My first experience eating Puppy Chow was in South Dakota in the ’80’s. A junior high friend offered me some. I thought she was nuts. Wasn’t puppy chow for dogs? My friend went on to explain it wasn’t dog food, but a delicious combination of Chex cereal covered in peanut butter and chocolate and coated in a lot of powdered sugar. Umm…yes please!
Chex cereal first came on the cereal scene in 1937 when the Ralston Purina Company released it in St. Louis, MO. Folks knew Ralston Purina for their line of animals chows…cat, dog, and horse. (Purina’s “chows” were named from military servicemen calling their food rations “chow.”) People were naturally confused when this animal food company added people food to its lineup. Eventually, Chex in rice, wheat and corn varieties caught on with two-legged buyers. Beginning in the early ’50s, folks began using Chex in a more savory snack mix recipe we still enjoy today.
Some years later, possibly in the early ’60s in the Mid West, the combination of peanut butter, chocolate, powdered sugar and Chex cereal was born…Puppy Chow! In 2002, Chex cereal, now owned by General Mills company, introduced Muddy Buddies in a prepackaged form. Guess this sounded better than people Puppy Chow! The basic recipe remains the same as it did in the ’60s, but today folks add in extras like pretzel rings, M&M candies, and the like. My only recommendation is to pace yourself as you dig into this salty, sweet treat, and to try not to inhale too much powdered sugar! Enjoy!
PrintPuppy Chow Snack Mix
Whatever you call it, we call it downright tasty! And hard to stay out of! Chex cereal coated with peanut butter and chocolate and doused with powdered sugar is highly addictive! Just be careful to not inhale too much powdered sugar.
Ingredients
9 cups Chex cereal (rice or corn variety)
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or milk chocolate)
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1–1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups M&M chocolate candies
Instructions
Measure cereal into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir, and microwave in 30-second increments until mixture is melted. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla and stir again. Pour over cereal and stir until evenly combined.
In a gallon-sized, zip-top bag, pour about 1/2 of the cereal mixture into the bag. Add about 1/2 of the powdered sugar to the cereal. Shake to evenly coat. Pour cereal onto a parchment or wax-paper lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining cereal and powdered sugar. When set, mix in M&M candies. Store in an airtight container.
IMNPB
Recommended To You
