Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow is a delicious twist on the classic combo - it's sweet, crunchy and (in full-disclosure) ADDICTIVE! 🙂
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Us Midwesterner's (is that even a word?) love our Puppy Chow! The sweet snack mix is a go-to item for any get-together, tailgate party, grill out, etc. and it always goes over well. Everyone seems to love it....then again, what's not to love?!
A traditional puppy chow has Crispix (or Chex) cereal, peanut butter, chocolate chips and powdered sugar. But today, we're taking it to the next level with Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow!! With just a couple additional ingredients (hello, Oreos!), it'll still be super quick and easy to make, but will be a fun take on the original.
If you've been following Dance Around the Kitchen for awhile, you know I'm a huge fan of Oreos! A couple of my other favorite recipes that incorporate them include Buster Bar Dessert and my Ice Cream Cake Roll. Yum!!!
What do I need to make Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow?
Ingredients:
- Cereal - I like to use Crispix, but Chex cereal will work too! (More on this below)
- White Chocolate Chips - You'll use some to melt in the cereal coating and some to stir into the final mix
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - These will be used in the cereal coating, too. If you don't have semi-sweet chocolate, you could also use dark or milk chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter - It wouldn't be puppy chow without peanut butter! (Trust me, I tried the recipe without and it was just not the same!)
- Oreo Cookies (or another chocolate sandwich cookie brand) - Some will be used crushed up in the powdered sugar coating and the rest will be used as bit chunks in the final mix.
- Powdered Sugar - If you've made puppy chow, you know what the powdered sugar is for! In this recipe, it'll combine with cookie crumbs to coat the cereal.
Equipment and supplies:
- Food processor - To make the cookie/powdered sugar top coat, a food processor will work best.
- Large bowl with a lid (or large resealable bag) - This recipe makes a pretty big batch. I find it easiest to mix up by shaking a covered bowl or a closed bag.
What type of cereal do I need to make Puppy Chow?
I've always liked using Crispix cereal in my puppy chow. They're the hexagon shaped corn and rice cereal in the blue box. I think they're the perfect shape and have the perfect crunch for it!
However, Chex cereal works really great too. I prefer the Rice Chex (over the Corn Chex), but either would work. If you're set on a square-shaped cereal, like store-bought Muddy Buddies, Rice Chex would the the one I'd use!
How do you make the Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow?
First, you'll want to prep all of your ingredients.
- Place the cereal into a large bowl with a lid. If you don't have a large enough bowl, I'd recommend making ½ batch (twice). Then you can place it in the largest bowl you have. OR you can shake the cereal in a large resealable baggie. This will make sense once you read the remainder of the recipe.
- Next, you'll prep the "powder." This will be the final coating on the snack mix. To make it, you'll simply place powdered sugar and half of the Oreo cookies into a food process and pulverize until it's a nice dusty consistency.
- Then, you're going to prep the delicious chocolate-y peanut buttery mixture that'll coat the cereal. Place 2 cups of the white chocolate chips, the semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Next, you'll make the chocolate coating that'll go over the cereal.
- First, you'll want to stir the white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter.
- When you coat the chips in peanut butter, the chocolate seems to melt quicker and more smoothly.
- Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each until you have a smooth coating.
Finally, put it all together!
- Pour the chocolate/peanut butter coating over the cereal. Gently stir to coat. I like using a rubber spatula to do this as it's easier to get the chocolate off the sides of the bowl and onto the cereal. This may take a couple minutes, but you'll want to take your time so you don't crush the cereal.
- Next, dump the powder mixture over the cereal and put the lid of the bowl on. Shake until the cereal is coated. If there are some clumps of a few cereal pieces, that's okay!! (Those are actually my favorite pieces!!)
- Then, add 16 Oreos (coarsely chopped) and the remaining white chocolate chips. Shake once more to scatter them throughout.
- Remove the lid and let the mixture cool completely.
- Store in a tighly sealed container (or in baggies) at room temperature, in the fridge or in the freezer.
How should I store Puppy Chow? Can I freeze it?
Puppy chow can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Store in a tightly sealed container or resealable baggies.
And yes! Puppy chow freezes really well. Therefore, if you're lucky enough to have leftover, you can certainly freeze it for later!
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Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 12 c Crispix cereal (or Chex)
- 3 c powdered sugar
- 32 Oreos divided
- 3 c white chocolate chips divided
- 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 c creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Add the Crispix to a large bowl with a lid; set aside.
- Place the powdered sugar and 16 of the Oreos into a food processor. Pulse until you have a fine powder; set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 cups of the white chocolate chips, the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the peanut butter. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
- Pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over the Crispix cereal and gently stir to coat. Continue until the cereal (even the stuff at the bottom of the bowl!) is evenly coated.
- Dump the powdered sugar and Oreo crumb mixture over the coated cereal. Place the lid on the bowl and shake to cover the cereal in powder.
- Remove the lid and let the puppy chow cool completely.
- Next, coarsely chop the remaining Oreos. Add the Oreos and remaining white chocolate chips to the puppy chow and stir until they're scattered evenly throughout.
- Store in a tightly sealed container or resealable baggie at room temperature, in the fridge or in the freezer.
[…] I’ve used these as an appetizer-type dish for game day or for the main dish on busy week nights. When serving as an appetizer, I’d pair these with chips and dip and some sweet snack, like my Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow. […]