By Becky Hardin
Published Dec 22, 2018
Salted Caramel Puppy Chow is so addicting! If you’re a fan of puppy chow snack mix, you’re going to love this flavor combo. Chex cereal topped with caramel, chocolate, and powdered sugar. YUM!
Salted Caramel Puppy Chow Recipe
This salted caramel puppy chow chex recipe was sent straight from heaven to make our lives better. It’s the ultimate puppy chow snack mix!
Growing up, my favorite thing (okay, one of my favorite things) my mom would make was Puppy Chow. I could have survived on this stuff FOR DAYS.
I loved my mom’s recipe, but when other moms would make it, I just didn’t like it as much. Maybe I was just a bit biased, but no one makes it like her!
I think there are two secrets to a really good puppy chow snack mix: MILK CHOCOLATE and LOTS OF POWDERED SUGAR. Yes, milk chocolate wins over dark chocolate every time (or at least when it comes to muddy buddies).
And you really have to pile that powdered sugar on there to get the full effect. This is not a healthy treat, FYI, so you might as well make it as delicious as possible.
I’ve shared our original flavor recipe AND mint chocolate recipe (both are right here ), and now I gotta share our Salted Caramel Puppy Chow recipe too.
It’s just as good as the original, something to add into the mix. I love eating this stuff during the holiday season and making it as a fun party snack.
This Salted Caramel Puppy Chow Chex Mix is a holiday favorite. Make a big batch to snack on or serve at your Christmas party!
Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies
Funny story: Back when I was still working in an office, I took this to work in an attempt to be a 5-star employee. Eventually, everyone loved it, but at first…well, based on the name, one of my co-workers actually thought it was for dogs. I guess he had never heard the term Puppy Chow!
It’s a common mistake, but I assured him that it IS indeed meant for humans, not for puppies. Don’t get me wrong, Scout would love eating this. But no chocolate for dogs!
I guess I should have written “muddy buddies” instead, another common name for this delicious treat. But I’ve always known it as puppy chow.
Caramel Puppy Chow Snack Mix
The original Puppy Chow snack mix is wonderful, but it’s fun having different flavor variations for this stuff. This time, let’s take it up a notch by making Salted Caramel Puppy Chow!
You could also add in some chopped Rolos for even more chocolate caramel goodness. This mix is meant for those who like to indulge, so let’s go all out!
Caramel Puppy Chow Ingredients:
- Chex Cereal
- Salted Caramel Flavoring (I used an ice cream topping, but syrups and other versions of flavoring work as well)
- Milk Chocolate Chips
- Powdered Sugar
- Caramel chips, extra chocolate chips, or Rolos (optional)
How to Make Salted Caramel Puppy Chow Chex
This puppy chow chex mix is SOOO easy to make. You just combine the ingredients to create the most delicious snack mix, then serve as you please.
Set out a big bowl of it at parties, bag it up for Christmas gifts, or just snack away on the couch while watching TV. There’s never a bad time for this stuff!
How to make puppy chow:
- Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
- Next, melt the caramel topping/syrup in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds. Then combine the melted caramel and chocolate.
- Place Chex cereal in a large bowl, and pour the chocolate caramel mixture over it. Stir well, until the chex is fully coated.
- Pour the coated cereal into two separate resealable plastic bags. Pour half of the powdered sugar into each bag, then shake until the chex is fully coated.
- Once it’s done, pour the puppy chow mix into a bowl, and mix in any caramels, chocolate chips, etc. that you want to add in.
This is the perfect puppy chow snack for parties! Store any extra in an airtight container or resealable bag so you can snack away any time.
Try these other tasty snack recipes :
- Original Puppy Chow Recipe (& Mint Chocolate)
- Reindeer Food Snack Mix
- Best Chex Party Mix Recipe
- Homemade Gardetto’s Recipe
- Candied Walnuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Microwave Apple Chips
- Cookies and Cream Popcorn
- Candied Corn Puffs Snack Mix
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 8 ounces Milk Chocolate chips 227 grams
- ▢ 11.5 ounces Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping 326 grams (1 jar)
- ▢ 18 ounces corn Chex cereal 510 grams (1 box)
- ▢ 1-2 cups powdered sugar 113-226 grams
- ▢ ½ cup Toll House DelightFulls Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling 84 grams, optional
Video
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Set aside. 8 ounces Milk Chocolate chips
- Melt the caramel topping for 45-60 seconds in the microwave. Combine with the chocolate. 11.5 ounces Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping
- In a large bowl, pour caramel chocolate mixture over cereal and stir until all of the cereal is coated in the mixture. 18 ounces corn Chex cereal
- Place the cereal into 2 large Ziplock bags. Pour half of the powdered sugar into each bag and seal the bags. Toss the cereal in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Pour the coated cereal into a large bowl and stir in the Delightfuls chips as an added bonus. 1-2 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup Toll House DelightFulls Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Becky’s Tips
- Feel free to use semisweet or dark chocolate chips instead of milk.
- You can use any brand of salted caramel that you love!
- You can use regular chocolate chips, caramel baking chips, or Rolos in place of the DelightFulls.
- Do NOT overcook the microwaved ingredients! If it’s too hot, it will burn and not taste right. Additionally, it could melt and scald the Chex Mix, ruining the entire consistency of the mix.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Salted Caramel Puppy Chow Snack Mix
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Milk Chocolate chips 227 grams
- 11.5 ounces Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping 326 grams (1 jar)
- 18 ounces corn Chex cereal 510 grams (1 box)
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar 113-226 grams
- ½ cup Toll House DelightFulls Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling 84 grams, optional
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Set aside. 8 ounces Milk Chocolate chips
- Melt the caramel topping for 45-60 seconds in the microwave. Combine with the chocolate. 11.5 ounces Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping
- In a large bowl, pour caramel chocolate mixture over cereal and stir until all of the cereal is coated in the mixture. 18 ounces corn Chex cereal
- Place the cereal into 2 large Ziplock bags. Pour half of the powdered sugar into each bag and seal the bags. Toss the cereal in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Pour the coated cereal into a large bowl and stir in the Delightfuls chips as an added bonus. 1-2 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup Toll House DelightFulls Milk Chocolate Morsels with Caramel Filling
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use semisweet or dark chocolate chips instead of milk.
- You can use any brand of salted caramel that you love!
- You can use regular chocolate chips, caramel baking chips, or Rolos in place of the DelightFulls.
- Do NOT overcook the microwaved ingredients! If it’s too hot, it will burn and not taste right. Additionally, it could melt and scald the Chex Mix, ruining the entire consistency of the mix.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
