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This post is a paid partnership with Lovebird Foods

This gluten-free puppy chow is a classic made with more wholesome ingredients! It’s made with Lovebird cereal, melted chocolate, and nut butter!

What is Puppy Chow?

Puppy chow is also commonly referred to as a muddy buddies, and it’s a snack food classic! It’s made with cereal that’s coated in a mixture of chocolate chips, peanut butter, and vanilla extract and is then coated with powdered sugar. It’s sweet, crunchy, and a perfect party snack.

Puppy chow seems like one of those recipes that you could never make “healthier” but this version totally takes it to the next level! It’s grain-free, dairy-free, and is made with wholesome ingredients!

The Ingredients for the Paleo Puppy Chow

  • Lovebird cereal. Lovebird cereal is a gamechanger! This o-shaped cereal is paleo, AIP, totally grain-free. It’s made with wholesome ingredients like cassava and collagen and is organic, free of refined sugar. You can eat it by itself with dairy-free milk just like your old favorite bowl of cereal, or you can use it in recipes like this. Use the code UNBOUNDWELLNESS for 10% off!!
  • Dairy-free chocolate chips. 
  • Coconut butter.
  • Vanilla extract. 
  • Ghee. You can also use coconut oil or even butter if you tolerate it!
  • Powdered sugar. If you’re grain-free, make sure you use and organic powdered sugar without cornstarch.

 

How to make Gluten-Free Puppy Chow

  • Combine the chocolate coating. Combine the chocolate chips, almond butter, and ghee in a bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir. Repeat, microwaving in 30-second intervals, and stir until melted.

  • Toss with the cereal. Add the cereal to a large mixing bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal. Stir to combine and fully coat the cereal.

  • Chill. Allow to chill in the fridge for 10-12 minutes or until the chocolate just starts to harden.

  • Add the powdered sugar. Sift the sugar over the puppy chow and stir to coat. Add powdered sugar as desired. Transfer to the fridge to chill for another 10 minutes before enjoying!

Tips and Tricks for making Puppy Chow

  • Make sure you chill the puppy chow before adding the sugar! This step is key to making sure the powdered sugar sticks! If the coating is still liquid, the sugar will absorb and you’ll wind up having to add a lot more to make it visible.
  • Measure the powdered sugar with your heart.  Seriously, it’s up to you how much you want here!

Can you make puppy chow ahead of time?

Totally! It holds up well in the fridge for a few days.

Can you use different flavors of the Lovebird cereal for this crust?

You can! Though I developed this recipe with unsweetened cereal, any one of the flavors will work!

How do you make this recipe AIP-friendly?

  • Use coconut oil instead of ghee. Ghee isn’t AIP friendly, but coconut oil still works!
  • Use homemade carob chips instead of chocolate chips. Use a recipe like this.
  • Use a mixture of coconut sugar and shredded coconut instead of powdered sugar!  Powdered sugar isn’t AIP-friendly so this sugar coating is the perfect substitute.

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Gluten-Free Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies, AIP-option)

  • Author: Michelle
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp coconut butter
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups Lovebird cereal
  • 1/3–1/2 cup organic powdered sugar

For the AIP version

  • 1/2 cup homemade carob chips
  • 4 tbsp coconut butter
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups Lovebird cereal
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp arrowroot starch
  • 2 tbsp shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Combine the chocolate chips, almond butter, and ghee in a bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir. Repeat, microwaving in 30-second intervals, and stir until melted. Alternatively, you can melt in a double boiler. Once melted, add the vanilla extract and stir.
  2. Add the cereal to a large mixing bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal. Stir to combine and fully coat the cereal.
  3. Allow to chill in the fridge for 10-12 minutes or until the chocolate just starts to harden.
  4. Sift the sugar over the puppy chow and stir to coat. Add powdered sugar as desired. Transfer to the fridge to chill for another 10 minutes before enjoying!

For the paleo/AIP version

  1. Follow steps 1-3 above as usual.
  2. To make the sugar coating, combine the coconut sugar, arrowroot starch, and shredded coconut in a food processor and blend until fine. Toss with cereal and stir to coat. Transfer to the fridge to chill for another 10 minutes before enjoying!
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: No cook
  • Cuisine: American