Mrs. Clay’s Puppy Chow

Some recipes are good because they are clever.

Some are good because they are beautiful.

And some are good because they involve chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar and absolutely no need to pretend they are anything other than delicious.

Puppy chow falls very comfortably into that third category.

I made this for Kent’s Scrappy Dappy Pawty because, really, how could I not?

Once you decide to throw a birthday party centered around your family dog, a bowl labeled Puppy Chow becomes almost mandatory.

I added a FOR HUMANS ONLY sign just to make sure everyone understood the assignment.

Because apparently that is where we were by this point in the party planning.

The nice thing about puppy chow is that it is easy to make ahead, easy to serve, and very hard to stop eating once you start.

Puppy Chow / Muddy Buddies

Ingredients

• 9 cups Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Small pinch of salt

Instructions

Place the cereal in a very large mixing bowl.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter.

Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the mixture is completely smooth.

Stir in the vanilla and a small pinch of salt.

Pour the warm chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the cereal.

Gently fold everything together until the cereal is evenly coated. Try not to crush the Chex while you stir.

Transfer the coated cereal to a large zip-top bag or a large container with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the powdered sugar.

Seal the bag or container and shake until every piece is well coated.

Spread the puppy chow onto parchment paper or waxed paper and allow it to cool completely.

Once cool, store it in an airtight container.

A Few Tips

Use a really large bowl when you coat the cereal. It gives you enough room to fold everything together without turning half the Chex into crumbs.

Let the chocolate mixture get completely smooth before adding it to the cereal.

And when you add the powdered sugar, shake more than you think you need to. You want every little piece coated.

This is also a great make-ahead party snack. I made ours before the party so it was one less thing to think about while I was hanging balloons, hiding presents and apparently turning Scrappy into a private investigator.

Why It Worked So Well for the Party

Of all the foods at Kent’s Scrappy Dappy Pawty, this one needed almost no effort to make it fit the theme.

The name did all the work for me.

I served it in a bowl near the rest of the dog-themed snacks, and it looked right at home beside the Scrappy Snacks, paw-print chocolates and brownies.

Sometimes the easiest theme idea is the best one.

You can see the full Scrappy Dappy Pawty here, including the decorations, food table and missing-birthday-present mystery.

Recipe Card

Puppy Chow / Muddy Buddies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 15–20 minutes
Servings: about 12

Ingredients

• 9 cups Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Small pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Place cereal in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
3. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
4. Stir in vanilla and salt.
5. Pour mixture over cereal and gently fold until evenly coated.
6. Transfer to a large zip-top bag or covered container.
7. Add powdered sugar and shake until well coated.
8. Spread onto parchment or waxed paper.
9. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

This can be made a day or two ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.