Some people call this Peanut Butter Chex Mix.
I’ve seen it called Reindeer Feed this time of year when mixed with pretzels and other add-in’s like M & M’s or peanuts.
Some people call it Bury Your Face In This Bowl.
I had never tried making puppy chow with white chocolate, but decided to give that a whirl for today’s version since white chocolate pairs so well with peanut butter.
Then again, most things pair well with peanut butter for me.
Especially when there are four cups of powdered sugar involved.
Tip: If you liked this recipe, make sure to try my loaded Christmas Puppy Chow as well!
[print_this]
White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow (Gluten Free; with Vegan option)
1 c white chocolate chips
2/3 c peanut butter
1/3 c butter (or margarine/Earth Balance)
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups+ Chex or Crispix cereal – rice, corn, or combo (I used Crispix that was half corn/half rice. In the past I have made Puppy Chow from Rice Chex but it crumbled more easily when stirring. The corn in the cereal makes the pieces heartier and less crumbly)
3 to 4 cups+ powdered/confectioner’s sugar (I used just over 4 c but I wanted each piece very well coated)
Optional: Add any add-in’s before tossing with the powdered sugar such as: pretzel pieces, M & M’s, other candy bits or mini candies (diced or chopped), toffee bits, raisins, other dried fruit pieces, nuts, seeds, marshmallows, white/dark/peanut butter chips, etc.
Directions:
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and melt in 20-30 second increments, removing from the microwave and stirring vigorously after each interval. White chocolate burns easily so take care not to overheat it and vigorous stirring will encourage complete melting sooner than you think.
After mixture is completely melted and smooth, add the vanilla extract and stir to incorporate.
Then add the cereal and fold it in gently. (You may want to add a total of 7 cups of cereal if there is any pooling of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. All liquid should be fairly well absorbed and coated onto the cereal but you don’t want it too dry. Plenty of “juiciness” is desired because the powdered sugar will stick better)
Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and keep tossing mixture until the powdered sugar coats all pieces, thereby drying them out, or until the sugar layer is as thick as desired.
Yields: About 7 cups of mix. Store in airtight container or Ziplock bag (I have mine in the freezer in a big Tupperware container and it’s just fine to remove and eat immediately. It’s so hot here that all chocolate needs to be kept in the fridge or freezer.)
Notes:
Already Gluten Free if using any of these Chex Cereals
To make vegan, use Vegan White Chocolate Chips and margarine/Earth Balance or similar
[/print_this]
Addicting? Yes.
Delicious? Yes.
Healthy? Oh yes, for sure. The whole grains in the cereal make this health food. Ok maybe not so much but it’s a good story.
I love the white chocolate in this version and it allows both the peanut butter and the vanilla flavors to come through in comparison to the regular (dark) chocolate recipe for Puppy Chow (vegan, gluten free) that I’ve made in the past.
I’ve been on a white chocolate kick lately. I blame the holidays.
Ok, not really, I love white chocolate any time of year.
I hope you have some parties to bring this to because it makes more than you probably need for yourself.
But it’s so addicting that you will probably make a pretty good dent on it by yourself.
Questions:
Do you like Puppy Chow?
If so, how do you make it or what do you add to it?
Winner of the Superfoods & Superfruits Giveaway announced next post
Had to share this post on my Facebook and Twitter. You’re a genius…yet again :)
Averie, I would be very curious which online forums have that information. I am not trying to be snotty but I would like to read what they have to say. You can email me the info if you want. Thanks for your help. Have a great Sunday.
I’m on vacation and don’t have time to dig up links for you; but try google. It’s out there.
Looks delicious but just as an FYI Crispix is not a gluten free food. It contains gluten in the Malt flavoring and is not safe for suffers of Celiac Disease. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the info. I will edit the post. Anyone who is highly sensitive to gluten should always check the labels, i.e. a true Celiac vs those who simply avoid gluten. That said, there are forums online that indicate it is which is where I gathered my info. Always read the labels is the motto, no doubt.
wow this puppy chow looks amazing! i love regular puppy chow but swapping white chocolate for regular is right up my alley! i favor white chocolate over regular anyway. i will have to make this sometime!
Oh yum! Puppy Chow looks so good! Love vanilla and peanut butter. I need to pick up some chex so I can make this! Thanks Averie!!
This looks wonderful, perfect for holiday parties. Awesome job!
I’ve never had puppy chow, I guess I’m missing out! I do like the name “bury your face in this bowl”, makes it sound more fun!
If I had to make puppy chow, I guess I would add chocolate to it. Anything with chocolate for this chocoholic :P.
Errr puppy chow??!! Why not just give ’em to me and call ’em Ellie Chow??! I understand not. :P And I love that 2nd to the last photo! It looks very pretty and rustic~
thanks…my photos here in Aruba are a crap shoot. Some are turning out well, some aren’t. Thanks for the compliments b/c I was not really digging these pics too much.
Ooooh! You are the goddess who convinced me of the amazing pairing of white chocolate and peanut butter!
I’m sure I’ve had something like puppy chow before but I never knew the name. When I saw the recipe on a few blogs I thought it was a dog treat! Well the white chocolate might make it ok as one but I wouldn’t want to share.
Oh hey, if you like Godiva coffee I’m doing a giveaway on my blog!
I don’t know if I’ve ever had it before. I have a vague memory of trying it. But even if I did, I’m sure it wasn’t made with white chocolate and white chocolate makes everything better.
you’d love this knowing what combos you like!
I love muddy buddies! (also call them puppy chow occasionally) I never thought about using white chocolate and Crispix cereal, but it’s such a great idea!!
Because they weren’t chocolate, I didnt call them “muddy”….maybe murky? :)
Another brilliant one, Averie!!! I can taste the melty PB and white chocolate… they really do go so well together!
hope you make them!
Looks amazing! I’m sorry to say that I don’t think I’ve ever made OR eaten puppy chow before! Which seems awful because this looks too delicious to pass up! Thanks for sharing your recipe! :)