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    Home » Recipes » Snack Mixes

    Lemon Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)

    Published: Mar 3, 2019 · Modified: Sep 28, 2023 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 1035 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe
    Lemon Puppy Chow Snack Mix by The Toasty Kitchen
    Lemon Puppy Chow Snack Mix by The Toasty Kitchen
    Lemon Puppy Chow Snack Mix by The Toasty Kitchen

    Lemon muddy buddies, also known as puppy chow, is a sweet candy treat made from chex cereal, white chocolate, and fresh lemon zest. It's ready in just fifteen minutes with no baking required!

    A decorative white bowl filled with lemon puppy chow.

    This lemon muddy buddies, also known as puppy chow, is ready in just a few minutes, and requires only four ingredients. It's crunchy, great for snacking, and filled with sweet lemon flavor. 

    Muddy buddies are easy to make for a crowd. This recipe is easy to double or triple, depending on your hunger level or quantity of guests.

    My favorite ingredient? Fresh lemon zest. This gives your puppy chow that fresh and vibrant lemon flavor. Looking for another fun summer flavor? Try my strawberry muddy buddies.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Ingredients on a counter top.
    • Chex cereal - Any variety works in this recipe. I prefer rice chex. Corn chex is a good alternative.
    • White chocolate melting wafers - can be substituted with white chocolate chips and coconut oil (used to help thin the chocolate chips to the right consistency).
    • Lemon zest - Cannot be substituted with lemon juice. Adding liquid will cause your chocolate to seize.
    • Confectioner's sugar - Also called powdered sugar or icing sugar. This will coat your snack mix, and cannot be substituted with granulated sugar.

    Tips and tricks

    Melting chocolate and tossing chex cereal in sugar.

    Serve a crowd - As written, this recipe makes about eight half-cup servings. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.

    Mix in a bowl or bag - For easy cleanup, mix your muddy buddies in a large, gallon-sized plastic bag. It's easy to seal and shake to mix. Otherwise, a large bowl and spoon can get the job done.

    Excess sugar? - Don't worry if you see excess confectioner's sugar in the bottom of the bag or bowl. Not all of the sugar is meant to stick on the cereal - this is normal.

    Bowl of puppy chow surrounded by white chocolate chips and lemons.

    Seizing chocolate? - Several readers have reached out to let me know that their chocolate seized when adding the lemon zest (only when using chocolate chips). While I have not been able to replicate this issue myself, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

    • Using melting wafers seems to be more reliable than using chocolate chips.
    • If using chocolate chips, add coconut oil to help stabilize the chocolate and make it thinner and easier to coat the cereal.
    • Check the expiration date on your chocolate chips. If they are expired, it is likely that they'll have a chalky texture and will not melt smoothly.
    • Do not substitute lemon zest with lemon juice. Adding liquid to your chocolate will 100% cause it to seize.
    • Melt your chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each 30 seconds. Overheating your chocolate will cause it to burn.
    • The most reliable way to melt chocolate is over a double boiler on the stove top. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. In a bowl larger than your pot, add your chocolate and balance the bowl on top of your pot. Stir continuously until just melted and smooth.

    Frequently asked questions

    White bowl filled with puppy chow on a yellow napkin.
    What are the names for muddy buddies?

    Muddy buddies is also known as puppy chow, reindeer chow, reindeer mix, or muddy munch.

    Why is it called puppy chow? You shouldn't feet chocolate to dogs!

    It should go without saying, but (after receiving several comments about this) muddy buddies is for humans only, not dogs. This popular American snack was nicknamed "puppy chow" due to its similar look to the dog food with the same name.
    For more information, check out: Wikipedia: Puppy chow (snack)

    Why is my muddy buddies soggy?

    Allow your muddy buddies to dry completely before storing. Otherwise, the wet chocolate can build up moisture in the container it's stored in and make the cereal soggy.

    How long does muddy buddies last?

    Muddy buddies will last about 1 week when stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature, but is best within 3 to 4 days.

    Do I need to refrigerate muddy buddies?

    No, it can be stored safely at room temperature. I'd recommend storing in the refrigerator if your home is very warm and the chocolate begins to melt.

    Can I add other mix-ins to my muddy buddies?

    Yes! I'd recommend adding in about 1 cup of mix-ins for every 4 cups of chex cereal used. Here are a few ideas to get you started: mini pretzels, mini marshmallows, M&M's candies, crushed golden Oreo cookies, almonds, or cashews.

    Can I use lemon juice?

    No, lemon juice will cause the white chocolate to seize up. Instead, only use the lemon zest suggested in the recipe.

    Recommended

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      Strawberry Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)
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    📖 Recipe

    A decorative white bowl filled with lemon puppy chow.
    Print Recipe
    4.70 from 30 reviews

    Lemon Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)

    Lemon muddy buddies, also known as puppy chow, is a sweet candy treat made from chex cereal, white chocolate, and fresh lemon zest. Ready in just fifteen minutes with no baking required!
    Prep Time5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes minutes
    Resting Time10 minutes minutes
    Total Time15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups chex cereal
    • 1 cup white chocolate melting wafers, * see notes for substitutions
    • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
    • ½ cup confectioner's sugar

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, add cereal. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, microwave melting wafers in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted. Add lemon zest to melted chocolate and stir to combine. Pour chocolate over cereal and gently toss until evenly coated.
    • Add powdered sugar and gently toss cereal until evenly coated.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and pour cereal mixture into a single layer. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes (or until chocolate has hardened). Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

    Equipment Recommendations

    • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Reynolds Parchment Paper
    • Nordic Ware Half Baking Sheet
    • Microplane Zester

    Notes

    • *melting wafers can be substituted with 1 cup of white chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Coconut oil helps stabilize the chocolate chips when the lemon zest is added, and makes the chocolate thinner to easily coat the cereal.
    • Lemon zest cannot be substituted with lemon juice - adding liquid will cause your chocolate to seize.
    • Optionally, toss your ingredients in a gallon sized plastic bag - making it easy for children to help.
    • Puppy chow will keep for up to one week in a sealed container at room temperature and will become less crunchy over time.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 0.5heaping cup | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 4.7mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 9.5mg
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American

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    1. Amanda

      November 14, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      Added salt. Much better that way

      Reply
      • Sara

        April 17, 2022 at 2:43 pm

        How much salt did you add?

        Reply

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    Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Heather of The Toasty Kitchen. I love cooking with real, unfussy ingredients, and I want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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