I really love cereal. I love it enough that I sometimes wish I could install cafeteria-style dispensers in my kitchen, each filled with a different variety so I could scoop whatever I wanted whenever I felt like it. It’s a small, silly dream — I don’t even have a single drawer set up for anything like that — but the idea of always having multiple cereals on hand feels perfectly reasonable to me.
Cereal often shows up at multiple meals during my day because it’s an effortless option. Cereal makers know many of us eat alone while staring into space, spoon in hand, and they use the box to entertain and inform with games, trivia, and recipes. If you’re like me, you can probably recite the nutrition facts for your favorite cereal without much effort because the box regularly claims your attention.
Speaking of cereal-box recipes, Muddy Buddies—also known as Puppy Chow—is the classic. It was one of the first things I tried to make on my own as a child (alongside a certain less-than-perfect cake). Muddy Buddies are simple: melt chocolate, peanut butter, and butter together, toss the mixture with Chex or another light cereal until coated, and then shake everything in powdered sugar until the pieces are dusted and delicious.
When my friend and I recently started reminiscing about childhood snacks, Muddy Buddies came to mind. She called them Puppy Chow; I heard both names growing up. The name doesn’t matter to a kid—chocolate and peanut butter are the important parts.
Now that I’m an adult (and sometimes pretending to be fancy), I wanted a slightly more sophisticated take on that nostalgic snack. Enter peanut butter filled pretzels: crunchy, salty, peanut-buttery, and coated in chocolate and powdered sugar. They hit all the dessert boxes, and the name needed an upgrade too. So for fun and flair, I call them Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Dragées.
These little bites are symbolic of childhood indulgence but dressed up: think the pearl-necklace version of a snack. They’re perfect to serve in a small bowl when you want something sweet and salty that still feels a little grown-up — bonus points if you fancy up the presentation with a small dish you normally use for something else.
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Dragées
Makes about 2 cups
Inspired by a classic Muddy Buddies method
Ingredients
2 cups (about 150 g) peanut butter filled pretzels (store-bought varieties work great)
1/2 cup (about 100 g) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (about 28 g) butter
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon (about 1.25 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (about 125 g) powdered sugar
Preparation
1. Measure the powdered sugar into a large bowl and put the peanut butter filled pretzels into a separate large bowl. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment and set everything aside so it’s ready for the next step.
2. Combine the chocolate chips, butter, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (a double boiler). Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Pour the melted chocolate over the pretzels and gently stir until each pretzel is coated. Work carefully so the pretzels don’t break, but make sure the chocolate reaches every piece.
4. Transfer the chocolate-coated pretzels to the bowl with the powdered sugar. Toss them so each piece is evenly dusted. The pretzels may want to clump together; break them apart so every pretzel gets a proper dusting.
5. Spread the coated pretzels in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet to cool and set. Once firm, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for best freshness.
These peanut butter filled pretzel dragées make a quick, nostalgic snack with a grown-up twist. They’re easy to prepare, travel well in a sealed container, and are perfect for sharing — or for keeping on the counter for those cereal-level cravings that strike at any hour.