in pretzels, mixed nuts, and peanut butter chips for a sweet and salty snack mix.
- Holiday colors: Use red and green M&Ms for Christmas or pastels for spring to make festive reindeer chow.
- Switch the butter: Try almond butter or cookie butter in place of peanut butter for a new flavor.
- Add a crunch: Fold in toffee bits, mini marshmallows, or sprinkles.
- Go dark: Use dark chocolate for a richer, less sweet coating, like in our easy chocolate fudge.
How to Make Puppy Chow
- Melt the peanut butter and butter together in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second intervals until the butter is melted. Stir in the chocolate a little at a time until smooth, then stir in the vanilla.
- Add half of the Chex cereal to a large bowl and drizzle half of the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the top. Stir with a spoon until evenly coated.
- Place one large paper bag inside another, add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and half of the coated cereal, close tightly, and shake vigorously until fully coated.
- Repeat with the remaining cereal, mixture, and powdered sugar. Toss in the M&Ms and any add-ins, then store in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overheat the chocolate. Melt in short 30-second bursts and stir between each so it stays smooth and never seizes.
- Coat in batches. Splitting the cereal and coating in halves gives you even coverage without clumps.
- Use a paper bag. Shaking the powdered sugar in a bag coats every piece evenly and keeps the mess contained.
- Let it set. Spread the finished mix on parchment to cool so the coating firms up before storing.
- Add candy last. Stir in M&Ms after the cereal cools so the coating does not melt them.
- Store it cold. Puppy chow keeps best in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to two weeks.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Puppy chow is the ultimate grab-and-go snack, perfect for piling into a big bowl at parties, movie nights, and game day spreads. Scoop it into individual cups or cellophane bags for an easy, adorable party favor or homemade gift.
It also makes a fantastic addition to a dessert table next to treats like our Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies or a batch of Bugles ranch snack mix for a sweet and salty combo.
For the holidays, package it in festive tins with red and green candies for a thoughtful, crowd-pleasing edible gift everyone will devour.
Puppy Chow FAQs
There is no difference. Puppy chow and muddy buddies are two names for the same chocolate and peanut butter coated Chex cereal snack, dusted in powdered sugar. The name just depends on where you grew up.
Soggy puppy chow usually means the chocolate mixture was too hot or too thin when added. Let it cool slightly first, coat in batches, and spread the finished mix to set before storing.
Store puppy chow in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to two weeks. Keeping it cold helps the chocolate coating stay crisp and firm.
Yes, puppy chow is a great make-ahead snack. Prepare it up to two weeks in advance and keep it sealed in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.
Rice Chex and Corn Chex are the classic choices for puppy chow because they have pockets that hold the coating and stay crunchy. Chocolate Chex works too for an extra rich version.
Absolutely. Melt the peanut butter, butter, and chocolate together gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, then proceed with coating the cereal as usual.
Looking for more easy no-bake treats? Try our crowd-favorite sweet Chex mix next.
Love an easy sweet and salty treat? These 2-ingredient rolo pretzels are ready in about 10 minutes.
When you want a quick no bake crowd pleaser, our brown butter rice krispie treats come together in one pot.
Round out the dessert table with our M&M peanut butter cookies.
Pair this puppy chow with a batch of chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels for a snack spread.
For another easy no-bake treat, whip up our M&M peanut butter fudge for the candy tray.
If you love no-bake snacks, you will love these soft Rice Krispie Treats too.
Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)
Ingredients
- 14 Cups Chex cereal
- 18 oz holiday m&ms
- 12 oz semi sweet chocolate bar or chips
- 1/2 Cup unsalted butter
- 1 Cup peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 Cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt the peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave in 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Add the chocolate a little at a time until all is melted into the mix. You might need to microwave one last time to make sure everything is melted and add the vanilla. Stir together.12 oz semi sweet chocolate, 1/2 Cup unsalted butter, 1 Cup peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a large bowl add half of the cereal. Drizzle half of the chocolate peanut butter mixture into the cereal in the bowl. Mix with a spoon.14 Cups Chex cereal
- Place one large paper bag into another one. Add 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and half of the mixed cereal into the bag. Close this tightly and shake vigorously. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time if needed until all the cereal is coated. Add 1/4 of the m&ms into the bag and toss. Place in an air tight container.4-5 Cups powdered sugar, 18 oz holiday m&ms
- Continue these step with the remaining ingredients. Keep stored in an airtight container. I personally love to keep it in the freezer, YUM!
Video
Notes
- You can use any Chex cereal that you like, but we like too use the rice version.
- You can switch up the colors of candy for the holidays that you are serving this for.
- This recipe can be frozen, and tastes amazing frozen.
- If you want a little crunch you can use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
- You can use chocolate chips or chocolate bar for this recipe, whatever you have on hand works!
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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VERY VERY GOOD
One family size will work, 18 ounces 🙂
How many boxes of cereal should I buy for this??
According to similar pre-packaged products like this a serving size is 1/3 Cup. However, if you are giving it as gifts or separating it into portions I would serve it in 1 Cup portions.
How much you think the serving size is?
It looks so good to eat. I like yummy treats.
1/2 cup
How much butter?
Thanks so much for your help! That sounds perfect. 🙂
When I make muddy buddies I always store it in an air-tight container in the freezer. That is just a personal preference but it will keep for weeks like that. So, if you want to make it ahead of time, I suggest making this without the m&m’s, freeze it and then right before handing them out as gifts, mix in the m&m’s and package it up. I hope that helps!
What a great idea to add the holiday M&Ms! I love it! I want to make this for gifts and Christmas day, but need to make some early. How do you recommend storing it, and how long do you think it will be good? Thanks so much! ::)
Yes, you can, but I would replace it with more chocolate in the same amount of peanut butter. If she can eat other nut butters, that would be a great replacement as well.