Muddy Buddy Bars are a no-bake twist on classic snack mix, made with Chex cereal and a creamy, chocolatey, peanut buttery coating.
Muddy Buddies, In Bar Form!
If you’re a fan of the classic snack mix, Muddy Buddies (also called Puppy Chow), these bars are a must-try!
These bars mix sweet and peanut butter-y flavors with crispy Chex cereal covered in melted chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallows. Reese’s chips and mini Reese’s add extra peanut butter goodness, while powdered sugar gives a sweet finish. No baking needed, making this an easy, tasty treat.
Muddy Buddy Bars Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Gives smoothness and texture, while controlling the salt.
- Rice and Corn Chex cereal: Adds crunch; we like a mix, but Corn Chex works too.
- Marshmallows: Use fresh, soft marshmallows.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a light sweet flavor.
Quick Tip
The fresher and softer the marshmallows, the chewier and tastier the bars will be. Press on the bags of marshmallows at the store to find the softest one. Stale marshmallows won’t melt properly and result in less-than-ideal bars.
Ingredients, Continued
- Fine sea salt: A pinch enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Quality chips like Ghirardelli® or Guittard® melt better and taste richer.
- Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter for a smoother texture; Skippy® is our top choice.
- Corn syrup: Light corn syrup keeps the bars together—avoid dark corn syrup.
Muddy Buddy Bars Additions
- (Optional) Reese’s peanut butter baking chips: These chips add a burst of peanut butter flavor to the bars. You can find them in the baking aisle of the grocery store. They have the same classic taste as the peanut butter layer in Reese’s candies.
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups: These add even more peanut butter and chocolate flavor to the bars. If you can’t find the mini cups, you can chop up larger peanut butter cups instead.
- Powdered sugar: This is used to give the bars a sweet finish and the classic powdered sugar sprinkling from Muddy Buddies. Use a fine-mesh sieve to sprinkle it evenly on top of the bars.
Muddy Buddy Bars Tips
- Coat the pan: Coat the dish well or line it with parchment/foil for easy removal.
- Don’t press too hard: Lightly press the mix down to avoid tough bars.
- Keep the heat low: Melt the marshmallows on low heat to stop them from hardening. Stir constantly.
- Mix gently: Add the cereal to the chocolate mix and stir carefully to avoid crushing too much.
- Use a strong spatula: A sturdy spatula helps mix and press the mix flat.
- Let bars cool: Let them cool completely before cutting to stop them from falling apart.
Storage
These Muddy Buddy Bars are best enjoyed the same day they are made. If you need to store them, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, and avoid refrigerating or freezing them. Freezing is possible, but affects the texture and flavor. For the best experience, make them fresh and consume them promptly.
More No-Bake Treats
- No-Bake Cookies classic chocolate and peanut butter bars
- No-Bake Granola Bars with a chocolate drizzle
- Golden Oreo Truffles or chocolate Oreo Truffles
- Pistachio Icebox Cake made with pistachio pudding
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo Pie Crust
Muddy Buddy Bars
Muddy Buddy Bars are a fun twist on the classic snack mix—now in bar form! Crispy Chex cereal gets coated in a creamy chocolate-peanut butter mix, pressed into bars, and best of all, no baking required!
Equipment
- Medium pot nonstick
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 8 cups Chex cereal I like 4 cups corn, 4 cups rice—see note 1
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced into tablespoons
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 6 cups mini marshmallows soft/fresh, see note 2
- 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Reese’s baking chips optional
- 1/2 cup Reese’s minis
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Generously grease a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray or softened butter. Measure out the cereal and place it in a very large bowl.
- In a medium nonstick pot, add in this order: slices of butter, corn syrup, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and salt. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until melted (see note 3). Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the measured cereal and use a sturdy spatula to mix gently until the cereal is evenly coated. Let the mixture sit for a minute or 2 to cool a bit, then add the Reese’s cups and peanut butter chips. (They’ll still melt a bit—this is intended.) Gently mix through a few times. Transfer and gently and evenly press the mixture into the prepared pan (see note 4).
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes up to an hour before using a fine-mesh sieve to lightly sprinkle bars with powdered sugar. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I like a combination of both corn and rice Chex best. If you want to only use one kind, stick with Corn Chex.
Note 2: Use the freshest and softest marshmallows possible for chewier and tastier bars. Press on the bags of marshmallows at the store to find the softest one. Stale marshmallows won’t melt properly and result in less-than-ideal bars.
Note 3: Too-high heat can cause marshmallows to harden, which will result in hard and unenjoyable bars. Keep the heat as low as possible and remove the marshmallows from the heat as soon as they’re melted. Stir the mixture frequently as the marshmallows melt and become a gooey mass.
Note 4: Once you’ve spread the sticky-coated cereal mixture into the pan, don’t press it down too much. Overcompressing the bars will yield tough, hard bars. To keep the mixture from sticking, lightly grease your hands (or the spatula) with cooking spray, then press in.
Storage: Store at room temperature covered tightly. Bars are best enjoyed the same day they’re made!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 302IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
