Healthy Puppy Chow
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My healthy puppy chow is a lighter spin on the classic Muddy Buddies. It needs just four simple ingredients and makes for an easy dessert in just 15 minutes.
This healthy puppy chow is my kryptonite.
I grew up eating my mom’s classic puppy chow, with crispy cereal doused in chocolate and plenty of powdered sugar. I’ve since adapted it to make it a little healthier.
It’s become one of our foolproof, addictive sweet treats (like healthy lemon bars and healthy granola bars), and it’s great for sharing, whether it’s an everyday treat or something sweet to bring to a party.
It’s quick to make, doesn’t rely on refined sugars, and sneaks in some healthy fats and protein (hello, nut or seed butter). I love to eat it by the handful, but my partner loves it in his morning yogurt bowls!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chex cereal. Chex is notoriously the crunchiest cereal. I used Chex rice cereal, but you can use any type of Chex you prefer. Keep in mind the only one that isn’t gluten-free is wheat Chex.
- Sunflower seed butter. I use sunflower seed butter to keep this recipe nut-free, but you could certainly use honey peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips. Skip the expensive store-bought ones and make my sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Sugar-free powdered sugar. Of course, no puppy chow recipe would be complete without the powdered sugar. I make my own powdered sugar substitute because it’s surprisingly easy, and all you need is a sugar-free sweetener and a food processor.
How to make healthy puppy chow
Prep work. Line a large baking sheet or pan with parchment paper. Add your cereal to a large bowl.
Make the chocolate coating. In a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop, melt the sunflower seed butter with chocolate chips.
Combine. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until each piece is fully coated.
Refrigerate. Pour the muddy buddy mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until the chocolate has mostly set.
Coat in powdered sugar. Remove the muddy buddies from the fridge, break them into large chunks, and place them back in the mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and shake the bowl until each piece is coated. Place the muddy buddies back on the pan and allow the sugar to settle before serving.
Recipe variations
- Add sea salt. If you’re like me and love a sweet-and-salty flavor combo, add a sprinkle of sea salt to the powdered sugar mixture to help balance the sweetness.
- Protein muddy buddies. Like my protein puppy chow, you can add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to make these muddy buddies even more satisfying.
- Use white chocolate. I have an easy sugar-free white chocolate recipe, so if you’re wondering what white chocolate puppy chow tastes like, you’ll want to try it.
- Use Nutella. One time when I was feeling a little wild, I swapped the seed butter and chocolate for homemade healthy Nutella. Let’s just say portion control went out the window!
More healthy dessert recipes
Healthy Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 3 cups Chex cereal * See notes
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter can use any smooth nut or seed butter
- 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips
- 1 cup sugar free powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add your cereal or crackers of choice. Line a large tray or deep pan with parchment paper.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, melt your sunflower seed butter with chocolate chips of choice.
- Pour your melted chocolate mixture over the cereal/crackers and mix very well, until coated.
- Pour the muddy buddy mixture on the lined tray/plate and spread apart in an even layer. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until the chocolate has ‘just’ cooled.
- Remove from the fridge and break apart and place back in the large mixing bowl. Add your powdered sugar and mix very well, ensuring it is all covered in it. Place back on the lined tray/pan and allow to powdered sugar to settle on the muddy buddies.
Easy to prepare but the most difficult thing is to find all ingredients.
My youngest son had this at school when he was about 10, 32 years ago and he told us that his teacher, gave it to his classmates as a healthy snack treat! Yeah, right! She had previously gave the class small boxes of raisins but she stopped as the little children would not eat them and just threw them at her and the other classmates. She replaced the raisins with Puppy Chow and also gave each student a small bag of this Puppy Chow and the recipe to take home! As I have diabetes, I knew that I couldn’t eat it so he fed his dad this “healthy treat”. Dad fell in love with this overly sweetened chocolate treat so now I had two people begging and hounding me to make it. I gave in but haven’t made it for about 30 years now! I guess I can give in again and make some! Everyone always told me that it is very, very good! … Thanks, Mertie
I use sliced almonds instead of cereal and they’re amazing. If you like mint, I add this too.
Very interesting Tarin! I’ll have to give that a try.
Is there a way to use cacao butter like white chocolate instead? I don’t like chocolate.. insane I know!
I haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see!
This looks delicious! I could eat it like cereal easily. To be honest, I always thought puppy chow was for dogs, so I figured that it wasn’t for me, haha!
This looks yummy! I’m a little worried that I’ve lived in the United States for all 30 yrs of my life and never heard of muddy buddies or puppy chow lol
oh no hahaha! Well, no time like the present 😀
Is the Swerve confectionery sugar the same as Swerve granular sugar only powdered?tmarschke@gmail
I’m not sure, I’ve only used their confectioner’s sugar.
Never heard it called “puppy chow” before, and I only clicked on it out of morbid curiosity. “Keto dog food is insane!”, I thought. I think the title should have been “Muddy Buddies”, as that is far more common. 😂 Thanks for the recipe!
Haha, it can be called both 🙂