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PUPPY CHOW CHEESE BALL

Whether you call it Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies, this Puppy Chow Cheese Ball is for you! Cream cheese, chocolate, and crunchy Chex cereal!!

Puppy Chow Cheese Ball for Dessert | Take Two Tapas | #PuppyChow #MuddyBuddies #ChexMix #SnackMix

CHEESE BALL RECIPE VARIATIONS

You know you’ve come to the right place for party foods when you find more than one variation on a cheese ball recipe!

I love taking a classic recipe and changing it up just a bit to create something that will make people do a double-take and then proceed to hang out around the dish, guarding it, and making sure no one else eats any 🙂

Some of my fave variations on a traditional cheese ball recipe are my:

But have you had a sweet version of a cheese ball? What about your favorite dessert turned into a cheese ball?

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A Puppy Chow Cheese Ball for fun | Take Two Tapas | #PuppyChow #MuddyBuddies #ChexMix #SnackMix #CheeseBall

Making sweet versions of a cheese ball is just as fun! These sweet cheese balls versions have wowed:

All this experimenting led me to this latest sweet cheese ball variation: Puppy Chow!

WHAT IS PUPPY CHOW?

Also known as Muddy Buddies, Puppy Chow is a sweet snack mix consisting of Chex cereal that has been coated with chocolate and peanut butter then tossed in powdered sugar.

It got its name because it looks like puppy chow food that you feed the dog but it is so much better than eating actual dog food!

What could be better than crispy squares, covered in chocolate and peanut butter? Oh yeah, tossing them in powdered sugar to keep the chocolate and peanut butter from melting.

Now we are talking super healthy snacking! NOT!

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Crispy Chex Cereal makes a great Puppy Chow Cheese Ball | Take Two Tapas | #PuppyChow #MuddyBuddies #ChexMix #SnackMix #CheeseBallRecipe #SweetCheeseBall #PuppyChowRecipe #MuddyBuddyRecipe

PUPPY CHOW RECIPE VARIATIONS

Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies is like any other snack mix in that you can add or take away any ingredient to customize it to your specific tastes.

A few of my favorite variations on traditional Puppy Chow Mixes are:

Even after seeing all these different versions, I still haven’t seen a Puppy Chow Cheese Ball! So let me introduce you to one! VIOLA!

A Puppy Chow Cheese Ball for a new dessert ball! | Take Two Tapas | #PuppyChow #MuddyBuddies #ChexMix #SnackMix #CheeseBall

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HOW TO MAKE A PUPPY CHOW CHEESE BALL?

The Puppy Chow Cheese Ball delivers everything you love about Puppy Chow but in a neat round ball that looks great at a party instead of reaching your hand into a plastic bag and pulling out a handful of Puppy Chow Snack

Mix along with your hand now covered in melted chocolate and powdered sugar.  MESSY!

The puppy chow cheese ball starts with the cream cheese powdered sugar base that is the start of most sweet cheese ball recipes. 

To make sure the chocolate is on point I add instant chocolate pudding mix, just the powder not prepared with milk, and get it fully incorporated into the cream cheese base. 

The addition of creamy peanut butter smooths it all out and gives it the balance you like in the snack mix.  A hint of vanilla and salt complete the flavor profile.

But what about the crunch from the Chex cereal?  Crushed cereal is folded into the cheese ball mix along with a little more chocolate in the form of mini chips to add the crunchy texture that you love about Puppy Chow. 

At this point, you can wrap up the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball and store in the fridge for a few days and dress it up when you are ready to serve it.

In terms of dressing up, this just means I unwrap the chilled Puppy Chow Cheese Ball and roll it in the remaining crushed cereal and powdered sugar to give it a nice clean look. 

I like to serve the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball with salted waffle pretzels for the extra hint of salt and a nice large surface on which to spread the cheese ball!

If Puppy Chow is your snack of choice, next time switch it up with a Puppy Chow Cheese Ball instead!

A Puppy Chow Cheese Ball for a new dessert ball! | Take Two Tapas | #PuppyChow #MuddyBuddies #ChexMix #SnackMix #CheeseBall #PuppyChowRecipe #MuddyBuddyRecipe #PuppyChowVariation

Creamy peanut butter, chocolate pudding, and crispy chocolate Chex cereal are reimagined into the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball. Enjoy your favorite Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddy Snack Mix but in a new shape!

MORE EASY APPETIZERS TO ENJOY!

Hand with a recently dipped Salted pretzel and the cheese ball

Puppy Chow Cheese Ball

Whether you call it Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies, this Puppy Chow Cheese Ball is for you! Cream cheese, chocolate, and crunchy Chex cereal!!
4.79 from 19 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Snacks to Share
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 242kcal
Author: Jennifer

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 tablespoon chocolate pudding powder instant dry mix
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chocolate Chex cereal crushed, divided

Instructions

Mix the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball

  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, pudding powder mix, peanut butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla.
  • Mix until combined.
  • Stir in the mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chocolate Chex cereal by hand until combined.
  • Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.
  • Chill for 30 minutes.

Finish the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball

  • When ready to serve, remove the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball from the fridge.
  • In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the remaining powdered sugar and chocolate Chex cereal.
  • Roll the Puppy Chow Cheese Ball in the powdered sugar and cereal mix to coat it.
  • Serve with salted pretzels.  I like the square waffle shape for more surface area!

Notes

*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it with some stars.  Thank you!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g

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Recipe Rating




Dennis Whitfield

Wednesday 24th of July 2019

Such a nice one. Absolutely stunning. Love your brilliant thinking. Thanks for sharing.

Frank Stephens

Wednesday 24th of July 2019

What a magnificent article this is!!! Such a nice one. Exceptional one. Thank u so much for sharing this lovely article. Keep this up.

Michele

Saturday 15th of June 2019

This was brilliant... had some people over for cocktails after dinner last night and served this for a sweet dessert! Everyone loved it!

Michaela Kenkel

Monday 20th of May 2019

What a GREAT IDEA!! We always have a batch of puppy chow around at the holidays - I would have never thought to make it into a cheeseball! BRILLIANT!

Angela

Monday 29th of April 2019

Ok but the real question... how does one prevent oneself from eating the whole thing?! Haha! This looks amazing!!!