4th of July Puppy Chow – A Fun & Sweet Patriotic Snack
This 4th of July Puppy Chow is an easy, festive snack combining Chex cereal, peanut butter, and powdered sugar with a patriotic twist of red, white, and blue candy.
It’s a fun and customizable treat, perfect for red, white and blue celebrations.
For more ideas on how to celebrate with tasty snacks, be sure to check out our 4th of July Food Ideas.
With no baking required, it’s quick to make and perfect for parties, picnics, or BBQs. Plus, it’s kid-friendly and great for adding your favorite candies or nuts.
This crowd-pleaser is sure to be a hit at your holiday gatherings!
What are the ingredients for Puppy Chow?
To make classic Puppy Chow (also known as Muddy Buddies), you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chex cereal (rice or corn)
- Peanut butter
- Chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
Optional variations can include adding vanilla extract for extra flavor or mixing in candy or nuts for a fun twist!
Making Fourth of July Puppy Chow is super easy.
Start by placing Chex cereal into a large bowl. Next, melt the chocolate chips (you can use milk or white chocolate) and the butter in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until it’s smooth.
Then, stir in peanut butter and mix well. Pour this chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until it’s fully coated.
Now, put the coated cereal into a large zip-lock bag or mixing bowl with a lid, add powdered sugar, and shake until it’s all coated in the sweet sugar. Finally, toss in some red, white, and blue M&M’s to give it that festive touch.
The name “Puppy Chow” likely comes from the snack’s appearance – the coated pieces of cereal resemble dog food or kibble, which is why it became associated with “puppy chow.” However, despite the name, it’s not actually dog food, and it’s a treat for humans!
They are essentially the same snack, but the name varies depending on where you’re from. The main difference lies in the name rather than the recipe. Both are made with the same ingredients. The term “Muddy Buddies” is often used in recipes by General Mills, while “Puppy Chow” is the more common name in some regions, especially in the Midwest.
Patriotic Party Planner
HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips Bag, 12 ozNestle Toll House Premier White Morsels 12-Oz. BagM&M’S Patriotic Candy 3-Pack, 10oz Bag of Red, White, and Blue Candy with Patriotic Design for Gifts, Candy Bowls, Party Décor
4th of July Puppy Chow Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups Chex-type cereal
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate and butter. Microwave for 30 second intervals until it is smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the cereal and pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal.
- Stir until evenly coated.
- Pour the mixture into a large resealable food storage bag.
- Add the powdered sugar and seal up the bag.
- Have fun shaking the bag until a of the cereal is evenly coated.
- Store your red, white & blue muddy buddies in the refrigerator.
This is such a great idea for the Fourth of July, and I just love muddy buddies! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing! I will definitely be making some for my family to snack on while we watch fireworks.
I grew up making and loving the muddy buddy original recipe. I would love to make this with my kids and for my kids for the 4th of July. It has fun colors and I am sure tastes delicious. They like white chocolate and I also like that there is also milk chocolate and this mix. It would the be cool to get both milk and dark chocolate or even have pretzel or crisp m&ms red white blue.
I love these Muddy Buddy’s! This would be great for my grandchildren. Thank you!
This is an awesome snack for any occasion. I love this idea. Thank you so much for sharing
I love to make muddy buddies over the holidays, especially Christmas. I will have to make this for the 4th of July!
I love muddy buddies! What a fun idea. Happy 4th of July!!
Red White & Blue Muddie Buddies looks really good, but the recipe seems to be missing the M&Ms part. Going to try making this during the different holidays, just use whatever holiday M&Ms that are available. Thanks for sharing!
Red, White & Blue Muddy Buddies are a hit with the family. My 7 year old granddaughter tells everyone she made them! Thank you for sharing.
I love how easy this is! Despite being after the 4th, my girls would still enjoy this!
OK now I want some! These look really good. I like how the combination of all of it looks. I really like muddy buddies- although I dont make them! I know if I do , they would be gone in a flash. I let others make these to resist temptation. I am going to have to pass this recipe to my sister in law!
It looks easy to make, and tasty! Thanks!