The first time I made Butterfinger Puppy Chow, my entire kitchen filled with the sweet smell of melted chocolate, peanut butter, and that unmistakable Butterfinger aroma that instantly made me feel like a kid again. As I stirred everything together, watching the cereal folds get coated in thick, glossy chocolate, I knew this was about to become one of my all-time favorite snack recipes. When I finally tossed the mixture with powdered sugar and added the crushed Butterfinger pieces, I tasted a handful and was completely hooked.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it takes classic puppy chow and transforms it into a crunchy, chocolate-peanut-butter dream that’s loaded with Butterfinger flavor—simple ingredients, zero baking, and a dangerously addictive snack you won’t be able to stop eating.
Ingredients
- 9 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (regular or Butterfinger peanut butter)
- 5 full-size Butterfinger bars, crushed
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: extra crushed Butterfinger pieces for topping
If you want even more Butterfinger flavor, you can use Butterfinger brand peanut butter, but regular creamy peanut butter works perfectly. Semisweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness nicely, but milk chocolate chips make the mix even more dessert-like. You can also use any crispy cereal you prefer, but Rice Chex gives the best coating texture. Crushed Butterfingers melt slightly into the warm chocolate coating and create those incredible crispy bits that make this version truly special.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium microwave-safe bowl
- Spatula
- Gallon-size zipper bag
- Measuring cups
- Baking sheet or tray
A gallon-size zipper bag makes coating the cereal with powdered sugar incredibly easy—just shake until everything is evenly covered. A spatula is perfect for folding the cereal so you don’t crush it. If you want to cool the mix quickly or spread the pieces out so they don’t stick together, a baking sheet lined with parchment paper works wonderfully. You don’t need anything fancy for this recipe, which is part of what makes it such a fun and approachable treat.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Whenever I make this Butterfinger Puppy Chow, I always start by measuring out all the ingredients first. Puppy chow comes together fast, and having everything ready ahead of time helps keep the cereal from getting soggy or crushed. I pour the Rice Chex into a large mixing bowl and gently shake the bowl to even it out. This gives me room to fold everything together without making a mess—which, trust me, helps a lot later when the chocolate mixture is ready.
Next, I melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. I heat them in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each one until the mixture becomes glossy, smooth, and completely melted. At this point, I stir in the vanilla extract, which always brings out the chocolate flavor even more. The moment I add the warm chocolate-peanut-butter mixture to the cereal, the aroma fills my kitchen, and I always take a second to enjoy that sweet, cozy smell before starting to fold everything together.
I pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and use a spatula to gently fold and coat every piece. It’s important to be patient during this step—if you stir too aggressively, the cereal will break and you won’t get those big satisfying bites. Once everything is fully coated, I add about two-thirds of the crushed Butterfishger bars into the mix. They melt just slightly from the warmth, creating pockets of crispy candy throughout every handful. It’s honestly the best part of the whole process.(See the next page below to continue…)