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Patriotic Puppy Chow

Patriotic puppy chow (muddy buddies) is a no-bake Chex mix dessert where white chocolate coats every crunchy piece, then it’s tossed in red and blue M&Ms and star sprinkles. Powdered sugar dusting clings to the Chex so each bite looks glistening and festive for the 4th of July.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chex cereal (rice or corn)
  • 9 cup Chex cereal (rice or corn) Measure loosely and level the cups for consistent coating.
white chocolate chips or white melting wafers
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips or white melting wafers Use either chips or melting wafers for smooth melting.
unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter Helps thin the chocolate for even coating.
powdered sugar
  • 2 cup powdered sugar Dust after coating so the pieces look snowy.
red M&Ms
  • 1 cup red M&Ms Fold in after the cereal cools so candy stays crisp.
blue M&Ms
  • 1 cup blue M&Ms Fold in after the cereal cools so candy stays crisp.
Red and blue star sprinkles
  • 1 Red and blue star sprinkles Use to finish the red-white-blue look.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 microwave-safe bowl

Method
 

Coat the Chex
  1. Measure Chex cereal into a very large bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt white chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring until completely smooth.
  3. Pour the melted white chocolate over the Chex and stir gently until every piece is evenly coated.
Dust with powdered sugar and chill
  1. Transfer the coated cereal into a large zip-lock bag, add powdered sugar, seal, and shake vigorously until all pieces are well coated.
  2. Spread the coated Chex onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and let cool for 30 minutes until set, forming a dry sugary shell.
Add patriotic mix-ins and serve
  1. Transfer the cooled puppy chow to a large bowl and toss with red and blue M&Ms and star sprinkles so the mix-ins are visible throughout.
  2. Serve in a big bowl or portion into individual bags for party-ready snacking.

Notes

Pro tip: let the chocolate-coated Chex cool until set before adding the M&Ms and sprinkles so the candy doesn’t melt or bleed color. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; it can be frozen up to 1 month (texture may soften slightly). For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free Chex cereal while keeping the same coating method.