Bittersweet chocolate melted with creamy peanut butter and luscious butter then poured over crispy rice cereal and crunchy, roasted peanuts. Toss with a cloud of powdered sugar and you’ve got a batch of ridiculously good old-fashioned fun!
All week I had plans to make candy, but the humidity has not cooperated. So, I went in search of other options and stumbled across this old gem. It’s a recipe that’s been around for years, published in so many regional cookbooks, with various parts of the country laying claim to its origins. Though one can argue the roots of this delightful treat, you can’t argue that it’s crazy good!
Made with a short list of ingredients, chocolate chips, peanut butter, real butter, rice cereal, peanuts, and powdered sugar.
We use bittersweet chocolate to curb the sweetness just a bit, plus we love the depth of chocolate it delivers amidst the crunch.
So simple to make, it’s easy enough for any youngster or novice in the kitchen.
Crunchy, sweet, and salty in every bite. It’s the perfect treat for those special snackers in your life!
Puppy Chow
12 ounces chocolate chips*
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 box rice cereal, 12 ounces, about 9 to 10 cups
1-½ cups dry roasted peanuts
2 to 2-½ cups powdered sugar
Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and the butter into a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Cover loosely with a plastic wrap and melt on medium speed, using 30 second intervals, stirring as you go.
Continue until the chocolate chips are almost melted then stir, to melt them completely. Don’t overheat or you can scorch the chocolate.
Place the cereal and the peanuts in a large bowl, tossing together to mix. Pour the melted chocolate mix over the cereal and peanuts. Stir gently until the cereal and peanuts are completely coated.
Put 2 cups of the powdered sugar in a large, 2 gallon food storage bag. Spoon the cereal into the bag, close it tightly and shake until the cereal is covered with the powdered sugar. Add the extra powdered sugar as needed to completely coat the mix.
Spread the mix out onto rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper and let them air dry for about an hour to set up.
Keep in a sealed container. Makes about 10 cups.
*Many bags of chocolate chips are now 10 ounces, so keep that in mind when you measure things out, you’ll need an extra ⅓ cup to get you to 12 ounces. For the cereal, we used Chex® Rice cereal.
Puppy Chow
Equipment
- Microwave proof measuring cup or bowl
- 2 gallon zip top food storage bag
- Rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 12 ounces chocolate chips*
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup butter
- 1 box rice cereal, 12 ounces, about 9 to 10 cups
- 1-½ cups dry roasted peanuts
- 2 to 2-½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and the butter into a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Melt on medium setting, using 30 second intervals, stirring as you go.
- Continue until the chips are almost melted then stir, to melt them completely. Don’t overheat or you can scorch the chocolate.
- Place the cereal and the peanuts in a large bowl, tossing together to mix.
- Pour the melted chocolate mix over the cereal and peanuts. Stir gently until the cereal and peanuts are completely coated.
- Put 2 cups of the powdered sugar in a large, 2 gallon food storage bag. Spoon the cereal into the bag, close it tightly and shake until the cereal is covered with the powdered sugar. Add the extra powdered sugar as needed to completely coat the mix.
- Spread the mix out onto rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper and let them air dry for about an hour to set up.
- Keep in a sealed container.
