Chef notes
Puppy chow, which you may know by its other moniker “muddy buddies,” is the ultimate sweet, chocolate-y, nutty, slightly salty and addictively crispy snack. This version is my take on the classic treat, combining rich chocolate and smooth, creamy peanut butter with butter, salt and vanilla into one delicious coating for crispy rice or corn cereal that then gets generously dusted in confectioners’ sugar. And although this recipe really couldn’t get any easier (or more satisfying), a few things set it apart to make this one the most delicious.
Whereas many recipes only use part of the box of cereal, this one uses a whole 12-ounce box, meaning no weird leftovers and no measuring needed! And trust me, you’ll be glad you made the whole box. In addition to using a whole box of cereal, I played around with the ratios of ingredients to ensure these are nutty and chocolate-y without being cloying, as puppy chow can easily become. Rather than the more common 2:1 ratio of semi-sweet chocolate to peanut butter, my version uses more peanut butter. I found a higher ratio of peanut butter creates a coating that’s (of course) more nutty, not tooth-achingly sweet and super creamy. Moreover, this version uses just enough butter to thin the mixture a bit without leaving your mouth feeling buttery and fatty, a generous amount of salt for that “sweet and salty '' feel and a splash of vanilla to round everything out and meld the flavors together.
Finally, though there isn’t necessarily a wrong way to coat these to create their iconic powdery pillow look, I figured out the most successful way to ensure each little Chex gets a nice even coating of confectioners’ sugar. I found that it was easiest to divide the cereal into two batches when coating so that it has adequate space to shake around. Additionally, I found that adding a bit of sugar to the bottom of the bag, then the cereal, then more sugar on top yields a better distribution of sugar. This helps to create a perfectly even, clump-free coating that’s still just as easy and fun to shake up.
Technique Tip: When choosing a bowl for mixing the cereal, the bigger the better. This will make it much easier to mix.
Coating the cereal in confectioners’ sugar in batches and layering the sugar with the cereal helps to ensure that each piece gets evenly coated. Use a gallon-sized bag for shaking. .
Swap Option: You can use nine ounces of chopped chocolate from bars if you don’t have chocolate chips.
I love using rice and corn cereal for this (you can use one or a combination), but feel free to swap it for something even more fun, such as chocolate or peanut butter cereal.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) box rice or corn cereal, such as Chex
- 1⅓ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter, such as Skippy
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2⅔ cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
Preparation
1.Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
2.Pour the cereal into a very large bowl.
3.In a separate medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips and unsalted butter. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between, until melted, about 1 minute. The chocolate may tighten up, but will smooth in the next step.
4. Add the peanut butter, vanilla extract and kosher salt to the melted chocolate and stir until well combined.
Pour the chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the cereal and gently toss with a rubber spatula or large spoon, taking care to try and not break up the cereal, until well coated.
Place 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar in the bottom of a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag followed by half the cereal mixture and then another 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar. Seal the bag (no need to squeeze the air out of the bag — it actually helps) and shake the bag vigorously until evenly coated. Pour the cereal in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet to set. Repeat this process, layering the cereal with the remaining 1⅓ cups confectioners’ sugar, tossing to coat, and letting set on the baking sheet. Let the cereal set a few minutes before serving.
