The Very Finest Pet Chow {Muddy Buddies}

Coated with the right ratio of peanut butter and chocolate, the cereal on this perfect pet chow recipe kinds the tastiest little clusters. It’s so good!

Say goodbye to the pet chow of many years previous, this new and improved recipe is all grown up and addictively scrumptious. I’m sharing just a few key suggestions that take this pet chow from unusual to superb!

What Makes This Pet Chow Completely different

There isn’t a particular meals rocket science behind pet chow (or muddy buddies, as they’re known as in some locations relying on the place you reside and/or the way you have been raised!).

Pet chow is solely chex cereal + peanut butter and chocolate + powdered sugar coating.

Nonetheless, I humbly submit that making only a few key adjustments elevates good ol’ pet chow to new heights.

Even with all these bossy bits of recommendation, this snacky peanut butter chocolate deal with is insanely straightforward to make.

The peanut butter/chocolate chip/butter combination is melted shortly within the microwave after which poured over the chex cereal.

I discover {that a} flat silicone spatula is the easiest for mixing the cereal so it stays in full items with out breaking up.

Let the coated cereal combination relaxation for only a few minutes till it goes from moist and glossy to wanting a bit sticky. This is a vital step. Whether it is too moist, the powdered sugar soaks into the runny chocolate as an alternative of forming a powdery coating on the skin.

Utilizing two 1-gallon ziploc luggage (or use a single 2-gallon ziploc bag…I maintain these revolutionary luggage readily available only for this pet chow recipe), shake the chocolate-covered cereal and powdery coating collectively.

Then, unfold the pet chow combination on a parchment-lined baking sheet to let it cool and set. At this level, you’ll be able to simply sprinkle on a bit extra powdered sugar and toss by hand if there are additional gooey spots that want it.

Good Pet Chow Clusters

This recipe for good pet chow is all grown up. It’s defiantly (sure, defiantly) extra decadent and chocolatey with much less danger of inhaling sufficient powdered sugar to clog a lung.

And it nonetheless manages to be tremendous enjoyable, tremendous kid-friendly, and tremendous scrumptious. My children LOVE these things.

When you’ve skilled these ultra-chocolatey pet chow clusters, there’s no going again.

To get good clusters, this recipe 1) makes use of a bit much less powdered sugar coating than some recipes name for, and a couple of) requires shaking the bag much less intensely/for much less time than you’ll in case you have been coating each bit individually in powdered sugar.

A Revolutionary Storage Tip for Pet Chow

I’m going to go away you with one last notice, and it might be crucial factor you’ll learn all day.

Word of all notes: Your life will perpetually be modified in case you retailer this pet chow within the freezer. Sure, the freezer. It’s unbelievably scrumptious eaten straight from that chilly incubator.

Like, make a double batch, inform nobody, (presumably purchase an additional freezer), stash it behind the half open bag of freezer-burned tater tots, and begin residing your greatest life.

One 12 months In the past: Birthday Cake Swig-Fashion Sugar Cookies
Two Years In the past: Tacky Zucchini Spaghetti Casserole 
Three Years In the past: My Favourite Hen Salad
4 Years In the past: Jalapeño Cheddar Turkey Burgers 
5 Years In the past: Loopy Good Korean Beef Tacos
Six Years In the past: Steak Fajitas with Chipotle Bitter Cream
Seven Years In the past: The Finest Zucchini Muffins {Entire Grain}
Eight Years In the past: BBQ Hen Salad Cilantro Lime Rice Bowls
9 Years In the past:  Skillet Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Rice 
Ten Years In the past: Brookies {Brownie + Chocolate Chip Cookies}

The Very Finest Pet Chow Recipe

Yield: 14 to fifteen cups

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner Time: 2 minutes minutes

Whole Time: 42 minutes minutes

• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips (see notice)
• 1 ¼ cups (320 g) peanut butter (see notice)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ½ to 11 cups (352 g) rice or corn chex cereal (a 12-ounce field – see notice)
• 2 ½ cups (285 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (11 g) pure unsweetened cocoa powder (see notice)

Prepare dinner ModeStop your display from going darkish

• In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and cook dinner for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, till the combination is clean and absolutely melted. Do not overheat. Stir within the vanilla extract.

• Place the cereal in a really massive bowl or divide between two medium/massive bowls.

• Pour the chocolate combination over the cereal. Use a silicone spatula to softly carry and stir the cereal (so it would not crush and break) till it’s coated evenly.

• Let the cereal relaxation till it goes from moist and glossy to wanting a bit sticky, 5 to 10 minutes (this is a vital step – Whether it is too moist, the powdered sugar soaks into the runny chocolate as an alternative of forming a powdery coating on the skin).

• In a separate smaller bowl, whisk collectively the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (see notice).

• Spoon about half of the powdered sugar combination within the backside of two 1-gallon ziploc luggage or one 2-gallon ziploc bag (I maintain these bigger luggage readily available only for this recipe – makes it really easy to combine!).

• Add the cereal combination to the bag(s). This step is usually a bit messy. It helps to fold down the highest of the bag just a few inches and pile the cereal in.

• Add the remaining powdered sugar combination.

• Shut the bag and shake, turning the bag over as you go, till the cereal is usually coated with the powdered sugar combination and has fashioned clusters right here and there.

• (You’ll be able to proceed including powdered sugar a bit of at a time and shaking to coat if you would like a thicker powdery coating on the pet chow, however be warned that this will likely end in much less clusters.)

• Unfold the pet chow out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this level, you’ll be able to simply sprinkle on a bit extra powdered sugar and toss by hand if there are additional gooey spots that want it. Let the pet chow sit for 20 to half-hour to chill and set.

• Retailer the pet chow within the fridge or the freezer and expertise how good life may be when munching on chilled clusters of this magnificent stuff.

Chocolate chips: if I’m being completely trustworthy, my favourite variation of this recipe is 1 cup semisweet/1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, however that’s data meant solely for the extreme chocolate lovers within the crowd. 
Chex: come to search out out, the cereal in a 12-ounce field can weigh extra than 12 ounces. This recipe requires the quantity of cereal in a 12-ounce field, however I’ve given weight and quantity measures in case you might be measuring cereal out of a bigger field. If measuring with a measuring cup, don’t mound the cereal too excessive within the cup otherwise you’ll find yourself with an excessive amount of cereal and the combination will likely be dry.
Substitutions: I haven’t tried subbing in one other sort of nut butter or a special sort of cereal, however I’ve a sense this recipe is fairly adaptable. 
Cocoa Powder: including a little bit of cocoa powder with the powdered sugar within the powdery coating helps convey out the chocolate taste – the pet chow continues to be lots candy, simply extra balanced (and extra yummy!). Nonetheless, you should use all powdered sugar, in case you’d like.
Peanut Butter: I really like the general chocolate/PB stability of flavors on this recipe, nonetheless, if you’d like much less of a peanut butter punch, you’ll be able to lower the PB to 1 cup.

Creator: Mel

Course: Snack

Delicacies: American

Methodology: No-Bake

Serving: 1 cup, Energy: 412kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 7g, Fats: 24g, Saturated Fats: 10g, Ldl cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 259mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 26g

Recipe Supply: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe