Go Back

Patriotic Puppy Chow

Patriotic puppy chow (muddy buddies) is a no-bake Chex mix dessert with white chocolate coating, powdered sugar dust, and red-and-blue crunch from M&Ms. You’ll end up with snowy, glistening pieces that set quickly and are perfect for a 4th of July party snack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chex cereal
  • 9 cup Chex cereal Use rice or corn Chex.
White chocolate coating
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips or white melting wafers
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Powdered sugar coating
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
Patriotic mix-ins
  • 1 cup red M&Ms
  • 1 cup blue M&Ms
  • 1 Red and blue star sprinkles

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the cereal
  1. Measure the Chex cereal into a very large bowl and set aside. Keep the bowl dry so the coating sticks evenly.
Melt the white chocolate
  1. Melt the white chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl using 30-second intervals, stirring each time until completely smooth. The mixture should look glossy and lump-free.
Coat the Chex
  1. Pour the melted white chocolate over the Chex and stir gently until every piece is evenly coated. Scrape the bowl so all cereal gets coated.
Powdered sugar shake
  1. Transfer the coated cereal to a large zip-lock bag, add powdered sugar, seal, and shake vigorously until all pieces are well coated. The pieces should look snowy and lightly clumpy.
Cool to set
  1. Spread the puppy chow onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and let cool for 30 minutes until set. It should feel firm and not sticky to the touch.
Finish with toppings
  1. Transfer the cooled puppy chow to a large bowl and toss with the red and blue M&Ms and star sprinkles. Keep tossing just until the colors are evenly distributed.
Serve
  1. Serve the patriotic puppy chow in a big bowl or portion into individual bags. Each scoop should show red and blue pieces throughout.

Notes

Pro tip: Use 30-second microwave bursts and stir thoroughly each time so the white chocolate stays smooth—lumps can cause patchy coating. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture. Freezing isn’t recommended because the powdered coating can soften when thawed. For a gluten-free option, choose a gluten-free Chex cereal blend if available at your store.