This recipe for healthy puppy chow, or depending on where you live, “muddy buddies,” is a grown-up take on a childhood favorite. Made with delicious, quality ingredients like dark chocolate, almond butter, coconut oil, and almonds—this treat will satisfy your adult taste buds while sparking a bit of nostalgia.
Healthy Ingredient Swaps
The process is very similar to making classic puppy chow with just a few thoughtful ingredient swaps.
- Use dark chocolate instead of milk or bittersweet. Dark chocolate adds more antioxidants and less sugar, fat and carbs.
- Use almond butter instead of peanut butter. Although the calories are similar, almond butter does add more fiber. You can use natural peanut butter if you prefer.
- Naturally sweeten if you’d like. Use coconut powdered sugar (ground coconut sugar + arrowroot starch or cornstarch) in place of powdered sugar.
- Used a mixture of rice Chex cereal, wheat Chex cereal and toasted sliced almonds. The mixture here makes all the difference. Rice cereal adds light crispiness, wheat cereal adds whole grains and crunch, and almonds decrease overall carbs and adds protein and healthy fat.
Ingredients Needed
- Dark Chocolate Chips: I recommend using chips instead of bar chocolate because chips have added soy lecithin which sets the chocolate at room temperature. If you use bar chocolate, the mix will be a melty mess.
- Natural almond butter: you can also use natural peanut butter. I prefer creamy but if you like crunchy, use that!
- Coconut oil: you can also use butter but I like the flavor coconut oil adds!
- Vanilla extract: optional, but it does add a nice balance of flavor to the mix.
- Cereal: you’ll need rice Chex and wheat Chex. If you need this to be gluten-free, use corn Chex instead of the rice.
- Almonds: sliced almonds replace some of the cereal—decreasing the overall carbs and adding a nice nutty crunch. Be sure to toast and cool the nuts before adding them to the mix.
- Salt: a hefty pinch to balance out the sweetness.
- Powdered sugar or coconut sugar and starch: for ease, I like to use powdered sugar. But for a naturally sweetened option you can use a combination of ground coconut sugar and arrowroot starch or cornstarch.
How to Make Healthier Puppy Chow
- Melt dark chocolate, almond butter, coconut oil and vanilla together in a double boiler (glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water) until smooth.
- Combine rice cereal, wheat cereal and almonds in a large bowl.
- Add melted chocolate mixture to cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly. Let chill slightly.
- For a naturally sweetened option: make a natural powdered sugar by grinding coconut sugar into a fine powder using a spice grinder, high-powered blender or food processor. Then combine the powdered coconut sugar with arrowroot starch or cornstarch and you have natural powdered sugar!
- Toss chocolate-coated cereal with powdered sugar or coconut sugar mixture until evenly coated and enjoy!
How to Store
Store healthy puppy chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For up to 2 weeks, place it in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze puppy chow for up to 3 months. Transfer it to a resealable zipper-lock bag and store it in the freezer. Allow the mix to thaw at room temperature for an hour or so before adding more powdered sugar as needed and enjoying.
More Chocolate Treats to Try Next
- Chocolate Salami
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Truffles
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Truffles
Healthy-ish Puppy Chow
Description
Crunchy, sweet, salty and nutty, this grown up take on a childhood favorite is healthier thanks to a few thoughtful ingredient swaps.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chips (1 cup)
- ⅓ cup creamy natural almond butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups rice Chex cereal
- 2 cups wheat Chex cereal
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- Pinch salt
- 1¼–1¾ cups powdered sugar* see notes for naturally sweetened option
Instructions
- Melt chocolate, almond butter, oil, and vanilla together in a double boiler (glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water) over medium heat until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- In a large container with a lid, combine cereal and nuts.
- Drizzle chocolate mixture over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated; season with a pinch of salt.
- Add 1 cup powdered sugar to chocolate-covered cereal mixture, secure lid, and shake to coat evenly. Add additional powdered sugar by ¼ cup, tossing after each additional, until adequately coated and mixture reaches your desired sweetness.
- Store healthy puppy chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Naturally Sweeten option: if you’d prefer to naturally sweeten the puppy chow, grind ½ cup coconut sugar into a fine powder then combine with ¼ cup cornstarch or Arrowroot starch. Use it as you would the powdered sugar in the recipe.
Almond Butter: you can also use creamy natural peanut butter.
Depending on the vanilla used, the chocolate might look a little off during melting. Just be patient and continue to melt until smooth.
Nutrition
Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 109mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13g
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