Muddy Buddy Cookies
Three words..
MUDDY BUDDY COOKIES.
I still am so surprised when I hear people say they never had muddy buddies (also referred to as puppy chow), as they were a staple for me growing up. They were always my choice at gas stations as a grab and go treat and we would always make them home-made.
They are a mixture of peanut butter, chocolate, and topped with powdered sugar. Not quite sure there is a better combination. However, these days, we all know I try and keep things pretty healthy and refined-sugar-free, which the original version definitely is not.. therefore, I created these bad boys and they definitely did not disappoint; total nostalgia.
There are a couple different options for you, if you have specific dietary needs as well, which makes them even better! These cookies are already vegan, so no worries there. For the cereal, I did not have chex-mix on hand (which is what traditional muddy buddies are made from), so I used a juice fruit sweetened corn flake cereal. This particular one has no added sugars or nasty ingredients. You can find it here.
As for sugar, I used a monk-fruit sweetened powdered sugar. I know some may not like or tolerate monk-fruit sweeteners, so feel free to sub in regular powdered sugar (if not paleo) or omit it all together. They are still so yummy without it! The monk-fruit sweetener I used can be found here (and “danishealthyeats” gets you a sneaky discount!)
For chocolate, I used a paleo and vegan brand, Hu. Hu is my all time favorite as it is coconut sugar sweetened and has no other additives. It’s AMAZING and they have a wide variety of flavors, too! You can find it here (and “danishealthyeats” gets you a discount as well!).
I’ll discuss substitutions/variations below:
Paleo: If you follow a strict paleo diet, feel free to omit the cereal and sub in nuts and/or seeds! This still offers a similar texture/crunch as the cereal would. Or, better yet, use a paleo or home-made cereal. All other ingredients are paleo friendly!
Muddy Buddy Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 cups chocolate (I used chopped chocolate bars)
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 - 1 cup Monk-Fruit Powdered Sugar
- 3 cups Cereal, crunched up
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions:
- Line a cookie tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, and chocolate bar in a small sauce pan over medium heat, or in a microwave safe bowl. Whisk frequently, until completely smooth. If using the microwave, heat in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla, sea salt, and maple syrup.
- Crunch up the cereal into the bowl and fold in.
- Scoop spoonfuls onto the lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer until set, about 15-20 minutes.
- Once set, add the powdered sugar to a zip-loc bag or bowl. Gently toss each cookie in the sugar, tapping off the excess.
- Store in the fridge/freezer. Enjoy!