Puppy Chow (a.k.a. "Muddy Buddies") | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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This classic homemade Puppy Chow recipe (a.k.a. “Muddy Buddies”) only takes about 10 minutes to make, and always tastes downright irresistible.

Yep. Guilty pleasure of mine, right here.♡

My love for puppy chow dates all the way back to the 90s, when my aunt taught my little sis and I how to shake up a batch during one of our annual trips to their lake house at Table Rock. Nearly all of our waking hours there were either spent waterskiing all around the lake, floating by the dock, laying out in the sunshine, or practicing our endless flips and dives on the board. Basically…being in the water as much as humanly possible, which is my happiest of places.

But every evening when we came home, my aunt and uncle would lovingly grill a meal for us. And at the very beginning of our vacation, we would stand in the small lake house kitchen together and make an enormous batch of puppy chow to enjoy all week long.

Andboy, did it always disappear fast.

Maybe it’s the peanut butter and chocolate combo, maybe it’s that salty savory cereal hidden in each bite, maybeit’s the “kid” in all of usthat comes out when licking that leftover powdered sugar off of your paws — but man, I’m convinced that puppy chow is one of the more irresistible treatsever. And even nowadays when I make a batch of the retro snack to bring to a party, it seems as though I’m not alone. The world loves some good puppy chow! (<– Or if you’re from the north, “muddy buddies”!)

And since it only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, I vote we all make a batch stat. You know, to make the world a better place. ? Who’s in?

To make puppy chow, begin by mixing up your chocolate coating. You could do this on the stove, but our family always did it in the microwave — your choice. Just melt down some semisweet chocolate chips, butter, peanut butter and vanilla.

Stir until completely smooth.

Then — very carefully — toss thechocolate mixture with the cereal until it is evenly coated. (Chex are definitely the standard here, but our family grew up randomly always making puppy chow with Crispix, so whichevs!) Just try hard not to crush the cereal as you mix.

Then fill a large ziplock bag (or two) with some powdered sugar. Add the chocolate-coated cereal, seal, and gently toss until the cereal is coated with the powdered sugar, breaking up clumps along the way. (<– Although I recommend leaving at least a few — they’re the best part!) Then transfer the puppy chow to a parchment-covered baking sheet to cool to room temperature.

And…that’s it!

See? So simple. And, as you’ll see once you “chow” down on thatfirst bite, it’s also SO ADDICTIVE.

Enjoy, everyone!