Halloween “Puppy Chow” Muddy Buddies

We turned classic (and delicious) “Puppy Chow” Muddy Buddies into a spooky treat. Perfect for your next haunted Halloween party!

Up until we moved to the South a little over three years ago, I had actually never heard of “muddy buddies;” also commonly called “puppy chow.” This salty-sweet classic cereal snack mix is ridiculously delicious. And truth be told, it’s probably a good thing I had no idea such a magical mix existed for as long as I did. Basically, crunchy Chex cereal gets coated in a melted chocolate and peanut butter combination, and then that’s tossed in tons of powdered sugar. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, muddy buddies are pretty life-changing.

We usually dump our chocolate-peanut-butter coated cereal in a ziploc bag full of powdered sugar and then let Scarlett*, our oldest kiddo, shake like mad. Let me tell you: I’m fairly certain she’s obsessed with making muddy buddies just so she gets the chance to shake, shake, shake.

A delicious, snackable treat that’s extra fun for kids to help make; I mean, what’s not to love?

*By the way, one of my favorite things about muddy buddies is that they can easily be made dairy-free, which is huge for us since Scarlett has MPIES (milk-protein induced enterocolitis syndrome.). Details about how to make these Halloween “puppy chow” muddy buddies dairy-free in the recipe below. (Scarlett can’t have any milk protein. So we’re always experimenting with vegan and dairy-free recipes, in case you want to check them out!)

The recipe for these Halloween “Puppy Chow” Muddy Buddies is really just a play on classic Chex Muddy Buddies. And trust me, not only are they adorable, they’re ridiculously yummy.

We’re such huge fans over here. We tend to make a big batch of these for nearly every party we throw. They’re the perfect party snack food, and I think they’re especially perfect for Halloween, when you have friends and family coming in and out of the house between trick-or-treat runs.

And with Halloween “Puppy Chow” Muddy Buddies, you can really go crazy adding in the spookiest candy mix-ins you can find! We went with a combination of mini candy corn, Autumn-themed nonpareils, Halloween sprinkles, and candy eyeballs.

I think the eyeballs really make this Halloween snack mix extra spooky and fun!

Just remember, the candy and sprinkles are gently tossed in AFTER you’ve coated your chex mix “puppy chow” in the powdered sugar. If you try to mix/shake everything at once, your candy will get coated in the powdered sugar as well. And it will be hard to see.

SO much candy!! (And keep in mind: you can mix in any sprinkles or candy pieces that your heart desires! Chop up leftover Halloween candy and make a leftover candy puppy chow mix.)

How to Make Halloween “Puppy Chow” Muddy Buddies

Yield:

Halloween Chex Mix "Puppy Chow" Muddy Buddies

We turned classic - and delicious - Muddy Buddies; a.k.a., Puppy Chow, into a spooky treat; the perfect snackable dessert for your next haunted Halloween party!

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Ingredients

• 9 cups Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal 
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or  Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips (to make these dairy-free)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine or Earth Balance Butter (to make these dairy-free)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In a large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. After that, microwave for about 30 second intervals, stirring the mixture between each, until the mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour your chocolate-peanut-butter coated cereal into a 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. (We often divide it into two ziploc bags to give the mix plenty of room to shake up and get coated in powdered sugar; next step.)
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Pour your mix into whatever bowl you plan to serve it in and then gently toss in your Halloween candy and sprinkles.*
4. You can store your muddy buddies in a ziploc bag or an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

*Remember: the candy and sprinkles are gently tossed in AFTER you've coated your chex mix "puppy chow" in the powdered sugar. If you try to mix/shake everything at once, your candy will get coated in the powdered sugar as well, and it will be hard to see.

Have you ever made puppy chow, a.k.a., muddy buddies? Are you a fan of the crispy sweet combination?

See this year’s full Halloween spread in this post. All about our very own ‘Eat, Sip, and Be Scary’ Halloween Drink and Dessert station!

Love this recipe for easy Halloween “puppy chow” muddy buddies? Head to our recipe page to check out what else we’re dreaming up in the kitchen! And if you’re looking for more spooky fun Halloween desserts, we can’t stop making these spooky ghost brownies, homemade twix bars, oreo macarons, s’mores cookie bars. And this pumpkin cake with fluffy chocolate frosting.   

If you make your own Halloween “puppy chow” muddy buddies this year, be sure to tag me on social media (@glitterinclexi) so I can live vicariously through all of your delicious dessert creations!

SHOP THE HALLOWEEN MUDDY BUDDIES RECIPE POST | CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE

Photos by Annie Timmons Photography for Glitter, Inc.

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