Chex Muddy Buddies is a snack my mom would make us when we were growing up, but we NEVER called them that at our house.
Puppy Chow.
We called it Puppy Chow.
I had never even heard of muddy buddies until I was older, and because of this, I decided to poll our readers on Instagram to find out what you all call it.
It wasn’t even 25% for Puppy Chow. LOL!
I lose, but this recipe doesn’t.
It’s got more chocolate, more cereal, more everything and the way you mix the powdered sugar totally clumps it up even more. And we all know it’s those clumped up pieces is what we all want in our muddy buddies!
Whether is a game day party, a birthday party, a family reunion, or just a random Wednesday, this snack is a hit every time! I’m warning you now that it’s addictive. You won’t be able to stop!
How to Make Muddy Buddies?
How to Make Muddy Buddies?Snacks should be quick and easy, right? Muddy buddies take just 15 minutes to make and only uses 5 ingredients.
Peanut Butter, Butter and Chocolate Chips
Making muddy buddies starts with melting the peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips together. This can be done in a sauce pan on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave in a glass bowl. Forget the plastic zip top bag approach. Too much of the chocolate goodness ends up on the bag and not the cereal.
If you use the microwave, heat it in 30 second increments stirring in between until it is all melted and can be stirred smoothly all together.
Rice Chex
Pro tip: Add 3 cups of the Chex cereal to a bowl, then add about a cup of the chocolate/peanut butter mixture. Repeat this layering until all the cereal and chocolate/peanut butter mixture is in the bowl. Stir everything together until all the cereal is evenly coated. Layering this way helps the cereal become more thoroughly and evenly coated. No one wants the handful of plain Chex!
Making sure the cereal is evenly coated is the key to having the perfect start to the clumpy muddy buddies we love! Let the coated rice Chex sit for a few minutes so it cools slightly.
Powdered Sugar
From there, add 1 cup of powdered sugar and stir it until combined. Let it cool a little more so the powdered sugar sets up a little, then add another 1/4 cup powdered sugar and stir. Add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, stirring every time, until the Chex cereal is coated to your liking.
How to Eat Muddy Buddies?
Try eating it straight up warm or chilling it. I looooove it warm and fresh while many of our readers swore that chilling it makes it even better!
Are Rice Chex Gluten Free?
Yes! Rice Chex are gluten free. And according to General Mills, it is also free of artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources, and high fructose corn syrup.
Are Puppy Chow and Muddy Buddies the Same Thing?
In my house, that is a big yes! I’ve also heard of some people calling it dog food. That seems a little less appealing than puppy chow, but according to you all, muddy buddies is the preferred name for it out there!
How Long Will Muddy Buddies Keep?
Muddy buddies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Stick it in the refrigerator and it will be good for up to a week.
Can You Make Muddy Buddies With Corn Chex?
Muddy buddies can be made with any kind of Chex cereal you want. Corn Chex is another great option if you don’t have Rice Chex on hand. Chocolate Chex are also delicious. You could even do Wheat Chex if you want to make it healthy. Just kidding!! It’s not going to be healthy once you add all that chocolate, sugar and butter!
I’ve heard rave review on the Blueberry-Lemon Muddy Buddies. Has anyone tried them? They are next on my list! But can they still be called muddy buddies if they don’t look muddy? I’m getting side-tracked!
What Can You Substitute For Chocolate Chips?
I have heard of people substituting 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for the chocolate chips, but I have not tried is personally. You could try butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips too.
Puppy chow or muddy buddies…it doesn’t even matter! Just make it an eat it by the handful! Nom nom nom!
More Snack Recipes to Eat by the Handful:
- Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn
- Churro Chex Mix
- 5 Minute Reese’s Snack Mix
- Coconut Sweet Chex Mix
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
- Salt & Vinegar Popcorn
- Easy Candied Pretzels
- Parmesan Herb Pretzel Nibblers
- Ranch Slow Cooker Chex Mix
- Apple Pie Popcorn
- Cinnamon Roll Pretzel Bites
- Garlic Parmesan Dill Popcorn
- Churro Popcorn
- Reese’s Krispies Popcorn
- Coconut Oil Kettle Corn
- All our yummy Snack Recipes!
Chex Puppy Chow Muddy Buddies Mix
Description
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz. box Rice Chex Cereal, *see note
- 1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
- 3/4 Cup Peanut Butter
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Melt peanut butter, butter, vanilla and chocolate together, stirring frequently over medium heat or use a microwave.
- Add 3 cups of cereal to a large bowl. Pour 1 cup of your chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the cereal. Repeat with remaining cereal and chocolate to evenly distribute everything.
- Stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Let the mixture cool for a bit so it’s not too warm.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Let cool for a few minutes so the powdered sugar has a chance to set.
- Add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until your cereal is coated to your satisfaction. Let the muddy buddies cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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Roberta
This is a long time family favorite! I use Crispix cereal because it holds up better when mixing. Also I use a ziplock bag to combine the cereal mixture with the powdered sugar , it coats more evenly than stirring it in a bowl! It’s also great to freeze and eat cold right from the freezer.
Sweet Basil
Hi Roberta!! I love your tips on using Crispix and a ziplock bag!! And eating them straight from the freezer is THE BEST!!!!
Allysa
We always called if puppy chow too!
Sweet Basil
Yay!! Another fellow puppy chow lover!
Jen Stockard
We loved this recipe and always called it Puppy Chow. We made it every Christmas! We used Crispix cereal for ours or half and half of rice and corn Chex. One of the saddest realizations about my 4th child having a peanut allergy was that we had to stop the Puppy Chow tradition. All of my older kids were so sad. So if you don’t have a peanut allergy, make this recipe! Its so good!
Sweet Basil
Yay…another fellow puppy chow lover! Ok, this has to be able to work with a different nut butter, right?! I have to try it now. Have you ever tried it??