The Very Best Puppy Chow Recipe

The Very Best Puppy Chow Recipe puts semisweet chocolate chips, peanut butter and salted butter at the center of a chocolate recipe and finishes in about 42 minutes, enough for 14 to 15 cups.

• Yield 14 to 15 cups
• Ready in 42 minutes
• Prep 40 minutes
• Cook 2 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cups peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 1/2 to 11 cups rice or corn chex cereal (a 12-ounce box -)
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and cook for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. Don't overheat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
2. Place the cereal in a very large bowl or divide between two medium/large bowls.
3. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal. Use a silicone spatula to gently lift and stir the cereal (so it doesn't crush and break) until it is coated evenly.
4. Let the cereal rest until it goes from wet and shiny to looking a bit sticky, 5 to 10 minutes (this is an important step - If it is too wet, the powdered sugar soaks into the runny chocolate instead of forming a powdery coating on the outside).
5. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (see note).
6. Spoon about half of the powdered sugar mixture in the bottom of two 1-gallon ziploc bags or one 2-gallon ziploc bag (I keep these larger bags on hand just for this recipe - makes it so easy to mix!).
7. Add the cereal mixture to the bag(s). This step can be a bit messy. It helps to fold down the top of the bag a few inches and pile the cereal in.
8. Add the remaining powdered sugar mixture.
9. Close the bag and shake, turning the bag over as you go, until the cereal is mostly coated with the powdered sugar mixture and has formed clusters here and there.
10. (You can continue adding powdered sugar a little at a time and shaking to coat if you'd like a thicker powdery coating on the puppy chow, but be warned that this may result in less clusters.)
11. Spread the puppy chow out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point, you can easily sprinkle on a bit more powdered sugar and toss by hand if there are extra gooey spots that need it. Let the puppy chow sit for 20 to 30 minutes to cool and set.
12. Store the puppy chow in the fridge or the freezer and experience how good life can be when munching on chilled clusters of this magnificent stuff.

Let the center settle before you cut it, or the slices will slump.