I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for today's recipe. Like my indulgent childhood treat just became a healthy treat with zero guilt attached to it. Doesn't that just sound wonderful?
Where I come from, this treat was known as Puppy Chow, but my husband looked at me funny when I called it that. He calls them Muddy Buddies. Either way, it's delicious and I'm sure you've had it.
Puppy Chow got its name because it looks like dog kibble, but after Chex, the cereal brand, heard about it, they created their own recipe on the back of their cereal boxes for "Muddy Buddies."
Whatever you call it, it's amazing, and it just got better. This recipe for Birthday Cake Puppy Chow is refined sugar-free, made with heart-healthy fats, and has 10g of protein per serving!
If you've never made Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow, it's way easier than you think, and this recipe is even easier than the original!
Normally you'd melt butter, peanut butter, and chocolate on the stove, and after tossing it with the cereal, you have to let it cool before tossing it with the powdered sugar.
With this Birthday Cake Puppy Chow, there is NO COOLING REQUIRED. That's right, I figured out how to make this 30 minute treat a 10 minute treat!
The secret is melting the chopped chocolate with the cashew butter in the microwave. Because cashew butter is already partially "melted" (ie it's more liquid than a stick of cold butter), it just needs one minute in the microwave with the chocolate.
As the chocolate melts, it adds the necessary liquid to the cashew butter to thin it out. It's magical!
From there, the steps are pretty much the same: toss the cereal in the wet ingredients, then shake the cereal in a large ziploc bag with the "sugar." The best part is that you get to enjoy this treat right away!
If you're not already drooling at the idea of instant Puppy Chow, just take a look at the picture below. It gets me every time!
To make this Birthday Cake Puppy Chow recipe gluten-free: simply swap the LIFE cereal for a gluten-free Chex cereal.
Feel free to use any vanilla protein you like, even if it's vegan! Just make sure to measure the same amount of protein powder.
If you don't have or can't find cashew butter, I'd recommend using almond butter. Peanut butter is too strong of a flavor and will overpower the birthday cake flavor!
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I can't wait for you to try these Muddy Buddies! You will never want the traditional recipe again after you try my sugar-free version.
Be sure to leave a star rating and review below if you try this recipe for Birthday Cake Puppy Chow so other readers know how you liked it!
This Sugar-Free Birthday Cake Puppy Chow is made with whole grain cereal, protein powder, pudding mix, Stevia, white chocolate, and cashew butter. These Funfetti Muddy Buddies are also high protein, refined sugar-free, and require no chill time.
*To keep this recipe sugar-free , either omit the sprinkles or use sugar-free sprinkles.
Nutrition facts are a calculated estimate of 1/2 cup of puppy chow, including 2 tablespoons sugar-free sprinkles. If you use regular sprinkles, the nutrition facts will increase in fat, carbs, and sugar.
Serving: ½ cup / Calories: 270 / Fat: 15g / Saturated Fat: 4.2g / Carbohydrates: 34.4g / Fiber: 5.9g / Sugar: 5.5g / Protein: 9.3g
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