If you’ve never had the Best Puppy Chow, you’re in for a treat! Literally! If you’re not familiar, Puppy Chow is made from a base of cereal (either Crispix or Chex) coated in a peanut butter chocolate mixture, then tossed in powdered sugar.
The Best Puppy Chow
And of course I have a story: years ago (perhaps decades) I made a batch to bring by my friend, Rosanne’s, house. I knew the kids would love them. But I didn’t count on the youngest (I think she was around five), who had an instantaneous reaction to the fact that I wanted to feed her Puppy Chow!
About The Best Puppy Chow:
No explanation of the name (because the treat Puppy Chow, coated with powdered sugar, looked convincingly like dog food it was named for) or the ingredients helped. She was too horrified to be persuaded, whether by logic or coaxing, to give it a taste.
Had I called this Midwestern treat by any of its other names, the outcome might have been different. AKA as Muddy Buddies, and, according to Wikipedia, Monkey Munch, Muddy Munch, Reindeer Chow, or Doggy Bag. I’ve never personally heard any of those names except for Muddy Buddies.
Puppy Chow came on my radar in the early 80s, and it was made from Crispix. Many say they remember it from as early as the 60s, the recipe being passed around by home cooks and published in local cookbooks. As an aside, it seems Puppy Chow was rarely called Human Chow (although some customers referred to the cereals the feed company, Ralston, produced as “human chow” to differentiate it from the animal feed).
The Best Puppy Chow
More than You Ever Wanted to Know About Crispix Cereal vs. Rice Chex:
The old version, passed by home cooks, might very well have been made with Chex, since Wheat Chex has been around in one form or another since 1936, when Ralson developed the cereal.
General Mills (which took over the cereal division in 1996) published a recipe for Puppy Chow in 2002, which features Rice Chex (that flavor was developed in the 1950s) under the name of Muddy Buddies. Around 2010, they came up with a commercially sold product under the same name.
Chex’s small squares don’t resemble the old school Ralston Purina Puppy Chow kibble, which, in the 60s, as I recall, had a rectangular shape with a hole in the middle, then later a kind of hexagon shape. Both were covered with a layer of a white powdery substance; I always assumed it was formula. It’s different today.
AI stated (you’ll get a different answer every time with AI, lol) that Crispix (which came out in 1983) had a back-of-the-box recipe published in 1984 called Puppy Chow. It also stated that in the early 2000s, Chex began creeping in as an ingredient, primarily because Chex was more readily available. My guess is that it’s because of the back-of-the-box recipe they published.
Crispix is a combination of wheat and corn, and as you can see by the photo, Crispix is a domed hexagonal shape. I feel it closely matches the look of the actual kibble, Puppy Chow. It’s what I use. And of course, I don’t exactly follow the “original” recipe; mine’s just a little “extra!”
Crispix is easier to work with. While a few clumps are delightful and feel like a bonus when you come across them in the Best Puppy Chow, too many clumps are just too many. The flatter Chex can become glued together by the peanut butter chocolate mixture; separating them so they can be coated is a lesson in frustration.
Making The Best Puppy Chow:
A child can make this recipe, with assistance, depending on the age. I’ve always made the peanut butter chocolate mixture in the microwave, but it could be done on the stovetop.
The recipe makes a large amount (more than shown in my photos of the finished Original Puppy Chow), so find something large to mix it in. I used my roasting pan.
It works best to shake in a large paper grocery bag; some suggest a large Ziploc, but that is impractical and will need to be shaken in multiple batches.
I mix Puppy Chow in my big Roasting Pan! Yes, it’s a messy endeavor!
Serving:
If you want to go old school, serve it in an empty ice-cream bucket as we did back in the day! Hey, it was easy to tote to places. Or an old school Tupperware – you know, the big old bowl that was often on top of the fridge and was used for everything!
Or transfer to a nice, airtight container. This makes marvelous little gifts, in cellophane with a pretty ribbon.
Storing:
Store in an airtight container at a cool room temperature for up to a week – like it will ever last that long! Puppy Chow may be frozen for two to three months.
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.
Save Money on Breakfast Cereal:
Normally, we choose oatmeal, granola, etc., rather than cereal; primarily, cereal is used to make treats, but the more something is used, the more important it is to save $ on it.
- Manufacturers seldom issue coupons, but watch for store coupons and specials and stock up at a low.
- Look for knock-offs at the grocery and discount stores. Some might be more receptive if they don’t realize they are eating generic, or if generic is mixed half and half with brand name.
- Do store properly to keep fresh and prevent loss.
Save Money on Butter:
If you have a deep freeze (and you should), there’s no reason to buy butter at full price. It goes on sale often and keeps well.
- While on sale before any holiday, rock-bottom pricing is before the Winter Holidays, and often matched by sales before Easter. Count out the weeks between holidays and buy appropriately.
- Discount stores have great pricing on butter year-round (and sale prices before holidays).
Save Money on Chocolate Chips:
- Between tariffs, storms, and disease in 2025, chocolate prices have risen dramatically.
- The best strategy is still to stock up on the Winter Holiday sales; sales are still decent before Valentine’s Day and Easter, and there will be sporadic sales through the summer.
- Do be careful of off-brands; sometimes the quality isn’t there. For better brands at a good price, check your buyers’ clubs.
Save Money on Peanut Butter:
- Don’t be brand loyal; know your pricing and watch sales. Take advantage of coupons if available. If used often, buy in larger jars. Check out the discount stores or buyers’ clubs, as well as store brands.
- Some stores offer make your own peanut butter stations, and some people swear by homemade options from bulk peanuts; crunch the numbers before crunching the peanuts!
The Best Puppy Chow
the Best Puppy Chow – Muddy Buddies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: a lot!
- Category: Desserts Candy
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 17 to 18-ounce box Crispix (see note)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 12 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips (use a good brand)
- 1 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if necessary
Instructions
Place Crispix into a large container with plenty of extra room.
Place butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter in a microwave-safe container. Microwave one minute at a time, stirring after each minute until the mixture is smooth. (If the chips don’t fully melt, let sit for several minutes, then beat the mixture several times before pouring it over the cereal.
When pouring, it’s best to drizzle over the surface while tossing, then get into the mixture and thoroughly toss together with clean hands (gloves would be great, here) until all cereal is coated.
Add the powdered sugar to a large paper grocery bag, close tightly with several folds, and, supporting the bottom of the bag, shake. Turn upside down once or twice while shaking. Pour onto a sheet tray, attempting to leave excess sugar behind.
Highly Recommended: If desired, once cooled, add back into the powdered sugar, adding a little more powdered sugar if needed, to double coat.
Optional: For less mess when serving, place puppy chow into a large sieve or colander and give the puppy chow a few gentle shakes; excess sugar sifts out, and tiny bits of cereal accumulate on the bottom and can be removed. Chef snack!
Note: Don’t stress the exact amount of cereal if your package isn’t right on. Either estimate or if it’s in the standard 18 ounces, there’s a generous amount of extra chocolate peanut butter mixture.
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