Muddy Buddies

Five ingredients, one zip-lock bag, and about 12 minutes is all it takes to make the snack that never survives a party. Chex cereal gets tossed in a warm coating of melted chocolate chips, peanut butter, and margarine, then shaken in powdered sugar until every piece is covered in a sweet, dusty shell.

The key move is microwaving the chocolate-peanut butter mixture in short bursts and stirring after one minute. Chocolate scorches fast in the microwave, and once it seizes up, there’s no saving it. Stir until it’s completely smooth before you pour it over the cereal.

Coat every piece evenly before it goes into the bag. If the chocolate sets up in clumps, some pieces get all the coating and others get none. Work quickly while the mixture is still warm and pourable.

Pro Tips

• Use a gallon-size bag and fill it only halfway with powdered sugar so there’s room to shake. Overpacking means uneven coating.
• Let the coated pieces cool completely on wax paper before storing. Stacking them warm makes them stick together in one big clump.
• Mix Chex varieties (rice, corn, wheat) for different textures in every handful.
• A pinch of sea salt sprinkled on while the chocolate is still wet adds a salty-sweet contrast.

Variations

• Swap peanut butter for almond butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.
• Use white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a sweeter, vanilla-forward coating.
• Toss in mini pretzels or peanuts with the cereal before coating for extra crunch and salt.