Healthy Muddy Buddies (Less Sugar Puppy Chow)

During the holiday season, one of our family's favorite snacks is anything related to Chex-mix. Healthy Muddy Buddies, classic Chex mix, white chocolate Chex mix—we love it all! 

Healthy desserts are one of our favorite things! Once you make these healthy muddy buddies, you must try these white chocolate M&M pretzels, cookie butter cookies, gingerbread loaf, or pumpkin cheesecake - they're all amazing!

And if cookies are your thing, we've got a ton of healthy cookie recipes too!

You'll Love This Healthy Homemade Puppy Chow

• Quick and easy! Made with Chex cereal, peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and chocolate, healthy puppy chow is easy to make and so good!
• It's beyond simple to make! Healthy Muddy Buddies is one of the first holiday desserts my kids could make with me.
• Less added sugar, fewer calories, and fewer ingredients than the store-bought version.
• This Healthier puppy chow recipe is an easy dessert that is just as delicious as the classic puppy chow recipe!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.

• Chex:  I recommend using corn Chex, peanut butter Chex, or chocolate Chex cereal. I find that corn Chex tends to hold its shape better than Rice Chex.
• Chocolate:  Unsweetened melting chocolate works best for this recipe. It also helps to keep the recipe less sugar. You could also use dark chocolate chips.
• Butter:  The traditional Chex mix recipe calls for butter. Refined coconut oil may also be used, but it does tend to make the puppy chow softer, slightly stale, and does not store as well.
• Powdered Sugar:  Use powdered erythritol if you want to make these no-sugar muddy buddies.
• Vanilla extract:  Helps to enhance that yummy vanilla flavor.
• Peanut Butter:  Use creamy peanut butter. I recommend all-natural creamy peanut butter from Kirkland's (similar to what we use in our copycat perfect bars.)

Healthy Muddy Buddies Recipe Variations

Healthy muddy buddies are quite versatile and here are just a few ideas for how you can make this recipe work for you and your particular tastes and dietary preferences:

• Keto:  Use a keto-friendly cereal like Catalina Crunch. Use a sugar-free sweetener like powdered erythritol or monk fruit and low-carb chocolate.
• Dairy-free:  Use dairy-free chocolate chips and vegan butter.
• Peanut allergy:  Use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.
• Gluten-free:  Use a Gluten-free Chex like corn or rice Chex cereal.
• Protein Muddy Buddies: Add chocolate protein powder to the chocolate and butter mixture. You may need to thin it a bit with some melted butter if it becomes too thick.

How to Make This Healthy Puppy Chow Recipe

Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.

1. Add the melting chocolate and butter to a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 60 seconds.  Stir and microwave in 30-second intervals or until the chocolate mixture is fully melted.
2. Mix in the peanut butter.  Stir it into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
3. Measure 9 cups of cereal and add to a large mixing bowl. Gently fold the chocolate mixture until well coated.
4. Divide the coated cereal into two gallon-sized plastic bags and add powdered sugar or erythritol.  Shake the Ziplock bag until well coated. Pour the coated cereal mix onto a large piece of parchment paper and allow it to dry before storing.

Expert Tips

• Although you can use coconut oil in place of butter, I do not recommend it. I find that using coconut oil leaves the puppy chow stale and not crispy.
• If you do not have a microwave, you can melt the butter and chocolate on the stovetop in a small pot over low heat.
• Storage:  Store healthy muddy buddies in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate as I've found this makes the cereal stale.

Recipe FAQs