• About
    • About Me
      • resources for a simple blog
    • Work with Me
  • Recipe Index
    • Purees
    • Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Lunch
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • Disclosures
  • Subscribe
  • The Beginners Guide to Simple Meal Planning

Simple Gray T-Shirt

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Dessert

Simple, Big Batch Puppy Chow

Modified: Jan 25, 2025 · Published: Dec 27, 2019 by Marni Katz · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Jump to Recipe

That’s right, nothing small about this recipe.  When we make something delicious we go big. That’s why today we are using a whole box of cereal to make big batch puppy chow. 

Now, I don’t know about you and your family, but I know that we don’t just eat one handful of this goodness and call it a day. Nope, we really go for it.  And since it lasts a long time (by this I mean it doesn’t get stale, because it doesn’t last so long around here), making a big batch is just the way to go.

a couple containers of puppy chow

Puppy chow is one of those recipes that you can find in a million places, with a million variations, but one thing always annoyed me.  You are always left with a weird amount of cereal in the box when you were done. So I wanted to change that for me and for all of you. 

I wanted to give you a recipe that not only used up the whole box, but that would also be great if you were serving a crowd, sharing at a party, or making gifts for friends, teachers or family.

So here we go...into the land of big batch puppy chow.  Get your big bowl and appetite ready!

“This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link.”

Can you make a small batch of puppy chow?

Sure you can, but do you really want to???  Feel free to cut the recipe in half or quarter it, but I promise you’ll wish you had made more.

Can this recipe be made nut-free, dairy-free or gluten-free?

Definitely.  It’s actually quite easy to adapt this recipe to many different dietary restrictions:  Here are my suggestions for some of the big ones. Feel free to adapt in other ways as you feel necessary:

  • Nut-free:  swap the peanut butter for creamy sunbutter and you should be good to go.
  • Dairy-free:  you can easily substitute the butter for a dairy free plant based butter.  Any version will work, it’s totally up to you.
  • Gluten-free:  this one is super easy, just make sure you are using a gluten free version of the cereal.  There are a few and any of them will work
puppy chow with chocolate chips and peanut butter around

How do you make big batch puppy chow?

The hardest part of making this big batch of deliciousness is finding large enough zip top bags to shake the whole thing up.  I find using two and a half gallon size bags works well.

First, you’ll want to melt together the chocolate, butter, and peanut butter together in the microwave.

Simply mix the cereal into the melty mixture with a big spoon until all the cereal is well covered. Then it’s time to shake.

I like to put the powdered sugar into the bag before dumping the chocolaty cereal in, just cuts down on the mess (hahaha), and I find that it is easier to cover the cereal more evenly.

Then, spread out on a wax paper or parchment lined baking tray (or two or four depending on how big they are) until everything is set.  If your house is warm, you may want to put in the fridge for a bit.

Tips and Tricks:

  • This recipe is great for a party.  In fact, that’s one of the reasons I make a big batch of it.  Think new year’s eve, super bowl, school valentines party (just throw some red m&m’s into the mix).  Make this up to a week in advance and you’ll be good to go.
  • Puppy chow can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days, although it never lasts that long anywhere I’ve been.
  • You can easily use store brand/generic cereal in this recipe.  Save a few dollars since you are going to coat it in all the delicious things anyway!
big bowl of puppy chow with chocolate chips scattered around

Looking for other easy kid friendly recipes? Check these out!

  • edible sugar cookie dough (with sprinkles!)
  • salty and sweet chocolate bark
  • no churn mint chip ice cream

📖 Recipe

big bowl of puppy chow

Simple, big batch puppy chow

Marni Katz
great for a crowd (or just your family), this big batch puppy chow is super simple to make and every better to eat!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 20 servings
Calories 284 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 12 oz box of chex cereal I like corn or rice
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • in a large glass bowl place the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter
  • put the bowl in the microwave and heat at 30 second increments stirring every 30 seconds until everything is melted together
  • once everything is melted, stir until really well combined
  • add in the vanilla and salt until combined
  • dump the cereal into the melted chocolate mix and stir carefully until all of the cereal is well coated
  • into a large zip top bag, dump the powdered sugar (if using gallon size bags, you may need to split this into two batches)
  • add in the coated cereal and shake until all the pieces are well coated and the entire mix is white and covered
  • spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet and let set until cool (can refrigerate if need be to hurry up the process)
  • enjoy!

Notes

make sure that everything is well combined before adding the cereal
be sure to coat the chocolate covered cereal really well with the powdered sugar.  add more as needed to the zip top bag to ensure good coverage!

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 239mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 3gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 316IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 6mg
Keyword chex cereal, muddy buddies, puppy chow
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!

Want to make these now?  Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours,  Instacart can get them to you today.  Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck without them again!  

pin image for puppy chow

More Simple Dessert Recipes

  • 6-Ingredient Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • funfetti dip in a glass bowl with sprinkles surrounded by dipping options
    4-Ingredient Funfetti Dip (from a cake mix)
  • spice cake cookies stacked on parchment paper
    3-Ingredient Spice Cake Mix Cookies
  • two chocolate sandwich cookies next to a glass of milk.
    4-Ingredient Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (from a cake mix)

About Marni Katz

Marni Katz is the recipe developer, photographer and writer behind Simple Gray T-Shirt. She wants to help people keep things simple in the kitchen. With simple recipes, easy menu ideas and plenty of tips and tricks along the way, she wants getting a meal on the table to be as simple as putting on your favorite gray tee!
"I want to inspire you to get back in the kitchen and do this, because you can!"

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I'm so glad your here!

As a busy mom of three, I believe in keeping recipes simple. 7-ingredients or less is my goal, and everything is kid-tested and approved!

More about me

Most Popular Recipes

  • slice of pudding pie on a plate with whip cream and a fork
    Vanilla Pudding Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
  • vanilla mouse in a glass jar with a graham cracker
    2 Ingredient Vanilla Mousse (aka Whipped Pudding)
  • chocolate pudding pie with a slice removed, garnished with crushed oreos
    No Bake Chocolate Pudding Pie
  • three ingredient garlic butter sauce in a mason jar with cloves of garlic
    3-Ingredient Garlic Butter Sauce

12 Months - Dinner Done E-Book

Grab this printable e-book and get 12 months of dinner ideas and 52 weekly theme ideas, with video tutorial bonus and other great extras!

grab your copy now!

As Seen In

as featured in with logos from media features

Footer

↑ back to top
12 months dinner done pin

Don't know what to make for dinner?

Get my 12 Months - Dinner Done eBook!

12 months of dinner ideas done for you AND an easy to use method for creating dinner menus your family will LOVE!

Grab it here!

Details

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Stay In Touch

  • Sign Up! for emails
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

About

  • About
  • FAQ
  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Foodie Pro on the Feast Plugin

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required