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Crunchy Chex, rich milk chocolate and sweet powdered sugar combine for the easiest Muddy Buddies recipe with Chex!

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Crunchy, Chocolatey, Sweet – the Best Combo!

  • Fantastic Flavor Combo: Skip the peanut butter cups and jump straight to this chocolate peanut butter treat that’s sweet, a little salty, and satisfyingly crunchy!
  • Quick prep time: In less than 10 minutes from start to finish, you’ll have a tasty homemade snack!
  • Best no bake treat ever! Great for sleepovers, get-togethers, and more. This muddy buddy recipe is a crowd-pleaser, just like s’mores dip, Christmas puppy chow, and haystack cookies!

My Go-To Muddy Buddies Recipe!

When Erik and I desperately need a break, we pick a movie to stream, decide on a super easy homemade treat to make, and get into our coziest pajamas. Welcome to one of our very favorite recipes: Muddy Buddies! It’s crunchy, creamy, and sweet—with a touch of salt. Simply melt a few ingredients together, toss in cereal, then coat in powdered sugar. In less than 10 minutes, you’ll have a yummy chocolate peanut butter treat that will melt away that stress. Yay!

What Are Muddy Buddies?

Muddy buddies (puppy chow) are a no bake treat that consists of melted chocolate, peanut butter, and butter coating crisp Chex cereal that’s tossed in powdered sugar. It’s often served during the holidays, like Halloween and Christmas, and at parties.

Hand grabbing pieces of muddy buddies made with Chex cereal

Muddy Buddy Recipe Ingredients

  • Chocolate chips: I love using semi-sweet chocolate chips for the right amount of rich and deep chocolate flavor, but you can use white chocolate chips, butterscotch and more!
  • Peanut butter: creamy, smooth peanut butter works well here.
  • Butter: use unsalted butter so we can add in exactly the amount we need for the best muddy buddy recipe!
  • Vanilla
  • Powdered sugar: you can use 1 3/4 to 3 cups of powdered sugar. I like using less for bolder chocolate/pb flavor.
  • Chex cereal: rice or corn will do, or use a mix for fun!

How to Make Muddy Buddies

Today, I’m showing you how to make muddy buddies in just 3 easy steps. The result? Delicious, homemade goodness you won’t be able to resist!

  1. Melt chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring until smooth. Stir in salt and vanilla.
A photo showing How to Make Muddy Buddies - chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl
  1. Fold in Chex cereal until every piece is fully coated in the chocolate mixture.
Two photos showing How to Make Muddy Buddies - stirring and folding Chex cereal to coat in melted chocolate and peanut butter mixture
  1. Split this cereal mixture into two gallon-sized zip bags. Split the powdered sugar evenly into each bag. Shake and shake until every piece of cereal is fully coated. Enjoy the best Chex mix muddy buddies!
A photo showing How to Make Muddy Buddies - cereal completely tossed and coated in powdered sugar in a zip top gallon bag

How Do I Make My Muddy Buddies “Snowier”?

  • Use more powdered sugar! Use around 3 cups. You can start with 2 and add more, shaking throughout til you get the look you want.
  • How do I make them more chocolatey? Use less powdered sugar—this makes the peanut butter and chocolate flavor more prominent, just like in peanut butter cocoa powder balls.
Close up of powder sugar-coated Puppy Chow snack mix to show crunchy texture and sweetness

Variations

I love making this muddy buddy recipe for the holidays! For Christmas, stir in red and green M&M’s or make my white chocolate-based Reindeer Chow. For Valentine’s Day, stir in Red Hots or red and pink M&M’s. For Easter, stir in pink, green, and yellow M&M’s. You get the idea!

Close up of bowl of Muddy Buddies recipe showing individual pieces of Chex cereal coated in peanut butter and melted chocolate with powdered sugar

For more delicious recipe ideas like chex mix muddy buddies, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. If you’ve tried this recipe, take a pic and tag us on Instagram using #beamingbaker. We can’t wait to see it! Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

More Easy Dessert Recipes

Bowl filled with Muddy Buddies coated in powdered sugar, chocolate and peanut butter
Servings: 30 1/4-cup servings

Muddy Buddies

Crunchy Chex, rich milk chocolate and sweet powdered sugar combine for the easiest Muddy Buddies recipe with Chex!
Prep: 8 minutes
Cook: 2 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Save this recipe!
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Add chocolate, peanut butter, and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Stir in salt and vanilla extract.
  • Stir in cereal, folding until completely coated. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
  • Split the chocolate-coated cereal evenly into two gallon-sized resealable bags (4 cups each). Split powdered sugar equally into both bags. Shake until chocolate is fully covered in powdered sugar. Enjoy!
  • ★ Last Step: If you made this recipe, leave a comment and review. It truly helps our small business keep running and it helps readers like you!

Notes

  • *I used 1 ¾ cup for a balance of milk chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar taste. But around 3 cups yields “snowier”, sweeter muddy buddies.
  • Refrigerator or Room Temperature: store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
  • To Freeze: cool completely, then store in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for 1-2 months. It tastes so good straight out of the freezer!
Course: Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine: American
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Photo of Demeter, author of the Beaming Baker blog.

Hi there!

I'm Demeter, it's nice to meet you! Here, you'll find easy recipes that are fun & approachable. I love cozy movies, a good mystery, and chocolate. Welcome!

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