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These vegan muddy buddies coat crunchy Chex cereal in melted chocolate and peanut butter, then toss it all in powdered sugar for a sweet, crunchy snack that’s ready in under 20 minutes. If you love chocolate and peanut butter together, you’ll also love my no-bake chocolate peanut butter balls.
Muddy buddies, also called puppy chow, are a classic no-bake treat made with just 5 ingredients. They’re perfect for holiday parties, game days, potlucks, lunchboxes, and gifting. Around the holidays, I love packing a tin of these next to my no-bake peppermint patties.
Quick Glance
- Recipe Name: Vegan Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)
- Why You’ll Love It: A sweet, crunchy, crowd-pleasing snack made with 5 pantry ingredients and no baking.
- Time and Difficulty: 15 minutes of prep and 2 minutes in the microwave. Easy.
- Main Ingredients: Chex cereal, vegan chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
- Method: Melt the chocolate and peanut butter, coat the cereal, chill briefly, and shake it with powdered sugar.
- Texture and Flavor: Crunchy and chocolatey with a sweet, powdery coating and a little saltiness from the peanut butter.
- Quick Tip: Add the powdered sugar in two batches so every piece gets an even coating.
Table of Contents
- What Makes These Vegan Muddy Buddies So Good
- Muddy Buddies Without Peanut Butter
- Vegan Muddy Buddies Ingredients
- Flavor Variations and Add-Ins
- How to Make Vegan Muddy Buddies
- Common Muddy Buddy Problems to Avoid
- Muddy Buddies for the Holidays
- Storage
- Vegan Muddy Buddies FAQs
- More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats
What Makes These Vegan Muddy Buddies So Good
Muddy buddies are sweet, a little salty, crunchy, and always the first thing to disappear at a party. This version uses vegan chocolate chips, so it’s dairy-free, and it’s easy to make gluten-free too.
- Crowd-pleasing: It always vanishes fast at potlucks and holiday gatherings.
- Just 5 ingredients: Inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
- No baking: Everything comes together in the microwave in about 15 minutes.
- Easy to customize: Swap the nut butter or add your favorite mix-ins.
- Make-ahead friendly: It keeps for a week at room temperature and freezes well.
Muddy Buddies Without Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is classic, but you can make muddy buddies with other nut or seed butters. I haven’t tested every swap, but almond butter or cashew butter should work, and for a nut-free version, use my homemade sunflower seed butter or a store-bought one. Cookie butter, like Biscoff, makes a sweet, spiced version, and vegan chocolate spread works too. Use the same amount as the peanut butter, and choose a creamy, drippy nut or seed butter so it melts smoothly with the chocolate.
Vegan Muddy Buddies Ingredients
You only need 5 simple ingredients. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Chex cereal: Rice Chex or Corn Chex is my go-to. Both are gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Semisweet vegan chocolate chips: Many brands of semisweet chocolate chips are dairy-free, so check the label.
- Creamy peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter melts smoothly with the chocolate. If yours is unsalted, add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the chocolate.
- Powdered sugar: Gives muddy buddies their classic sweet, powdery coating.
Flavor Variations and Add-Ins
- Christmas muddy buddies: Toss in red and green candy-coated vegan chocolates, holiday sprinkles, pretzels, or crushed candy canes.
- Mint muddy buddies: Replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract.
- Biscoff muddy buddies: Use Biscoff cookie butter instead of peanut butter, with semisweet or vegan white chocolate.
- Protein puppy chow: Replace ¼ to ½ cup of the powdered sugar with vanilla or chocolate vegan protein powder.
- Mix-ins: Add mini vegan marshmallows, pretzels, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, banana chips, toasted coconut flakes, or crushed vegan sandwich cookies after the powdered sugar.
How to Make Vegan Muddy Buddies
Before you start, place the cereal in a large container with a lid, like a big bowl with a lid or a gallon-size zip-top bag, and set it aside. You’ll find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Add the chocolate and peanut butter. Place the vegan chocolate chips and peanut butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
Step 2: Melt them together. Microwave for 1 minute, mix well, then microwave for 30 more seconds, until fully melted and smooth.
PRO TIP: Don’t overheat the chocolate. If it needs more time, heat it in short bursts and stir in between so it melts smoothly without burning. My guide on how to melt chocolate has more tips.
Step 3: Stir in the vanilla. Add the vanilla extract and mix until it’s fully combined.
Step 4: Pour it over the cereal. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal in your large container.
Step 5: Coat and chill. Gently mix until all of the cereal is covered, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly hardened.
Step 6: Shake with powdered sugar. Add half of the powdered sugar, put the lid on, and shake well. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and shake again until every piece is coated.
PRO TIP: If your muddy buddies are still warm, spread them out on a parchment-lined tray to cool completely before you store them.
Common Muddy Buddy Problems to Avoid
- Clumpy powdered sugar: Adding all the sugar at once can leave clumps. Add it in two batches and shake well after each one.
- Uncoated pieces: Mix gently but thoroughly so every piece of cereal gets covered before you add the sugar.
- Thick or grainy chocolate: The chocolate may have overheated. Stir in a little coconut oil or vegan butter to loosen it.
- Soft or sticky muddy buddies: Storing them while they’re still warm traps steam. Let them cool completely first.
Muddy Buddies for the Holidays
Muddy buddies make a simple, budget-friendly gift. Pack them into tins, jars, or cellophane bags tied with ribbon, and add them to a holiday cookie box with a few of my vegan Christmas cookies. They’re also a great addition to a snack table next to my sweet and salty popcorn and vegan no-bake chocolate cookies. For another quick peanut butter treat, try my peanut butter stuffed dates.
Storage
Store: Keep cooled muddy buddies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the fridge for 10 to 14 days.
Freeze: Freeze them in a fully airtight container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Vegan Muddy Buddies FAQs
They can be! Rice Chex and Corn Chex are labeled gluten-free, so just double-check the labels on your chocolate chips and peanut butter too. Wheat Chex is not gluten-free.
They’re the same snack! Muddy buddies is the name Chex uses for its recipe, and puppy chow is what a lot of families call it at home. You might also hear it called reindeer chow, muddy munch, or monkey munch.
Yes. If you don’t have a large container with a lid, a gallon-size zip-top bag works great. Just make sure the chocolate mixture has cooled for a couple of minutes first, and seal the bag well before you shake it.
You can use a dark vegan chocolate with 70 percent cocoa or more, or a sugar-free chocolate and sugar-free powdered sugar. I haven’t tested this recipe with sugar-free chocolate or powdered sugar, so start with less and add more as needed.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats
Vegan Desserts
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
Vegan Desserts
Peanut Clusters
Vegan Desserts
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark
Vegan Desserts
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls (+ Add-Ins)
If you tried these vegan muddy buddies or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Easy Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)
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Ingredients
- 5 cups Chex cereal
- 1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the cereal in a large container with a lid. Set aside.
- Place the vegan chocolate chips and peanut butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave them for 1 minute, mix well, and add 30 seconds until fully melted. Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture over the cereal and gently mix until all of the cereal is covered with the mixture.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly hardened.
- Add half of the powdered sugar, place the lid on, and shake vigorously. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, place the lid on, and shake well until all of the cereal is covered with the powdered sugar.
Notes
- If the melted chocolate is too thick, stir in a little coconut oil or vegan butter.
- Mix gently but thoroughly so every piece of cereal gets coated.
- Add the powdered sugar in two batches for an even, clump-free coating.
- Let the muddy buddies cool completely before storing them, or the steam can make them soft and sticky.
- Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for 10 to 14 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- For gluten-free muddy buddies, use Rice Chex or Corn Chex.
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Chex are NOT vegan.
Hi! Most rice chex are accidentally vegan 🙂
The perfect christmas treat!