Simple, big batch puppy chow

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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.

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!

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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

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!

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

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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!