Easy Muddy Buddies [Puppy Chow]

5-ingredient Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow) coats Chex cereal with vegan chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar for the ultimate crowd-pleasing party/game day snack – all ready in under 30 minutes, too!

What Are Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)?

Never heard of muddy buddies before? You might know this popular US candy under one of its many other names: puppy chow, muddy munch, monkey munch, or reindeer chow. Regardless of its visual similarities to dog treats, though, this treat is definitely for humans.  

Muddy buddy recipes can vary, but the basics are the same: cereal (usually Chex or Crispix), peanut butter (or another nut/seed butter), melted chocolate, and powdered sugar. The melted vegan chocolate and nut butter in this recipe make a rich coating around the crunchy cereal, which then gets tossed in powdered sugar until dry to the touch.

The result is sweet, crunchy, decadent, and utterly delicious – perfect for lunchboxes, game days, holidays, potlucks, parties, and mid-week snacking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a crowd-pleasing, addictive treat and always hits the spot
• Super satisfying – sweet, a little salty, crunchy, and melt-in-the-mouth delicious!
• Perfect for sharing – it’ll vanish fast at any potluck or gathering
• This puppy chow recipe uses just 5 inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredients
• Quick no-bake dessert – prep puppy chow muddy buddies in just 15 minutes
• Adaptable to gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and even sugar-free!
• Customizable – keep reading for my top Chex muddy buddies tasty add-ins
• It stores well, too! Make it ahead, then refrigerate or freeze for later

Love sweet and salty, crunchy snacks? You might also enjoy peanut butter chocolate bark, no-bake chocolate peanut butter balls with rice krispies, or peanut butter stuffed dates.

Ingredient Notes

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.

If you use vegan chocolate chips, try not to use ones made for baking, as they often contain soy lecithin to hold their shape while baking (which affects how smoothly they melt).

Recipe Variations

• Salt: If the peanut butter isn’t salty, add a pinch to bring out the flavors of the PB/vegan chocolate.
• Biscoff muddy buddies: Sub nut butter with Biscoff, using regular or vegan white chocolate.
• Mint extract: Replace the vanilla with peppermint extract for mint muddy buddies.
• Protein puppy chow: Replace ¼-½ cup powdered sugar with vegan protein powder (plain, vanilla, cake, or chocolate flavor would work well).
• Mix–ins: Add extra flavor and texture to a bowl of peanut butter muddy buddies with:
  • Sugar-coated chocolate candies (like M&M’s/ a vegan alternative)Chocolate chipsMini peanut butter cupsPretzelsCrushed Oreos/Vegan graham crackersSprinklesMini vegan marshmallowsChopped nuts (like walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts)Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, banana chips)
  • Coconut flakes (raw or toasted)

You can also customize this Chex cereal puppy chow recipe for special occasions, like:

• Christmas puppy chow: Add red & green coated vegan chocolate candies (like vegan M&M’s alternative) or sprinkles, pretzels, and, optionally, some crushed candy canes.
• Halloween muddy buddies: Add your favorite orange, green, and/ or purple dairy-free chocolate candies (in my case, vegan alternatives). I.e., candy corn, chopped Oreos, colored chocolate candy, pumpkin-shaped candies, sugar googly eyes/other Halloween sprinkles.

How to Make Puppy Chow/ Muddy Buddies

Step 3: Add ½ cup of powdered sugar, add the lid, and shake vigorously. Then, add the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar and shake again until it’s thoroughly coated. Enjoy!

If they’re still warm, spread the muddy buddies over a parchment/wax paper-lined tray to cool and set. Don’t store them while warm!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Don’t overheat the vegan chocolate: It’s best to do in shorter increments, stirring between, for a smooth melt and no burn.
• If the vegan chocolate is too thick: Add a little coconut oil/vegan butter.
• Mix mix mix: No-one likes discovering big uncoated chunks of Chex. Be gentle but thorough when coating the cereal.  
• To prevent clumping: Add the powdered sugar gradually. I do two ½ cup batches, but you could reduce that, for an even, clump-free coating.
• Cool, then store: If it’s warm, steam/condensation can cause the Chex muddy buddies to become sticky and/or soft.

Storage Instructions

Store cooled Chex muddy buddies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week OR in the fridge for 10-14 days.

You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months, but it must be fully airtight; otherwise, it can become soggy.

When ready to enjoy it, thaw it at room temperature for a few minutes and dig in.