This Gluten-Free Vegan “Puppy Chow” aka “Muddy Buddies” recipe is a classic, easy, fun dessert that everyone in the family will love.
It takes about 5 minutes to make and needs only 5 ingredients!
Some traditional versions use butter (even margarine!) and S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) “Rice Chex” cereal in the ingredients.
In this healthier version, I recommend using a non-GMO and gluten-free rice cereal. I’ve used both “Barbara’s Puffins” brand and “Van’s” brand which I like because the squares are much smaller and puffier than regular, thinner rice cereal squares and they’re slightly sweetened.
There are a couple of clean, gluten-free options that are better than buying the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) version, both vegan and non-vegan:
Vegan + Gluten-Free (Recommended for Vegans):
- Van’s “Cinnamon Heaven” Gluten-Free Cereal – Ingredients: Gluten-Free Whole-Grain Blend (Oat, Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa and Amaranth Flours), Cane Sugar, Oat Fiber, Inulin, Invert Cane Sugar, Non-GMO Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Cinnamon, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Mixed Tocopherols For Freshness.
Non-Vegan + Gluten-Free (Recommended for Non-Vegans due to Honey):
- Barbara’s Puffins Honey Rice Cereal – Ingredients: Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Cane Sugar, Fructan (Nutraflora Prebiotic Dietary Fiber), Non-GMO Honey, Calcium Carbonate, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Tocopherols. GLUTEN-FREE, Non-GMO Project Verified, Corn-Free, No Artificial Flavors, No Artificial Colors, No High Fructose Corn Syrup.
- Van’s Honey Crunch Gluten-Free Cereal – Ingredients: Gluten-Free Whole Grain Blend (Oat, Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth Flours), Cane Sugar, Oat Fiber, Inulin, Invert Cane Sugar, Salt, Honey, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavors, Mixed Tocopherols. GLUTEN-FREE, Non-GMO Project Verified, Corn-Free, No Artificial Flavors, No Artificial Colors, No High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Vegan + Gluten-Free (Not Recommended):
- Chex Gluten-Free Rice Cereal – Ingredients: Whole Grain Rice, Rice, Sugar, Salt, Molasses, Vitamin E (Mixed Tocopherols) and BHT Added to Preserve Freshness, Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Iron and Zinc (Mineral Nutrients), Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), a B Vitamin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride HCl), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin A (Palmitate), a B Vitamin (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.
I also make this recipe with both cashew butter and peanut butter so feel free to use either. And, if you are worried about the sugar content, you can always leave off the powdered sugar coating…they are just as addictive without it!
Want more healthy dessert recipes? Check out Healthy Peanut Butter Cups, Healthy Vegan Chocolate Mousse, Gluten-Free Vegan Pecan Pie Bars or my Clean Eating Cookbook with an entire chapter of 20 healthy, clean eating recipes just like this one that you will love!
5 Fast Facts About Cashews (Cashew Butter):*
- packed with dietary fiber
- rich in “heart friendly” mono-saturated fatty acids
- rich source of minerals
- high in magnesium and copper
- excellent source of antioxidants
5 Fast Facts About Coconut Sugar:*
- low glycemic (GI of 35)
- raw, vegan and gluten-free
- unrefined and unbleached
- contains 17 amino acids
- is an abundant source of minerals and broad spectrum B vitamins
5 Fast Facts About Coconut Oil:*
- super high in lauric acid
- rich in antioxidants
- contains natural microbial and anti-bacterial agents
- helps to improve metabolism
- improves cholesterol levels
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Gluten-Free Vegan "Puppy Chow" Muddy Buddies
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 5 cups
Vegan / Gluten-Free / Dairy-Free / Soy-Free / No Refined Sugar
Ingredients
- 5 cups Van's "Cinnamon Heaven" Gluten-Free Cereal
- 1/2 cup organic peanut butter (or organic cashew butter)
- 1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon organic coconut oil
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
Instructions
- Add the cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the peanut butter (or cashew butter), chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small saucepan on low heat. Stir until everything is melted, well blended and smooth.
- Remove the chocolate mixture from the stove and pour it over the cereal pieces in the large mixing bowl.
- Gently stir everything together until all the cereal pieces are covered with the chocolate mixture and is evenly distributed. Depending on the size of cereal pieces you use, you may need to add a little more cereal. You don't want the cereal pieces to be overly coated with the chocolate mixture, so add an extra 1/4 cup at a time until they are thinly coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal pieces to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread them out evenly so they aren't touching each other.
- After the chocolate mixture has cooled completely, sprinkle half the powdered sugar on them. This will help to keep them from sticking together in the next step.
- Transfer the cereal pieces to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the remaining half of the powdered sugar on them, then gently toss until the powdered sugar is evenly distributed.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container.
- Enjoy!
Notes
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The recipe and photographs for "Gluten-Free Vegan "Puppy Chow" Muddy Buddies" by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home website are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and cannot be used without my written permission.
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