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These football muddy buddies (puppy chow) are so cute, easy, chocolatey, and make an amazing party dessert for game day or the Super Bowl! Even better, they’re no bake and come together in like, 20 minutes. You can make them with Nutella, peanut butter, or even just chocolate spread for a nut-free snack situation.

A black pan of football muddy buddies with green M&Ms and football sprinkles on a green counter next to star confetti, flag toothpicks, and brown bowls of M&Ms, football sprinkles, and peanuts.

If the playoffs are any indication, my husband is going to have absolutely no chill this Super Bowl. Which is fine, because I’ll probably be talking through the whole thing anyways. And you know I’ve already been planning my menu which 100% includes these mini soft pretzels with creamy beer cheese and of course, my famous garlic butter chicken wings.

But for me, it’s just not a party without dessert. Usually I make my mini football cupcakes or these chewy mini football brownies. This year though, I’m cooking a more ambitious menu with homemade pizza and maybe even Philly cheesesteak sliders. So I thought I’d keep dessert uber easy and make-ahead!

Muddy buddies (a.k.a. puppy chow) is one of my favorite party desserts because it’s so easy and everyone can just snack on it throughout the game. This version has Nutella and cocoa powder for extra chocolatey vibes. And to keep things easy, we’re using football sprinkles for the game day flair. You can get them at craft stores or online!

Also, while I have tried this recipe in the microwave, it just never comes out how I want it to. So instead, we’ll use the double boiler method that I learned in pastry school. But don’t worry, it’s super simple!

Nutella, peanut butter, or chocolate spread

White and brown bowls of Chex, butter, chocolate chips, Nutella, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, sprinkles, M&Ms, and salt on a tan counter.

Classic puppy chow uses peanut butter, which is delicious! But in this version, I went with Nutella because I just love all things hazelnut. And the extra chocolate is fudgy and amazing.

If you want to use peanut butter, make sure to use a classic creamy PB like Skippy or Jif (save the fancy stuff for another time). Or, use chocolate spread like Sunbutter or soy butter to keep things nut-free.

Make this recipe

A white bowl of chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter on a tan counter.
Melt the chocolate, butter, & Nutella with a double-boiler.
A white bowl of Chex and chocolate on a tan counter.
Pour the mixture over the corn or rice cereal. (It will be thick!)
A white bowl of Chex mixed with chocolate on a beige table.
Gently mix the cereal with the chocolate until it’s coated.

The chocolate mixture will be quite thick, but don’t stress! It’s just the Nutella. Just keep stirring the cereal and chocolate mixture together, it’ll come together eventually. You can also put on some gloves and mix it together with your hands, which is what I usually do. 🙂

A baggie of football puppy chow with powdered sugar.
Pour the cereal, powdered sugar, & cocoa powder into a baggie.
A baggie of Nutella football muddy buddies with powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Zip the bag up and shake it until everything is well-coated.
Football puppy chow with football sprinkles, green M&Ms, and brown M&Ms.
Let the muddy buddies set. Then, add the M&Ms and sprinkles.

Team colors

To make this recipe more festive, swap the green and brown M&Ms with your team colors! You can find unique M&M colors online or specialty food stores.

A black pan of football muddy buddies next to star confetti, flag toothpicks, and brown bowls of M&Ms, football sprinkles, and peanuts on a green counter.

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Chocolatey Football Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)

Yield: 18 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Football muddy buddies are a super easy dessert for game day or the Super Bowl! This no bake treat has corn or rice cereal, Nutella, and cocoa powder for a decadent, chocolatey snack. Feel free to swap the green and brown M&Ms for team colors to make this recipe even more festive!
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups rice or corn cereal, like Chex (200 grams)
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (200 grams)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes (60 grams)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, like Nutella (150 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, I used Diamond
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, more as needed (180 grams)
  • 1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder (30 grams)
  • Green and brown M&Ms, peanut or regular, for decoration
  • Football sprinkles, for decoration

Equipment

  • Zipper bag
  • 1 sheet pan

Instructions 

  • Pour the cereal into a big mixing bowl. Set aside for later.
  • Next, fill a pot with about 1-2 inches of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the chocolate chips, unsalted butter cubes, Nutella, and Kosher salt to a heatproof mixing bowl. Set the bowl over the simmering water, ensuring that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly, just until the chocolate mixture is smooth and completely melted. (It will be thick, don't worry.)
  • Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and immediately pour it over the cereal. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir everything together until the cereal is completely covered in chocolate. Make sure to break up any large clumps. Then, let the cereal mixture cool for about 5 minutes and transfer it to a large zipper bag.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Pour half of the powdered sugar-cocoa mixture over the puppy chow. Seal and shake the bag rapidly until the snack mix is well-covered. Break up any big chunks with your hands. Then, pepeat with the other half of the powdered sugar-cocoa mix.
  • Spread the muddy buddies on a big sheet pan and let it set completely, about 20-30 minutes. Then, stir in the M&Ms and football sprinkles (I just eyeball this part). Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

Notes

Feel free to swap the Nutella with classic creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) or a nut-free chocolate spread (like Sunbutter or chocolate soy butter).
If you’re using Morton Kosher salt, use 1/4 teaspoon.
The chocolate-Nutella mixture will be pretty thick. To make mixing easier, you can always put on some disposable gloves and use your hands to mix everything together. This is usually how I do it, it’s super easy. 🙂
Don’t overheat the chocolate mixture or it will seize and come out grainy!
If the muddy buddies are still a little sticky after adding all of the powdered sugar-cocoa mix, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
You will want about 1 cup (200 grams) of M&Ms, but I typically just add them until it feels right.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert, Snack
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 120mg, Potassium: 135mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 26g, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 4mg
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