Chocolate Strawberry Puppy Chow (Easy Muddy Buddies Recipe)
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: I am a road trip gal.
Packing up a car and hitting the open road is my preferred form of travel. Even driving on the left-hand side won’t stop me. I’ve driven all across the United States, Canada, Scotland, and Ireland (I even rented a motorbike in Bali but returned it before the day was out cause… I’d like to live a little longer). Road trip snacks are an essential part of the drive, which is where this easy chocolate strawberry puppy chow comes into play.
My first experience with puppy chow (or as some like to call it, muddy buddies) was probably in middle school. I went over to a friend’s house, her mom had it in a bowl, and I was in love. Let’s just say, my mom and I had words as to why that was my first taste of this delicious treat. While it does kind of resemble kibble, it’s a delicious combo of all your favorite (human) treats: chocolate, peanut butter, square rice cereal, and powdered sugar.
For this puppy chow, I was thinking about my main snack requirements on a road trip: something chocolaty, something salty, and something sour. Combine that with a fan favorite combo: chocolate-covered strawberries, and, voila, you have this chocolate strawberry puppy chow.
We’re using freeze-dried strawberries for this recipe, which you can find at Aldi’s or online. Pulverizing some into powder while leaving some strawberries a little chunky. This will ensure the strawberry flavor comes through in every bite. As for the peanut butter, we’re just using a little bit to help form that glue, which is also shelf-stable, aka this snack will keep in your car without needing refrigeration!
If you love this puppy chow, please rate and review it below and tag @accentgolden on social!
WHAT IS PUPPY CHOW?
For human consumption, puppy chow is a sweet treat that is both salty and sweet. For a classic recipe, you mix square rice cereal, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. The chocolate and peanut butter are melted together to act as a binding ingredient, which allows the powdered sugar to stick. The combination creates this almost velvety texture alongside the crunch with a burst of chocolate-peanut butter goodness.
For ours, we’re adding some strawberries and a little bit of salt, for a fun twist, perfect for your next road trip.
Where can I buy freeze-dried strawberries? I usually grab mine from Aldi, it’s in their section with the dried fruit and nuts. You can also find versions on Amazon! For this recipe, you want the whole strawberries, not just the powder, so you can have some chunkier bites in your chow.
INGREDIENTS
- Rice Chex Cereal: Any plain square rice cereal will work! This is your vehicle for crunch and all the goodness to stick to
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You can also use milk chocolate, but I find semi-sweet offers a better balance without being too sweet
- Peanut Butter: Just a little to help set and bind
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: To flavor our mix and pop in a few larger bits for extra strawberry bites
- Salt: Brings out the flavors even more while balancing out some of the sweetness
- Powdered Sugar: For a sweet, velvety finish to this mix
Looking for more road trip inspiration? Check out these 5 Unique Things to Do in the Outer Banks! And so you don’t forget anything important, here are 30 Things to Pack for Your Next Road Trip.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY PUPPY CHOW
In a large mixing bowl, pour in your plain cereal. Grab a microwave-safe bowl and pour in your chocolate chips and peanut butter. Pop in the microwave and heat in 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each, until your mixture is smooth and combined. This should probably take only two times (aka one minute). Pour your melted chocolate-peanut butter mixture over your cereal and stir.
In a food processor or zip-top bag, add 1 ¼ cups of your freeze-dried strawberries and crush into a powder. It’s ok if there are a few little bits, but you want them fine so they evenly coat the cereal. Add in your salt with the strawberries before adding them to the bowl with your cereal. Stir to evenly coat each piece.
Pour in your powdered sugar and stir. Then add your remaining strawberries to the bag or food processor and just lightly crush. For these, you want them like chunky crumbles, but not pulverized, so you get bigger bits of strawberries in every bite.
Allow your muddy buddies to sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love this snack
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- You can stir your powdered strawberries and salt into your melted chocolate-peanut butter mixture if preferred, before stirring into your cereal
- If you’re just looking for a classic puppy chow recipe, simply omit the strawberries and salt and up the peanut butter to ½ cup. You can also split this recipe in half, doing half classic and half chocolate strawberry!
STORING YOUR CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY PUPPY CHOW
Once made, store your muddy buddies in an airtight jar or zip-seal bag at room temperature. Be careful not to leave it in the sun or too hot of a space, otherwise you’ll risk the chocolate melting.
This chocolate strawberry puppy chow will keep for one week at room temperature or you can place it in the fridge for storage for up to two weeks!
MORE EASY TREATS
One of my go-to food packs on a road trip is this homemade granola. It makes a ton, perfect for breakfasts or an afternoon snack! Popcorn used to be one of my must-haves at the airport when traveling, so this Black & White Popcorn is now one of my favorite treats to make at home. For a quick and easy bake for a group, try these Cinnamon Chip Scones!
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Spatula
- Mini food processor or zip-seal bag
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 9 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¾ cups freeze-dried strawberries
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Add the cereal to a large mixing bowl
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. Add to your cereal bowl and stir to coat
- In a food processor or zip-top bag, add 1 ¼ cups of your strawberries and crush to a mostly fine powder. Add in your salt and give a stir/shake to combine
- Pour the crushed strawberries into the bowl with the cereal and stir until evenly coated
- Add your powdered sugar into the bowl and stir until fully coated
- Add your remaining ½ cup of freeze-dried strawberries to your food processor or bag and lightly crush until chunky but not powdered. Stir into your cereal mixture
- Leave to set for 15-20 minutes so the chocolate can firm before storing in an airtight container
Addicting!!
Thank you!!