Gluten-Free Puppy Chow is a quick and classic gluten-free holiday treat (for humans!) Chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar combine to make one addicting little snack.
Today’s post is not so much a new or innovative recipe, as it a PSA/reminder. Let’s talk about Puppy Chow, friends. It exists, it’s delicious, and you should make it. Soon!
Nothing screams Christmas or the holidays more than Puppy Chow to me. I mean, crunchy rice cereal coated in melted peanut butter and chocolate, then blanketed in sweet powdered sugar to mimic freshly fallen snow? ‘Tis the friggin’ season!
MY OTHER RECIPES
My Mom always has a batch of either homemade Puppy Chow or its savory sister Gluten-Free Chex Mix, (which she doubles the amount of Worcestershire sauce in just for me!) on the counter during these festive couple of months. It’s nice to know I can always count on a sweet or salty treat whenever I pop over to my parent’s house. Plus a bowl of cereal. They always have really good cereal.
Aside from being a yummy snack, Puppy Chow makes an AWESOME holiday gift!
It’s always such a struggle to figure out what to get your boss, co-workers, mailman, or kids’ teachers for the holidays, isn’t it?
My advice is this: skip the candles and tchotchkes this year and give them what they really want – a big mason jar filled with fresh Puppy Chow tied with a pretty ribbon. It’s inexpensive, delicious, and when’s the last time you saw someone selling jars of Puppy Chow at a summer garage sale?
Best of all, Puppy Chow is ridiculously easy to make. 15 minutes from when you raid the pantry for ingredients, to the time you’re popping the rich and chocolatey morsels into your mouth.
Get after it, already!
15-Minute Puppy Chow
Description
Puppy Chow is a quick and classic treat. Chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar - it doesn't get much better than that!
Ingredients
- 9 cups Rice or Corn Chex
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- Pour cereal into a very large bowl then set aside. Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir. Keep microwaving and stirring in 20 second increments until mixture is smooth. Drizzle over cereal then stir with a spatula until cereal is completely coated.
- Place powdered sugar in a very large ziplock bag (may need to do a couple batches.) Add cereal then gently shake for 1 minute or until cereal is completely coated. Lay Puppy Chow out on wax paper to cool then store in an airtight container.
Notes
From Chex.com
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I would not change a thing about Puppy Chow, and especially love the big chunks when 1 or 2 chex pieces stick together. Ooo!
Hope you (and your gift recipients) enjoy!
I’ve never made (or even tried) puppy chow, but you’re convincing me that I should! :)
What?!? That’s like a crime! ;) You have got to make this! Seriously…go do it….right now ;)
Agree, that’s a crime. Make some this weekend.
Kristin, these photos are absolutely gorgeous! (And I LOVE puppy chow at the holidays. Nothing says Christmas party food better!)
I just made my brother a double batch of this last weekend…he likes it frozen. But it is a family favorite, that is for sure.
You know I have never heard of this…thought you had a cool dog food recipe to be honest for pups…looks good though and I like how simple it is!
Ed-
My English Bulldog Livy loves these:
1 egg
2 tablespoons honey
2 bananas, mashed with a fork
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, bananas and peanut butter. Stir in 3 cups water; whisk until smooth.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon; add to the egg mixture.
Spray two 12-cup muffin pans with cooking spray; fill each cup three quarters full. Bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
God, I love the way the powdered sugar feels almost cool on your tongue. I can’t wait to try this one.
And now I want some puppy chow. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such beautiful pictures containing puppy chow in it.
I HIGHLY recommend that you try freezing puppy chow. It’s how I grew up eating it and I’ve converted many people. :) There are even more stuck together clusters. So dang good!
Stop the madness! I LOVE puppy chow… but make it, maybe once every year or two. Really. I cannot be trusted around it — and then I eat it to the point of it just not being healthy. The chunks are together (more pb/chocolate!)
I usually skip making this one because I WILL scarf it all down by myself if left alone for too long. Two (or three or four) stuck together is THE greatest! A hidden goldmine in an already delicious treat.
I have not made puppy chow in years but now I MUST!!!! Yum!!
I love how you call in puppy chow! I have always known it has Chex muddy buddies, but puppy chow seems so much more appropriate!
Love these! So so so good for how simple it is to make! Before Pinterest happened, I had no idea anyone called it Puppy Chow…We always called ’em Muddy Buddies!
I legitimately thought you were talking about dog food at first….but it looks great!!
i’m not sure that there is anything better than this stuff- good thing I only eat it around christmas =)
Love Puppy Chow and love extra Worcestershire sauce in Chex Mix…..it’s not the holiday season without them !
All this puppy chow talk has got me craving it! And the photos don’t help matters… Thanks a lot! LOL! :)
My hubby loves this stuff and I just made a big batch of it Sunday……….all, just for him :}
ColleenB.
How long can we keep it frozen? How long does it last in the jar? I guess, I want to know how far ahead I can make it?! Looks great and has all my favorites!
three cheers for puppy chow( the correct name not muddy buddies like some thing)its pure snack crack.
and also i agree with extra worcestershire sauce in chex mix…the wheat chex just soak that stuff up :)
I haven’t had puppy chow in AGES! It’s so addicting which may be why. :)
I always get made fun of here in New York for calling it puppy chow! They call it Muddy Buddies or something here, but when you grow up buying puppy chow at all the bake sales, it’s hard not to call it that :)
THANK YOU for the wonderful reminder… I will be making this for my road-trip back home for Christmas!!
puppy chow is the best thing in the world! it is so addicting! Great pictures!
Try making it with Crispex and you’ll never go back to Chex! So yummmmmmmy!
Ugh…you just had to do this to me didn’t you?? ;) I love puppy chow! Isn’t it funny how people call it by different names? I have also heard it called Monkey Munch.
This is good stuff. My daughter made a gallon size zip lock back and brought it to school to share with her friends at lunch. They ate the whole thing. It is so addicting.
I absolutely LOVE puppy chow yet have never thought about making it for gifts. Great idea! The only problem will be resisting the temptation of eating all of the puppy chow before giving it away :)
Not that I know what crack is like, but I imagine it to be like this. :) I think I’ll make some tomorrow. Thanks for the post!
oh great PSA. puppy chow had completely slipped my mind but is an oh-so-great classic indulgence. will have to make some time to make this soon…
try making it with the chocolate chex cereal!
I’ve only ever heard of/seen puppy chow once on Peanut Butter Fingers, but I had no idea what it was. Oh my god- it is amazing, how has us Aussies not caught on? Maybe I should lead the way!
I made puppy chow this week! Well, kind of. I had a mad craving so I used the Wheat Chex & dark chocolate chips I had in the cupboard. Sounds healthier, right? Well, maybe “healthier” but certainly not as good. There is no substitute for the real chow.
Love me some puppy chow! The best variation of it I’ve ever had I subbed chocolate & pb with almond bark (white chocolate morsels might work) and tossed with cake mix (I think I used vanilla flavor?) and powdered sugar. Totally goes against eating clean but it’s sooo worth it!!!
Love it – and we make it with butterscotch chips instead of choc/pb, as well for a variation … yum!
I love Puppy Chow! Especially the clusters and if you like raisins add them to your next batch! Delicious!!!!
Love this recipe! I ate a lot of puppy chow as a child and this is a good reminder to get that stuff out again! :) Love the holiday decorations too. Have a great weekend.
Recommendation: Use Andes Mint chips (or the new Peppermint chips) in place of chocolate chips for an EXTRA FESTIVE holiday treat!
Has anyone ever made this with WOW butter? Learning how to go nut-free as my 15 month old has developed an allergy.
We have made it with sunflower seed butter for my son who has a nut allergy. It turned out just fine. It is not quite as delicious to me as the PB version but worth making with the nut-free substitute!
Thank you so much!
My cousin recently moved to Utah and many of her co-workers had never heard of puppy chow. Those people have been missing out, this stuff is the best! And putting puppy chow in mason jars for co-workers would be so cute! Thanks for the idea :)
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This ALWAYS makes an appearance at holidays and throughout the year. My daughter calls it “puppies”.
How have I never had (or heard of) puppy chow before?! Looks delish!
I loved making this as a kid! We always made huge batches for our big family and dumped all ingredients in a paper grocery back to shake it all up. Good stuff!
My daughter has already been requesting this! Thanks for the recipe!
puppy chow! omg, i love that stuff! i try to avoid it because i can’t stop eating it! lol. i think i need to make some now!
I feel like I need to start this tradition right now.
THE BEST!
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Ahhh I love Puppy Chow! The clumps of pieces are the best! I’ve always made this with Crispix, and to me, when it’s made with Chex it’s not quite as good, but it’s still delicious. I just found your blog and I love it!
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