Whip up the ultimate sweet treat with this Chocolate Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow) recipe. This muddy buddy recipe is just 6 ingredients and takes under 20 minutes to make, no baking necessary!
You may have heard this sweet treat called muddy buddies, chex mix, or puppy chow, but call it whatever you want, one thing will always be true, they are FREAKING DELICIOUS and so addicting.
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If you like snack recipes, then you have to make my sweet and spicy chex mix, my old-fashioned caramel corn, my healthy apple dip recipe and my salted roasted almonds, too!
Or are you looking for more chocolate recipes? Then you have to make my easy homemade cake pops, my soft baked chocolate chip cookies or my famous Cristmas crack!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This is a no-bake dessert and only takes 20 minutes to make!
- Muddy buddies are an inexpensive but impressive snack. This recipe has only 6 main ingredients, plus your favorite add-ins which are totally optional.
- A treat that is loved by everyone and perfect for a crowd. It is the most addicting snack you will ever make.
- It is versatile. There are a million different add-ins you can put into this puppy chow recipe. Let your imagination run wild (I have listed some add-ins below if you need some ideas).
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Ingredients to Make Muddy Buddies
- Chex Cereal - Any kind of chex cereal can be used for this recipe. I prefer to use either honey, cinnamon, or chocolate chex cereal flavors. Chex cereal is the most commonly used cereal for this recipe but Crispix can also be used.
- Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet, dark, white, milk, or even butterscotch chocolate chips will work in this recipe. I use Hershey's 50% dark chocolate chips for my muddy buddies.
- Peanut Butter - Any type of peanut butter will work for this recipe, even natural peanut butter! I use classic smooth peanut butter.
- Almond Extract - Vanilla extract or peppermint extract can be used instead.
A full ingredient list with the exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Modifications and Variations
- Gluten Free - most of the chex cereals are gluten-free. All of the other ingredients are gluten-free as well, just be sure to double check that the brands you buy are made in a gluten-free facility.
- Vegan - to make vegan muddy buddies, use rice chex cereal and vegan chocolate chips. Also, ensure all add-ins you choose are vegan-friendly.
- Kid Friendly - while this muddy buddy recipe is already pretty perfect for kids, you can create an "add-in" bar and let your kiddos add special treats to their muddy buddies for a super special batch!
Check out my Christmas Puppy Chow recipe for another variation of this recipe!
Optional Add-ins
The add-ins I use in this recipe are smarties (or M&M's) and crushed pretzels.
Use your imagination and add whatever you want to your muddy buddy's mix! The options are endless for puppy chow add-ins. Some of our favorites include:
- salty roasted almonds
- honey roasted cashew nuts
- chopped candy bars
- dried fruit
- gummy candies
If you want a truly delicious snack, I highly recommend adding a handful of chocolate peanut butter Muddy Buddies to the top of a bowl of creamy homemade coconut ice cream or using them as the sweet treat in these adult lunchables! 😉
Christmas Muddy Buddies
This Christmas Muddy Buddies recipe is perfect to serve at Christmas time. You can even change the name to "reindeer chow" and use festive add-ins like red and green M&M's, crushed up candy canes, or anything else red, green, or white that you like!
Try using peppermint extract in place of the almond extract for a holiday-themed peppermint muddy buddies version.
Make sure to check out my other holiday-inspired desserts!
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How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies
Step 1
In a small saucepan add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Place it over medium heat and stir constantly until fully melted, but not boiling. Remove it from the heat as soon as the chocolate and peanut butter have melted and combined. Stir in the almond extract and kosher salt, then set aside.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl add the chex cereal. Pour the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture over the top of the chex cereal.
Step 3
Using a sturdy spoon, fold the chex until it is fully coated with the chocolate mixture. Once the cereal is fully coated, place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let it briefly cool and set (see expert tips below).
Step 4
Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, tossing the cereal with a spoon or spatula. Keep slowly adding the powdered sugar until the chex cereal has separated into little clumps and it is not sticking together anymore.
Step 5
Add in your preferred add-ins, stirring to incorporate. Place the puppy chow back in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before serving to allow the chocolate to fully harden.
Expert Tips
Only allow the cereal to set for 15 minutes the first time. If it is left longer it could fully set and harden, which would create a giant lump of chocolate-coated cereal. I mean, it wouldn't be the worst thing 😂, but it's not what we're going for. The cereal needs to stay malleable to fold in the powdered sugar.
Be gentle while mixing. The biggest mistake I see people make while making muddy buddies is crushing the cereal. Be gentle and try to keep the chex cereal pieces whole during the mixing process. Using a spatula or your hands can be helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference between puppy chow and muddy buddies when it comes to the recipe. They are just two names for the same recipe. Use whichever name you like best!
The options are endless when it comes to flavors. Try using Nutella instead of peanut butter for an ultra chocolatey version or add-in crushed up Oreos and use white chocolate to make cookies and cream muddy buddies!
Store leftovers in an airtight container or zip-top bag. They can either be kept at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Muddy buddies will keep up to 1 week stored at room temperature and up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator (if they last that long, I know they don't in my house!)
In the warmer months, I recommend keeping them in the refrigerator as they will melt if they get too warm.
Muddy buddies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container.
More No-Bake Recipes
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies aka Puppy Chow Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 9 cups Honey Chex Cereal 470 grams
- 1 ½ cups Chocolate Chips
- 1 ½ cups Peanut Butter
- 1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 cup Pretzels chopped (optional)
- 1 cup Smarties or M&M's optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until fully melted, but not boiling. As soon as the chocolate and peanut butter has melted together, remove it from the heat.
- Stir in the almond extract and kosher salt, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the chex cereal. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the top of the chex cereal. Using a sturdy spoon, gently fold the cereal until it is fully coated with the chocolate mixture.
- Place the coated cereal in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let it briefly cool and set*.
- Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, gently tossing the cereal with a spoon. Keep slowly adding powdered sugar until the chex cereal has separated into little clumps and it is not sticking together.
- Add in your preferred add-in's, gently stirring to incorporate.
- Place back in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the chocolate to fully harden and set.
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Notes
- There are a lot of chex cereal flavors and any flavor can be used in this recipe.
- Any type of chocolate chip can be used in this recipe.
- Be gentle while mixing the muddy buddies. The cereal will crush easily, try using a spatula or your hands.
- Add-ins - the options are endless. Some options are nuts, dried fruit, chopped candy bars, or Christmas-themed treats.
- Vanilla extract or peppermint extract can be used instead of almond extract.
- Muddy Buddies will last for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature, 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
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