Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow is a fun and festive no-bake treat for the February holiday. Like traditional Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies), Valentine Puppy Chow has the same delicious chocolate peanut butter mixture but with a pink and red twist. This is a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day parties, and it’s a great edible gift for friends and neighbors. Serve it up in a big bowl or package it in cute cellophane bags for individual servings.
Want more Valentine’s Day ideas? Try our decadent 20 Valentine’s Day Treats, Love Bug Valentine’s Day Cookies, Grand Marnier Chocolate Cherries, Valentine’s Day Pink Popcorn, or these adorable Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies.
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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WHAT IS PUPPY CHOW?
Despite its name, Puppy Chow is not for puppies but rather a sweet treat for humans. Some people call it Puppy chow; others refer to it as muddy buddies – either way, it’s delicious!
Why do they call it Puppy chow? It got its funny name because it looks a lot like puppy food. But don’t worry, it doesn’t taste at all like dog food! It’s sweet, salty, and crunchy perfection.
Puppy Chow is made with Corn or Rice Chex Cereal covered in a mixture of chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. It’s a pretty irresistible treat, so consider yourself warned!
For this Valentine’s Day version, we swapped out some of the chocolate and peanut butter for red candy melts and Valentine’s Day sprinkles. The added color and sprinkles make this such a fun and special holiday snack.
What Is Puppy Chow Made Of?
Ingredients
If you would like to make this for Christmas, Reindeer Chow can be changed up with Christmas M&M’s and holiday sprinkles. Who can resist a combination of peanut butter and chocolate anytime!
To make Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow, you only need a few simple ingredients like chocolate chips and peanut butter, to name a couple, most of which you likely already have in your pantry. You may want to use a kitchen scale for measuring as that is the most accurate for chocolate, candy melts, etc. I find our kitchen scale to be a wonderful tool to measure accurately, and they are not expensive either. An Amazon link is provided above.
Corn Chex Cereal ( you can also use Rice Chex)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Smooth Style Creamy Peanut Butter
Red Candy Melts
Vanilla Extract
Salted Butter, room temperature
Powdered Sugar
Valentine Sprinkles
Valentine M&M’s
How To Make Puppy Chow
To give the classic puppy chow recipe a Valentine makeover, we’ll make it in two quick batches.
To begin, we’ll divide a 12-ounce box of Corn Chex cereal in half (about 5 ½ cups into each of two separate large bowls). One will be a normal White batch of Puppy Chow. The other bowl will be a Red batch with Valentine sprinkles.
We’ll make the first batch like normal, melt the chocolate together with the peanut butter, and butter in a mixing bowl in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla and then pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over one bowl of Chex cereal, stirring gently until the cereal is evenly coated.
Then, transfer the mixture into a large Ziploc bag. Add the powdered sugar and then shake gently until the cereal is completely coated.
Spread the White mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper and let it rest until the chocolate is set.
Making the Red Puppy Chow
Meanwhile, take the red candy melts and microwave them, stirring every 30 seconds, until they are smooth and creamy. Pour the melted mixture over the remaining bowl of Chex cereal and stir gently until it’s completely coated.
Transfer the mixture into a large Ziploc bag, then toss with the powdered sugar and Valentine sprinkles.
Spread the Red Chex mixture onto a lined sheet pan and let it rest until set.
When the Chex mix is set, and the chocolate is no longer sticky to touch, combine both halves of the Chex cereal (the Red and the White batches) and gently toss with the Valentine M&M’s.
Whether you call it monkey munch, muddy buddies, or puppy chow, you have now transformed it! Voila! You have Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow! Store puppy chow in an airtight container in a cool place. It will last up to 1-2 weeks, but who can resist it for that long!!
Add a big bowl of this to any dessert or snack table to feed a crowd, and it will disappear almost immediately. Likewise, you can package it up in cellophane bags for cute and tasty Valentine’s Day gifts for friends and neighbors. You can also make this ahead and store it in an airtight container for up to a week.
This is one of the best and easiest Valentine’s Day snacks you’ll ever make!
More Valentine’s Day Treats
Making Valentine’s Day treats is fun and easy with these simple yet delicious recipes.
Heart-Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
Aunt Lil’s Coconut Strawberries
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz box Corn Chex cereal (or Rice Chex), divided
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup smooth style peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar divided
- 10 ounces red candy melts you can find these by cake decorating items in the grocery store or craft stores
- Valentine Sprinkles
- Valentine M&M’s
Instructions
- Divide the Chex cereal evenly into two large bowls (about 5 1/2 cups of cereal in each bowl). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave on high power in 30-second increments, stopping to stir. Stop as soon as you can stir the mixture until it is smooth – this should only take 1 to 2 minutes total. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the Chex in one of the bowls. Stir gently until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, then add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Shake gently until the cereal is completely coated. Pour out onto one of the lined baking sheets. Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the red candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring vigorously after each increment until the melts are completely smooth – this only takes 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the candy melt mixture over the remaining bowl of Chex and stir gently until it's evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, then add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of Valentine Sprinkles. Shake gently until evenly coated. Pour out onto the remaining lined baking sheet. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- When the Chex mix is no longer sticky to touch, and the chocolate has set, toss the two mixtures together and add in the Valentine M&M's. Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container.
Comments & Reviews
Dawn says
Do you have to put peanut butter in these recipe’s?
Tara Noland says
It is kind of what makes puppy chow. You could use cookie butter instead.
Norma says
Love yout Valentine’s twist on puppy chow which is always a hit.
Now a new holiday for a favorite.
Tara Noland says
Thanks Norma, enjoy!!