February 2, 2022

Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies

Name: Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 7 min
Ingredients: 8 cups Chex Cereal (rice and corn); 1 cup Chocolate Chips (dairy-free); ½ cup Cookie Butter; ¼ cup Plant-Based Butter; 2 teaspoons Vanilla; ¼ teaspoon Salt; 1½ cup Powdered Sugar

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Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Annie

This easy to make cookie butter muddy buddies recipe is a sweet, addictive snack perfect for any occasion. Delightfully dairy-free, this puppy chow is upgraded with a cookie butter twist.

A top down photo of cookie butter muddy buddies in a black bowl.

Before you dive deep into this recipe, consider yourself warned. These chocolate cookie butter coated Chex pieces tossed in powdered sugar are beyond addictive and it’s impossible to eat just one bite.

If you are unfamiliar with muddy buddies, you might know them by the name puppy chow. It’s a Chex cereal based treat typically made with peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar. Most commonly made around the holidays, puppy chow is basically the sweet version of Texas Trash– an addictive Chex-based snack too good to resist.

For a fun, nut-free twist, I swapped the peanut butter out for cookie butter and added a dash of salt to balance out the sweetness. This sweet muddy buddies recipe is sure to be a family favorite.

Why we Love these Muddy Buddies

If you’re like me, you probably don’t need additional reasons to make puppy chow, but just for fun, here are a few more reasons we absolutely love these muddy buddies.

No Bake– All you need is your microwave to make these sweet, crunchy muddy buddies.
Easy to Make– Heat, stir, and shake are the main steps you will need to follow to make this cookie butter based treat!
Cookie Butter– As if the chocolate and powdered sugar weren’t enough, the added cookie butter takes this snack mix to an entirely new level.

A black bowl filled with cookie butter muddy buddies.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chex Cereal– You can use a mix of corn and rice Chex cereal to make these muddy buddies.
Plant-Based Butter– Melts with the chocolate and cookie butter.
Chocolate Chips– Dairy-free, semi-sweet chocolate chips give this snack a chocolaty boost!
Cookie Butter– For a creamy, gingery flavor.
Vanilla + Salt– Adds flavor to the muddy buddies while balancing out the sweetness.
Powdered Sugar– For that sweet final coating.

Ingredients for cookie butter muddy buddies on a counter with a red and white striped towel.

Directions for Muddy Buddies

These no-bake muddy buddies are perfect for an easy, last-minute treat!

Measure 8 cups of Chex cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
Melt: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips, vegan butter, and cookie butter for 30 seconds.
Stir and heat in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. (Typically takes 2 30-second intervals)
Add vanilla + Salt: Once melted, add vanilla and salt.

Three glass bowls one with Chex, one with powdered sugar, and one with the cookie butter chocolate mixture with small bowls of vanilla and salt to the side.

Three glass bowls one with Chex, one with powdered sugar, and one with the cookie butter chocolate mixture with vanilla and salt added.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the Chex cereal and stir to coat. Set to the side.
Shake: Add the chocolate-coated Chex into a zip top bag with powdered sugar and toss to coat.
Serve in a bowl and enjoy!

A large glass bowl with the chocolate cookie butter mixture coating the Chex.

A gallon ziplock with cookie butter coated Chex and powdered sugar before shaking.

Dairy-Free Changes to Muddy Buddies

Chocolate Chips– Be sure to use a dairy-free chocolate chip such as Enjoy Life, Simple Truth Organic (Kroger Brand), or Great Value Free From Chocolate Chips (Walmart Brand). If you have found other dairy-free chocolate chip brands, feel free to drop a comment below to share!
Plant-based Butter– I love using Country Crock Plant Butter in place of butter in many recipes. It works just like traditional butter making it a simple and easy swap.
Cookie Butter– Check to make sure you are using a dairy-free cookie butter. I used Lotus Biscoff Cookie Butter for this recipe since it contains no dairy. While Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter doesn’t contain dairy in the ingredients, it may contain traces of milk and should definitely be avoided if you are dairy-free.

A gallon ziplock pouring cookie butter muddy buddies into a black bowl with a red and white striped towel to the left.

Storing Directions

These muddy buddies can keep in a variety of ways for up to a week.

Zip top bag. Keep it simple and use the zip top bag you shook them up in!
Tupperware. Store in an air-tight container for easy access and simple pantry storage.
OXO container. Currently how I have these muddy buddies in my pantry.

How do these differ from traditional muddy buddies?

There are about 3 changes to this muddy buddies recipe that make them different from the traditional muddy buddies recipe.

Cookie Butter. I replaced peanut butter with cookie butter for a sweeter flavor.
Plant-based butter. To keep it dairy-free, I used plant based butter.
Less Chex. For a higher chocolate-cookie butter to Chex ratio, I decreased the amount of Chex called for in a traditional muddy buddies recipe.

Are muddy buddies the same as puppy chow?

Yes. Muddy buddies and puppy chow are the same thing.

Cookie butter comes from ground up spiced cookies such as Spookulos or Biscoff cookies. Popularized by Trader Joes, cookie butter is an indulgent treat that comes in both a creamy and crunchy option. It makes a delightful spread for apple slices or graham crackers and also makes an excellent snack for eating by the spoonful.

More Easy No-Bake Recipes

If you tried this addictive Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies Recipe and enjoyed it feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! You can also share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

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