Coconut and cake batter come together in this unbelievably addictive rendition of Puppy Chow!
Two of my favorite things in the world are coconut and cake batter. Hands down. And since I already know that they taste PHENOMENAL together (check out my recipe for Cake Batter Coconut Haystacks!), I figured it was time to introduce this world to a new addiction…
Coconut Cake Batter Puppy Chow
Puppy chow, aka Muddy Buddies, is definitely one of my downfalls. I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to those sugar-coated squares of sweetdom (sweet + freedom). I basically created my own form of crack by combining two of my favorite flavors and my favorite snack into one.
Goodbye willpower.
Not only is this one of the most addictive snacks, but it’s also stupid easy to make, which means you could make it and engulf the entire batch within a matter of minutes. I might suggest that you make this AFTER swimsuit season…
You’ll notice that I used toasted coconut, which is extremely important for enhancing the coconut’s flavor. PLEASE do not skip this step! I used finely shredded coconut and shaved coconut chips which I found in the bulk section of New Seasons. Though I suppose if you can’t find either of these in your area, you could substitute regular shredded coconut. I just figured that the finer shred of coconut would stick to the cereal better and the shaved coconut looked pretty mixed throughout the sugary squares.
Along with the two kinds of coconut, I added a little coconut extract to really bring that coconut flavor home. Although I didn’t add too much that it would detract from the cake batter flavor, which I added through a just few tablespoons of yellow cake mix. In the end, I ended up with the perfect balance of toasty coconut essence and sweet cake batter flavor.
And because this is called “Puppy” Chow, I just couldn’t resist…
Say hello to our new fluffernutter, Hanako!
Don’t worry, she didn’t actually eat any of it 😉
Coconut Cake Batter Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- ½ cup fine shred coconut toasted
- 6 ounces almond bark
- 4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix (dry)
- 5 teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 cups chex cereal
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup wide chip coconut toasted
Instructions
- Pour fine shred coconut into a large ziploc bag.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the almond bark in the microwave until smooth. Add the cake mix, coconut extract, and vegetable oil and continue stirring until fully incorporated. Add chex cereal and stir until evenly coated.
- Pour chex mixture into ziploc bag of coconut, seal and shake to coat. Add powdered sugar, seal and continue to shake until evenly coated. Pour puppy chow into a large bowl along with the wide chip coconut and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!
6 comments
I just posted Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Puppy Chow on the Lou Lou Girls link-up this week! Great minds think alike, I guess.
Love the idea of using cake batter/mix. Never tried that. I sense an entire new world of puppy chow opening up.
Jennie
p.s. I much prefer “puppy chow.” It’s so cute! But here in Washington, everyone just goes “huh?” when I say puppy chow.
I LOVE Reese’s peanut butter cups, so I’m definitely going to have to try out your recipe! Great minds DO think alike 😉 The cake mix creates SO many more possibilities and I love the flavor it adds to the puppy chow. And I definitely agree on the “puppy chow” name–so much cuter than muddy buddies!
I’ve never made puppy chow (I can’t believe it!) but oh my goodness these look amazing and I’m thinking it’s something I need to try out asap.
Christina, I can’t believe you’ve never made puppy chow! That must change asap! However, I must warn you that once you start making puppy chow, stopping is impossible 😉
Those shaved coconut pieces look heavenly!! I know my kids would go crazy over these and like you, my own willpower will be out the door! Pinning & sharing!! 🙂
Amanda, I LOVE the shaved coconut! They’re actually a great snack by themselves because of the sweetness that toasting provides.