Puppy Chow Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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This easy Puppy Chow recipe is perfect for after-school snacks and is a fun party food idea! Made with only four simple ingredients, it’s an ideal sweet treat for any time!

Puppy Chow Recipe a mixture of chex cereal covered in peanut butter and chocolate and coated with white powdered sugar in a white metal bowl with black rim Silver metal scoop in bowl red and white towel in background.

This homemade puppy chow recipe is one of the simplest and most fun treats to make. I love getting the kids involved because it’s so straightforward and a great way to get them interested in cooking and baking! My kids love to snack on this after school, on movie nights, or for dessert.

Do you have any foods that you inexplicably crave from time to time? This puppy chow recipe is one of mine. It’s crunchy. It’s sweet. It’s got chocolate and peanut butter. What more could you ask for? All around, this is a win-win for the entire family.

 a mixture of chex cereal covered in peanut butter and chocolate and coated with white powdered sugar on a metal plate red and white striped towel in background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s crunchy and sweet and just a tad salty for the most satisfying snack ever that anyone can make, promise!
  • It’s a great way for kids to get their feet wet with cooking using a no-fuss, impossible-to-mess-up recipe that they enjoy eating as much as making.
  • A delicious dessert that comes together quickly for an easy goody bag or snack!

Recipe Ingredients

  • Rice Chex Cereal
  • Chocolate chips – semisweet
  • Butter – you can use salted or unsalted
  • Peanut butter I prefer creamy
  • Powdered sugar

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

chex cereal coated with powdered sugar on wax paper in a blue speckled tray sitting on red and white striped towel and white counter.

How to Make Puppy Chow

  1. Add the chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter to a bowl and microwave.
  2. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and mix well.
  3. Combine the chocolate-coated cereal and powdered sugar.
  4. Spread the coated cereal on a cookie sheet until the chocolate has set.

Recipe FAQs

Why is puppy chow called puppy chow?

It’s called puppy chow because the little bites of Chex cereal coated with a chocolate-peanut butter mixture resemble dog food. (But definitely do NOT feed this to your dog—just your human pups around the house!)

Does puppy chow need to be refrigerated?

I prefer storing my puppy chow in the fridge so it doesn’t get melty sitting out on particularly warm days. Plus, there’s something about the extra crunch from being chilled that makes it heavenly! You can keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Can you freeze puppy chow?

Yes, it’ll last for a long while in the freezer! Seal it in a freezer-safe baggie, and store it for up to 4 months frozen.

What’s in puppy chow?

Puppy chow is so simple — it’s just Chex cereal, butter, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and powdered sugar. You can add other bites of goodness to it and include pretzels, M&M’s, or other types of cereal (like corn flakes) to make it even more fun.

chex cereal coated with powdered sugar on wax paper in a blue speckled tray sitting on red and white striped towel and white counter.

Expert Tips

  • I find using a large (1 or 2-gallon size) zipper-topped bag for mixing works the best with no mess!
  • Storing the puppy chow in the refrigerator gives it an extra crisp texture and it lasts in the fridge for up to 10 day.
  • Use a double-boiler method to melt the chocolate instead of the microwave if you prefer.
a mixture of chex cereal covered in peanut butter and chocolate and coated with white powdered sugar on a metal plate red and white striped towel in background.

More Kid-Friendly Snacks to Consider

baking dish of lightly white dusted chex mix
5 from 1 vote

Puppy Chow Recipe

This easy Puppy Chow recipe is perfect for after-school snacks and is also a fun party food idea! Made with peanut butter, chocolate, Chex, and powdered sugar is one of the most fun sweet treats ever.
Prep: 10 minutes
Setting time: 14 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 (Makes 6 cups)

Ingredients 

  • 6 cups rice Chex cereal
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
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Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, add the Chex cereal and set aside.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Do this until the mixture is fully melted.
  • Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal, and mix well to combine.
  • Add the powdered sugar to a large (1 or 2 gallon size) zipper-topped bag.
  • Add the chocolate coated cereal to the bag, seal the top, and toss to combine well.
  • Spread the coated cereal out on a cookie sheet until the chocolate has set, about 15 minutes.

Notes

  • Use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe—it doesn’t matter which one.
  • I didn’t have great luck using natural peanut butter for this recipe, it seemed to get grainy when heated.
  • You can use a double-boiler method to melt the chocolate instead of the microwave if you wish.
  • Another great idea is to add other bites of goodness to it like pretzels, M&M’s, or other types of cereal (like cornflakes) to make it even more fun.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 6 cups, Calories: 627kcal, Carbohydrates: 83g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 375mg, Potassium: 345mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 55g, Vitamin A: 751IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 132mg, Iron: 11mg
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2 Comments

  1. Phyllis Williams says:

    I am looking for a recipe that doesn’t call for peanut butter, because I can’t stand chocolate and peanut butter!! I knew a lady that used white chocolate, and I did not taste any peanut butter!!!!!!!!! I need some help finding this puppy chow mix. Thanks!!