Sweet and Salty Puppy Chow - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

Puppy Chow, also known as Muddy Buddies, is a delicious and addictive snack that’s made with Chex cereal coated in a mixture of chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. I have been making puppy chow since I was a kid. It is a classic treat, very nostalgic for me, and always SO good!

I recently created a NEW puppy chow recipe that I think you are going to LOVE! This Sweet and Salty Puppy Chow (muddy buddies) is made with the traditional Chex cereal, but I also add pretzels and mini peanut butter sandwich crackers for a salty twist!

The Chex cereal, pretzels, and peanut butter sandwich cookies are coated in the same chocolate peanut butter mixture. I also add a little flaky sea salt. Just like the original puppy chow, the snack mix is covered in powdered sugar to sweeten things up.

The sweet and salty combo is AMAZING! I love the original puppy chow recipe, but I think I like this one even BETTER! The pretzels add a nice salty crunch and the mini peanut butter sandwich cookies are SO fun and I love the extra peanut butter kick.

Make a big bowl and enjoy as a snack for parties, road trips, game day, or just a sweet and salty treat at home! You can even package it up and give it as a gift during the holidays. Everyone loves this no-bake mix!

And now let me tell you a little secret, I think puppy chow is even better FROZEN! Yep, you can eat it straight from the freezer. So make a stash and keep it in a freezer bag or freezer container so you always have a sweet and salty snack at your fingertips!

Ingredients

• Chocolate chips– I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate will work too!
• Peanut butter– use creamy peanut butter. Natural and commercial peanut butters work!
• Butter– I use salted butter!
• Vanilla extract– just a splash!
• Rice Chex cereal– you can use name brand cereal or a generic brand.
• Pretzels– you can use regular pretzels or pretzel sticks.
• Mini peanut butter sandwich crackers– I buy these crackers atTrader Joe’s, but Ritz and Good & Gather makes them too. They are little butter crackers filled with peanut butter.
• Flaky sea salt– to enhance the salty flavor.
• Powdered sugar- for coating the mix! It gets a little messy, but it’s worth it:)

How to Make Sweet & Salty Puppy Chow

• Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir.

• Put the bowl back into the microwave and heat for an additional 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth when stirred. Add the vanilla extract and stir again.

• Add the cereal, pretzels, peanut butter crackers, and se salt to the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture.

• Gently stir until the mixture is evenly coated in the chocolate peanut butter mixture.

• Pour the mixture into a large Ziploc bag. Add the powdered sugar. Seal the bag and shake until the puppy chow is well coated.

• Spread on parchment paper or waxed paper. Let sit until cool and chocolate is set.

Variations

• You can use Corn Chex or Wheat Chex, but I like Rice Chex best for puppy chow. Crispix cereal will work too.
• Use twisty pretzels or stick pretzels. If you want more peanut butter flavor, use peanut butter pretzels, the little nuggets.
• Add in a few handfuls of peanuts for a salty, nutty crunch!

How to Store

• Once the puppy chow is cool, you can store it in an airtight container for up to one week on the counter or 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
• You can also freeze puppy chow for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer container. It is SO good frozen, trust me!

More Easy No Bake Treats

• Puppy Chow
• No Bake Cookies
• No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
• S’mores Puppy Chow
• Oreo Balls
• Ritz Cookies