The very first time I made Muddy Buddies, my whole kitchen smelled like melted chocolate and warm peanut butter, and I instantly knew I was in trouble—in the best possible way. I remember standing over the bowl, stirring the glossy mixture into the cereal, and feeling like a kid again. When I shook the chocolate-coated pieces in powdered sugar, it felt like watching a snowy Christmas morning explode inside a bag. Muddy Buddies are one of those recipes I come back to again and again because they’re incredibly easy, ridiculously delicious, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to adore this Muddy Buddies recipe because it’s fast, festive, and totally addictive—in that “I’ll just grab one more handful” kind of way. From my own experience, it’s the perfect blend of sweet, crunchy, chocolatey goodness, and you don’t need any fancy equipment or complicated steps. It’s a recipe you can whip up last-minute for parties, holidays, neighbor gifts, or just when you want something fun to munch on. You’ll love how effortlessly it comes together and how quickly it disappears.
Ingredients
- 9 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- Optional: red & green M&Ms for a holiday twist
- Optional: festive sprinkles
Whenever I make Muddy Buddies, I’ve learned that using good-quality chocolate chips makes a huge difference in how smooth and shiny the coating turns out—don’t use the chalky bargain brands. Creamy peanut butter works best; natural peanut butter can separate and cause the mixture to seize. Rice Chex is my personal favorite, but Corn Chex works beautifully too. And while the M&Ms and sprinkles are totally optional, I never skip them around the holidays because they add color, crunch, and a fun seasonal vibe.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium microwave-safe bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Gallon-sized zip-top bags (or a large airtight container)
- Baking sheet (optional for cooling)
What I love about this recipe is how little equipment it needs—you don’t even have to turn on the oven. A big bowl is essential because the cereal needs lots of room to move around when you coat it. Zip-top bags make shaking the powdered sugar so easy, but if you’re avoiding plastics, a large airtight container works just as well. And while a baking sheet is optional, I like spreading the Muddy Buddies out to cool because it keeps them from sticking together.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I start making Muddy Buddies, the very first thing I do is measure out the Chex cereal into a really large bowl. This prevents scrambling later when the chocolate mixture is ready—you don’t want melted chocolate to cool too quickly while you’re still grabbing ingredients. I’ve learned to get everything prepped ahead of time because this recipe moves quickly once the chocolate melts.
Next, I melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. I always heat it in 20–30 second intervals, stirring between each round until everything is perfectly smooth and glossy. Don’t rush this part—if you overheat the chocolate, it can become grainy. Once it’s melted, I stir in the vanilla extract, and that moment is when the aroma hits—sweet, nutty, warm, and irresistible.
After that, I pour the warm chocolate mixture over the waiting bowl of cereal. I use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in, making sure every piece gets coated without crushing the cereal. This step is where patience pays off; if you go too fast or press too hard, you’ll break the cereal pieces and end up with crumbs instead of perfect little chocolate pillows. Once the cereal is evenly coated, it’s time for the best part: powdered sugar.(See the next page below to continue…)