Puppy Chow is not a dog food but a deliciously addictive American snack or party appetiser that is easily made in around 5 minutes! It is made with chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar and Chex cereal (and yes you can do a pistachio chocolate version!). But this recipe for Puppy Chow comes with a warning: once you try one piece it is hard to stop. It's also fun to make as you shake it all up in a large ziplock bag and when you open it, you get perfect Puppy Chow!
Puppy Chow is an American midwest snack made with chocolate and peanut butter coated Chex cereal that is then coated with powdered or icing sugar. It's a crunchy, sweet snack for any sweet tooths. Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies also has a range of other names like monkey munch, muddy munch, reindeer chow or doggy bag. The reason why it was called Puppy Chow is because it resembles dog kibble. There is something just so addictive about it. Even though I am not a sweet tooth I really loved the crunch of this and some days I wanted to sneak downstairs to eat some after I brushed my teeth.
Tips For Making Puppy Chow
1 - You can use regular peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) and milk chocolate but I like dark chocolate as it is less sweet. I love using a combination of pistachio paste and dark chocolate. If you are allergic to nuts try sunflower butter.
2 - In Australia we only really seem to get chocolate Chex not plain Chex but this works.
3 - To make puppy chow you mix the Chex cereal with melted chocolate, peanut butter and butter. Then you place it in a ziplock bag with the powdered sugar and shake! That's it! While some people mix everything in a bowl, I find you don't get that really nice level of even coating on the outside unless you shake it in a bag.
4 - This recipe for Puppy Chow has a nice thick layer of coating on it. That's the best type of Puppy Chow (IMHO). You can also use icing sugar mixture instead of pure icing sugar. I prefer to use icing sugar mixture because you don't need to sieve it.
5 - Don't forget the salt! This is also what makes it so addictive.
6 - You can also add in mix ins like m&ms or seasonal candy with specific colours or lollies to customise it.
7 - To transport Puppy Chow keep it in the ziplock bag that you used to shake it. Puppy Chow stays crisp for up to 1 week in this or an airtight container (possibly even longer, we just eat it all!). I really thought it would only stay crisp for a day or two but I tested it out!
I made this Puppy Chow as a gift for friends as it is a fun, easy snack that will please sweet lovers. I also just love making it because it is quick and fun. I brought a bag to a catch up with my friends Lucy and Mrs Martin along with their partners Dan and Mr Martin. As Mr NQN and I were driving there I startled.
"What day is it?" I asked him. It was the 5th of January and I truly had no idea what day it was.
"Sunday," he said drily.
While the company was fantastic and we had a great time catching up, the brewery that we went to had absolutely terrible food. The lamb kebabs had chewy meat and the beef brisket sandwich was dry and flavourless. After trying a couple of bites I just ate the fries. I had been looking forward to a deliciously unhealthy meal for a few days and I was so disappointed. It actually made me feel out of sorts for the rest of the day. I'm not even joking. (Is there a Japanese or German word for this food ennui?)
"I have to eat something like fried chicken for dinner," I told Mr NQN and so we went to get some Korean fried chicken. A healthy salad wouldn't do for dinner in place of what I had promised myself earlier that way. The Korean fried chicken absolutely hit the spot perfectly followed by a handful of this Puppy Chow!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever get frustrated when the food is bad when you eat out? Have you ever tried Puppy Chow?
P.S. That night Lucy messaged me after trying the Puppy Chow. "Those things you made...omg! They are amazing!!!!! Can I have the recipe please? I can't stop eating them haha," she said.
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