Muddy buddies (aka puppy chow) are basically a perfect summer treat. They’re a guaranteed crowd pleaser and they travel well, making them great for picnics, road trips/flights, and potlucks. Oh, and did I mention they’re ridiculously easy to make? I’m talking microwave some chocolate, peanut butter, and butter, then stir and pour onto Chex cereal, toss to coat, and then put in a bag (or two) with powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry dust and shake. It really doesn’t get much easier than that. Despite their simplicity, however, people go nuts for them.
How is this recipe different from the one on the Chex box?
Unlike classical muddy buddies, this recipe includes freeze dried strawberries! I also added a fair amount of extra chocolate, because who in their right mind wouldn’t? (Also, I made another batch with the recommended amount of chocolate and was not impressed.) If you ask me, those two small changes made for a much more complex and exciting treat.
Do I have to use the microwave for these muddy buddies?
Of course not! I briefly considered using my double boiler for this recipe. But then I thought its beauty is in its simplicity, so why over complicate things? If you’re not a fan of the microwave, however, you can totally use a double boiler. Just melt the chocolate and peanut butter together like you would anything else.
How do I store this?
I’ll be honest, this recipe makes a lot of muddy buddies. Thankfully, this easy to make snack is also very easy to store. Just put it in an air tight container (either the ziplock bag that you prepared it in or a jar or tupperware of some sort). I like to store it in the fridge. It’s really nice when it’s cold. That said, it’ll keep just fine at room temperature!
Ok, I’m not gonna pretend that this some complex recipe worthy of paragraphs of tips and tricks. It’s muddy buddies. They’re simple, easy, and delicious. Now let’s jump into the recipe.
Chocolate and Strawberry PB&J Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow)
Ingredients
- 9 cups Corn Chex (Alternate flavors are fine, but I used corn)
- 1 1/2 cups Semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Peanut butter
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
- 1 oz Freeze dried strawberries (Crushed – simplest way to do this is to crush the strawberries in the bag. Doesn't have to be a perfect powder – chunks are fine.)
Instructions
- Add chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again. If it's completely smooth at this point, pull it out. If not, repeat process until every element is melted and smooth. (I like to do this in 30 second increments to avoid burning the chocolate.)
- Put a full box (so 9 cups) of Chex in a large bowl. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of it, and toss to coat.
- Split the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberries into two gallon bags (or one two gallon bag, but who has those?!). Add half the chocolatey Chex to each, seal the bags, and shake to cover everything in powdered sugar and strawberry dust. Feel free to eat immediately, or store either in the fridge or at room temperature.
And there you have it! A ridiculously easy to make snack, but a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Whether you’re eating these muddy buddies all alone, serving them at a gathering, or giving them away as gifts (put ’em in a jar and tie a ribbon around the top for good measure), I hope you love them.
If you try these, let me know in the comments or on Instagram! I love hearing from you.
And if you’re looking for more shareable summer treats, check out my raspberry and ruby chocolate brown butter sugar cookies or my fudgy black forest brownies!
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