One of my favorite snacks as a child was puppy chow. Not the dog food, but the cereal snack that is covered in chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. (My brother did dare me to taste real dog food once. I don’t recommend it, bleh!) Whenever it was my turn to choose a snack for movie night or for a slumber party, I always asked for puppy chow. I love chocolate and peanut butter together. I also had fun making a mess with the powdered sugar. I usually ended up with a stomach ache after eating too much but just I couldn’t stop myself, it is so good!
When I saw ZoeDawn’s recipe for Poppy Chow on Tasty Kitchen, I immediately bookmarked it. (ZoeDawn blogs at Whole Eats & Whole Treats. What a beautiful blog!)
The recipe calls for popcorn instead of the traditional cereal, hence the name Poppy Chow. Genius idea! I had to give it a try.
Here is what you will need to make Poppy Chow: popcorn, peanut butter, chocolate chips, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
For a complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions, please view the recipe link at the end of this post.
Place chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave safe bowl.
Put the bowl in the microwave for one minute. Stir and heat for another 30 seconds, or until ingredients are melted. You can also use a double broiler-but I was feeling lazy.
Add the vanilla extract to the mixture.
Pour popped popcorn into a large bowl. Make sure there are no unpopped kernels in the bowl. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the popcorn.
Stir popcorn until the kernels are evenly coated.
Add the powdered sugar.
Gently stir until all of the pieces are well coated.
Spread popcorn onto a large baking sheet and let the chocolate set.
Eat and enjoy!
If there are any leftovers, store in an air-tight container. I didn’t have any left over; I still haven’t learned to back away. This Poppy Chow is addicting! First, you get an explosion of chocolate, then a kick of peanut butter, and last comes the sugary sweet ending. This popcorn melts in your mouth. It is easy and fun to make; kids and adults will love it.
Poppy Chow is a great treat to make for the holidays. Enjoy it while you watch holiday movies, serve it at your holiday parties, or wrap it up in cute little bags to give away to your friends and family.
Thanks ZoeDawn for bringing me back to my childhood with this recipe. I will be making Poppy Chow from now on. Poppy Chow sounds so much better than Puppy Chow, don’t you think?
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Description
No, that’s not a typo in the title…this is puppy chow made with popcorn! My husband recently had a craving for puppy chow but I never keep Chex on hand so he suggested using popcorn. It is a delicious, healthy alternative!
Ingredients
- 9 cups Air-Popped Popcorn
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- ½ cups Natural Peanut Butter
- ¼ cups Butter (1/2 Stick)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1-½ cup Powdered Sugar
Preparation Instructions
In microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate, peanut butter, and butter until melted. Stir in vanilla. Place the popped popcorn* in a large bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over all. Stir until evenly coated. Add the powdered sugar and stir until each piece is covered. Spread out on cookie sheets to set the chocolate. Try not to eat the whole batch immediately. If you have any leftover, store in an airtight container.
*Be sure to first remove any unpopped kernels from the popcorn! We don’t want any broken teeth!
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Maria and her husband Josh (who she affectionately refers to as her “dough boy”) blog at Two Peas and Their Pod. They’ve been featured on Saveur, Eatocracy, Gourmet Live, Glamour, and the Los Angeles Times, to name just a few. We’re so glad to have them here!
63 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Barbara Wade on 1.12.2011
Jessica add some carmel for your daughter instead of peanut butter.
Wendy on 1.7.2011
Jessica – I’ve made the Puppy Chow for my son’s class with Sun Butter instead of peanut butter. It’s made with sunflower seeds, not tree nuts. It was found in the past in health food sections of the store, but I’ve noticed it’s made its way next to the peanut butter in the main aisles.
Jenny K on 12.9.2010
I make this all the time (with Rice Chex) for my kids – we call it “Snow Buddies” – I make it every time it snows! It has become a tradition with the kids. However, I tweaked the recipe by adding an extra tablespoon of butter…this makes the chocolate/pb mixture a little thinner and MUCH easier to spread evenly over the dry ingredient. So, instead of using 4 Tbsp butter, I use 5 Tbsp. butter. I dont use the vanilla either, and I only use 8 cups of cereal.
GKJ on 12.8.2010
Think I could use soynut butter instead? I am allergic to peanuts, and sensitive to other nuts, but soynut butter is king in our house!
Leslie B @ One Day Before Yesterday on 12.8.2010
mmmmmm this sounds so good! I am hosting a cocktail party saturday, you’d better believe this will be there!
Miss Diane on 12.7.2010
This is a real treat that I will sure do very soon! Merci pour cette belle gourmandise!
twopeasandtheirpod on 12.6.2010
Lindsay-I would use the salty popcorn. I love sweet and salty together!
twopeasandtheirpod on 12.6.2010
Jessica-can your daughter have almond butter? You could try that.
angie14 on 12.6.2010
This is great!!! My kids love being in the kitchen, I can’t wait to try it! Thanks
Jeanne Z. on 12.5.2010
Hi Debbie Laukala,
If peanuts are the only “nut” allergy you have, you could try this with almond or cashew butter instead. (I vote for the cashew!)
Also I’m wondering how this would be with white chocolate (and cashew butter).
Can my imagination make me fat(ter)?
Teri on 12.4.2010
I made it tonight for a Holiday Treat exchange. Sooooooo good. I am not a huge fan of Puppy Chow but this is so much different. It will melt in your mouth.
Troye on 12.4.2010
Ok, this stuff is evil. I remembered late in the day that my daughter was supposed to take something to a party w/ about 100 girls. I tripled the recipe, used up every big bowl I had, and accidentally exploded a half a bag of powdered sugar. Then I decided it was too good to send it all, and I kept one of the bowls here for just us. YUM!
Lindsay on 12.4.2010
I’m definitely going to make this! I have loads of exams coming up so I guess me and my friends could use a bit of chocolate…
We only have salty popcorn and really sweet popcorn, the sweet one tasting a bit like someone has put strawberry jam in it. Which would be better?
Jessica on 12.3.2010
I would LOVE to make this because my kids love popcorn. But my daughter is allergic to peanut butter. Any ideas how I could change it up a bit so she could have some too?
Mark on 12.3.2010
A superb dish – brilliant despite my penchant for changing things “just because” (usually with disastrous results.) Worked well with a bag of white microwave popcorn – and by “well” I mean it was gone within minutes.
Candy on 12.2.2010
Made it…love it. So does everyone in the house.
Carley on 12.2.2010
never tried it with popcorn… hmmm sounds good though!
Debbie Laukala on 12.2.2010
Why does all yummy looking food have peanut butter ???? I can`t eat peanut butter
Melissa on 12.1.2010
Now this is definitely a treat I must try!
Rebecca Mick on 12.1.2010
Never thought to use popcorn!
Elle on 12.1.2010
I think i could eat a whole batch! Is that a bad thing?
Maria on 12.1.2010
LM-I have never tried freezing this, I eat it too quickly..ha! The popcorn might get soggy though when it thaws out.
Sheryl on 12.1.2010
Yipee! Another recipe I can easily convert to be gluten/caesin/
peanut/egg free for my son! Nice switch from the puppy chow I make . Thanks! I will make some today!!
Gretchen H on 12.1.2010
I hadn’t had puppy chow for years! But after seeing this I had to make some (I used Chex though, not popcorn). My fiance had never heard of it. Don’t know if it’s only a midwest thing, but he LOVED it. Said he thought it sounded like what Calvin eats for breakfast: Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs, hehe.
the blissful baker on 12.1.2010
yum! i love puppy chow!
okiegrl on 12.1.2010
I’ve never seen this recipe before! I’ve always had it made with Chex Mix.
Karen on 11.30.2010
Just made it for the family…a bit hit! Super easy and all ingredients on hand. Will make this one again!
Josie in NM on 11.30.2010
This should be illegal in all fifty states. I made this today and my seventeen year old daughter and I can’t stay away from it. At this rate there won’t be any left when my husband comes home!
emilybandrichp.blogspot.com on 11.30.2010
mmm… I make puppy chow w/ 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butterscotch chips. It makes it slightly sweater and even more addictive!!
DessertForTwo on 11.30.2010
At first I thought it was a typo, but now I get it! What a cute idea!
Kathryn on 11.30.2010
What a beautiful post. I saw the recipe but didn’t pay attention to it thinking it was made with cereal we don’t use (allergies). Popcorn is brilliant. ZoeDawn’s blog is a great find, too. Even though we’re gf and I usually stick to gf cooking blogs I will be checking it often.
Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer on 11.30.2010
Ohhhh wonderful idea! I Love Puppy Chow too, and popcorn. Great combo that we will love!
LM on 11.30.2010
Can this be frozen? I am thinking of making it to add to the cookies I will be giving out.
laura @ alittlebarefoot on 11.29.2010
yum, this looks amazing! not sure about the name…
Dana on 11.29.2010
This looks delish!! My kiddos will love it. A must try!!
jodi on 11.29.2010
I wonder how it would work using the puff popcorn? It is used in so many other recipes similar to this, like caramel corn and one using white almond bark. No worries of kernels!
Karen on 11.29.2010
Poppy chow: the opiate of the masses.
It looks great! I love the Chex version.
Erica V on 11.29.2010
I think i’ll stick to the crunchy chex cereal.
sunshine on 11.29.2010
Mom used to make this for us with the chex. She called it “white trash” Why you ask? Well because the recipe calls for it to be mixed with the sugar in a small trash bag!
kathryntwoshoes on 11.29.2010
Just great! As if I am not already “poppy” outta my jeans already and nevermind that my fingers no longer fit the keys on the netbook. Great, just great!
KathyG on 11.29.2010
I like it with Chex and cheerios, but the popcorn sounds great!
Jessica on 11.29.2010
Oh man!~ I have never tried this with popcorn! I have always done it with cereal of the Chex/Crispix variety and called it Puppy Chow!! YUMMERS!!
EatLiveRun on 11.29.2010
oh man…I have SO many memories make late-night puppy chow in my dorm room microwave during college. Makes for perfect study fuel, if you ask me.
Kristina @ spabettie on 11.29.2010
oh Good LORD… I used to LOVE the puppy chow with chex… I so need to make this one, thanks for reposting!
Ginny on 11.29.2010
We call this PUPPY CHOW. It is so good!
Laura D on 11.29.2010
We use Rice Chex and call it White Trash.
Laree on 11.29.2010
We did Muddy buddies for years. I looked it up on Chex website to make it for my children, it said that recipe was no longer in their database! So I searched a little more and my girls call it muddy boys, and they love it…. I think they relate ‘buddies’ and ‘mud’ to boys we know
Claire on 11.29.2010
I’ve always loved Puppy Chow, but I never thought of making it with popcorn instead of Chex! I’m so excited to try this!
gopeterson on 11.29.2010
I am going to try this. I always used the chex in the recipe but I bet this will be better. Thanks
angela on 11.29.2010
I have never tried this on popcorn just on chex!! This looks amazing!