This Peanut Butter Puppy Chow is the snack mix of the century! Think peanut buttery crunchy cereal mixed with sweet, melty chocolate and all covered in powdered sugar! Toss in extras like Reese’s minis and peanut butter chips, and you’ve got yourself a treat that’s insanely tasty, addictively crunchy, and utterly irresistible!
Peanut Butter Puppy Chow
If you’ve followed along on this site for any length of time, you probably know how much I love combining chocolate and peanut butter. Whether it’s the delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, the chocolate-coated Rice Cakes With Peanut Butter, or even my simple daily indulgence of a spoonful of peanut butter sprinkled with chocolate chips–this combo is unbeatable!
IMO, Puppy Chow truly highlights this fantastic duo. During the summer, this snack (sometimes called Muddy Buddies) appears almost weekly in my kitchen, and thankfully, I have four other family members who happily help devour it (let’s be real; they save me from eating it all myself!).
Because I whip up this snack mix so regularly, I figured it was time to add a new spin to it and make it even more peanut butter-centric. We’re revamping the mix by changing out the cereals and introducing some exciting mix-ins. And the outcome? A snack mix that’s equally delectable, totally addictive, and worthy of going toe-to-toe with the original!
Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Ingredients
- Peanut Butter Captain Crunch® and regular Captain Crunch: Make sure to opt for regular Captain Crunch; steer clear of the berry-filled varieties. If you prefer, feel free to use just one type. Alternatively, Reese’s Puff® cereal could be a fantastic substitute here!
- Creamy peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter instead of chunky for a smoother texture. We love and highly recommend Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter (not sponsored).
- Milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips: Milk chocolate yields a sweeter, milder taste, while semi-sweet chips add a more intense, and slightly more bitter chocolate flavor. You could even use dark chocolate chips for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
- Unsalted butter: This helps to keep the mixture smooth and rich, and it prevents the snack mix from being too dry. You can also use salted butter, but leave out the added salt!
- Fine sea salt: This helps to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. Adjust the amount if your peanut butter or butter is salted.
- Vanilla extract: While it’s optional, vanilla extract adds depth of flavor and a touch of sweetness.
- Powdered sugar: This coats the outside of the snack, giving it a sweet, soft exterior that contrasts nicely with the crunchy cereal. Moreover, it helps keep the mix from sticking together and prevents clumping!
Optional Mix-Ins:
- Peanut butter chips: These little morsels look like chocolate chips, but they’re made with peanut butter. Find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- Reese’s Minis®: These are essentially miniature versions of the traditional Reese’s peanut butter cups. (Not to be confused with miniature Reese’s cups; these ones are even smaller!) These are in the bulk food sections of the grocery store, along the candy aisle, or sometimes even in the baking aisle. If you can’t locate the minis, just chop up larger Reese’s cups instead.
- Reese’s Pieces Minis®: Reese’s Pieces Minis are smaller versions of regular Reese’s Pieces. They have a hard candy shell with a peanut butter filling, and can typically be found on the candy or baking aisle of most grocery stores. These will give a nice little crunch amidst the other ingredients.
When To Add The Mix-Ins
There are two options when it comes to adding the mix-ins. If you want the mix-ins to stick better to the cereal and become a little melty, stir them into the mix before adding the powdered sugar. On the other hand, if you’d like the mix-ins to stand out more and not stick to the cereal, add them after the cereal has been coated in powdered sugar and allowed to cool down slightly.
How To Make Peanut Butter Puppy Chow (Tips)
- Choose wisely: The type of cereal you use significantly impacts the flavor and texture of the final product. Be sure to stick with the recommended cereals in the recipe, or similar ones that have a robust structure and can stand up to the coating process without becoming soggy.
- Melt carefully: When melting the chocolate and peanut butter, don’t overheat them. Overheating leads to a grainy texture instead of the desired smooth and creamy consistency. Always melt in short intervals, stirring for a good amount of time in between.
- Mix gently: Be sure to stir the mixture gently when combining the cereal with the melted chocolate and peanut butter to avoid crushing the cereal. The goal is to evenly coat the pieces without making them lose their crunch.
- Customize the chocolate: You can play with the type of chocolate you use in this recipe. If you like darker, richer flavors, use dark chocolate. For a sweeter, creamier flavor, choose milk chocolate.
- Use a large Bowl: This might sound obvious, but a large bowl can make the mixing process much easier and help prevent the cereal from breaking.
Quick Tip
Gift It! Peanut Butter Puppy Chow makes a great homemade gift. Simply package it in cute bags or jars and you’ve got a delicious, homemade treat to give to friends and family.
Why We Separate This Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Into Two Bags
- Separating the mix: The reason we separate the mix and powdered sugar into two bags is to ensure a more even coating. By dividing the mix, there’s more room in the bag for the ingredients to move around, making sure that every piece gets an even amount of sugar. If you were to add all the mix into one bag, it might result in clumps of sugar or unevenly coated pieces. And if you were to try re-using the first bag…um, trust me, that’s a mess you don’t want.
- Adding the powdered sugar in stages: Along the same lines, adding the powdered sugar in stages (half with each bag of mix) helps to coat the pieces more evenly. This method lessens the chance of getting lumps of sugar.
Storage
Storing Peanut Butter Puppy Chow
Place leftovers in an airtight container (I like using Mason® jars or Weck® mold jars). Keep the containers in a cool dry place for up to a week (we like it best within 2-3 days). For optimal freshness, store in the fridge.
Leftover snack mix can be frozen in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature. (Or enjoy it straight from the freezer–it’s delicious frozen!)
More Delicious Snack Mixes:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Mix with pretzels and peanuts
- Microwave Caramel Corn made in minutes!
- White Chocolate Chex Mix with M&M’s
- Sweet Chex Mix Recipe with sweetened coconut
- Trail Mix with five different mix ideas!
Peanut Butter Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 4½ cups Peanut Butter Captain Crunch (Note 1)
- 4½ cups regular Captain Crunch (no berries!)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips (Note 2)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 2 cups powdered sugar, separated
- Optional mix-ins: 1 cup peanut butter chips, ½ cup Reese's minis, ¾ cup Reese's pieces minis
Instructions
- PREP: Into a very large bowl, add in both cereals, then set aside.
- PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE MIXTURE: In a separate microwave-safe large bowl, combine the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and butter. Using the microwave, melt the mixture in 15-second intervals, stirring well between each burst, until the mixture is fully melted and smooth. Stir through the vanilla and salt. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of this mixture over the cereal. Gently stir with a spatula to ensure the mixture evenly coats the cereal. Be careful to not crush the cereal.OPTIONAL: If you want the mix-ins to stick more to the cereal, stir them in here now! Otherwise, we'll add them later on!
- DIVIDE THE MIX: We're going to divide the cereal mixture and powdered sugar into two parts. Pour ½ cup of powdered sugar into a large resealable plastic bag, followed by half of the cereal mixture, then another ½ cup of powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake well until the cereal is evenly coated with the sugar then pour into a clean large bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining cereal and powdered sugar. Pour into the large bowl.
- ADD MIX-INS: If you choose to add mix-ins here, add them on top of the sugar-coated cereal and gently stir through to evenly distribute.
- STORAGE: Enjoy the Peanut Butter Puppy Chow immediately or store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, you can freeze it for longer storage.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
