Chocolate Muddy Buddies

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Chocolate Muddy Buddies are a tasty sweet and salty six-ingredient treat. This snack is a chocolate and peanut butter lover’s dream and is adored by kids and adults alike!

You’ll also love our Spicy Chex Party Mix and Healthy Chocolate Granola!

A large bowl of chocolate muddy buddies with some spilled out.

Muddy Buddies Recipe

We love a tasty snack mix. Not the kind you purchase at the store, but the homemade kind that is made in bulk and frozen for a rainy (or snowy) day. While I AM a chocolate fan, I prefer salty snacks which is why this one is perfect. Not too sweet and a nice flavor combo of both chocolate and peanut butter.

Another popular name for this classic snack mix is Puppy Chow., Muddy Munch, or Reindeer Chow.

Why This Recipe Works:

SIMPLE – This easy recipe can be made in 20 minutes with just six pantry staples.
CROWD FAVORITE – This easy treat is always a huge hit at holiday parties or at a birthday party for any family member.
NO BAKE DESSERT – No need to turn on your oven for our favorite snack. Just a little bit of time in the microwave and then some mixing.

A small bowl of chocolate muddy buddies next to two other bowls and a white napkin.

What You’ll Need:

You’ll need just six ingredients for the perfect snack. Layers of crunchiness with a delightful powdery smooth finish make this a favorite thing to keep handy for snack attacks! The best part is that this is fair game for all family members.

Chex Cereal – I use Rice Chex cereal for this recipe.
Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips for this classic Muddy Buddies. However, you could substitute milk chocolate or dark chocolate here.
Peanut Butter – I normally use a creamy peanut butter.
Unsalted Butter
Powdered Sugar
Peanut Butter Chips – This is an optional ingredient but adds an extra peanut butter taste.

The ingredients for the chocolate muddy buddies.

How to make Chocolate Muddy Buddies:

Step 1
Melt the chocolate. In a medium microwavable bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave at 50% power in short increments, or until the chocolate is creamy. Be sure to avoid over-heating.

A large bowl of the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter .

A bowl of the chocolate mixture melted with a spatula.

Step 2
Add chocolate peanut butter mixture to Chex. Add the rice Chex cereal to a large bowl. Pour mixture over the top of the cereal and stir well to coat. Spoon the mixture to a sheet pan prepared with parchment paper, smoothing to all edges of the pan.

A bowl of the chocolate muddy buddies before adding powdered sugar.

Step 3
Add powdered sugar. Then add about half of the powdered sugar to the top of the Chex and stir well. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the top and mix again until evenly coated.

A partial pan of the muddy buddies with a bowl of powdered sugar.

A sheet pan of the Chex mix with the powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

Step 4
Top with peanut butter chips. Then sprinkle the peanut butter chips to the top of the chocolate Chex mix.

A sheet pan of the chocolate muddy buddies with peanut butter chips on top.

Step 5
Store this delicious treat. Store muddy buddy recipe in an airtight container or in ziplock bags in the refrigerator or freezer.

Recipe FAQs

Are muddy buddies the same thing as puppy chow?

Yes, these two descriptions are interchangeable along with others, such as reindeer chow and monkey munch.

Where did muddy buddies originate?

Puppy chow is thought to have originated in the midwest and was named because it resembled dog food. Later, the Chex company caught on to the popularity of the snack and began publishing a recipe for ‘Muddy Buddies’ on the back of its boxes. Hence, the muddy buddies and puppy chow exist.

Which Chex is best for muddy buddies?

Chex Cereal is the main ingredient in muddy buddies/puppy chow. You can also use Corn Chex cereal or Crispex in this recipe.

A handful of chocolate muddy buddies over top of a large bowl.

Other Chocolate Treats:

A shallow bowl of chocolate muddy buddies.

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

xoxo ~Sue