In a bowl or wrapped in a festive cellophane bag, puppy chow is one of the treats that scream holiday get-together. Its versatile recipe can change to highlight the flavors of the season. Yet there is something comforting and soul-soothing about the classic peanut butter and chocolate variety. Here, that classic cereal mix gets a dessert transformation and becomes a full-fledged dessert with this recipe for Puppy Chow Cookies.
These cookies have all of the traits and qualities of the snack mix, just in a fun cookie form. The batter is a peanut butter-butter base supported with just the right amount of flour and egg and flavored with an ample amount of vanilla.
The dough gets portioned into tablespoon-sized balls and flattened into round disks.
After a brief stint in the oven, the cookies cool down on a wire rack before chilling in the refrigerator. You want these cookies to be firm when you dip them.
Similar to the cereal mix coating, the coating for the Puppy Chow Cookies is a melted trinity of chocolate, peanut butter, and butter. Once the coating mixture is melted and the powdered sugar is set in a bowl, it’s time to complete these cookies. Carefully dunk the chilled cookies into the warm coating. Carefully flip the cookie over to coat all sides.
Next, transfer the chocolate-covered cookies into the bowl of powdered sugar and toss to coat. Transfer the cookies back to the prepared parchment-lined sheet pan and repeat the process with the remaining cookies.
The result is like the holidays in a bite! The cookie is mildly sweet and loaded with peanut butter flavor. Any saltiness from the peanut butter is countered by the sweetness from the chocolate and powdered sugar coatings.
Puppy Chow Cookies are those that would want to eat a whole bowl of the cereal snack. These cookies have all of the flavors of the snack but with a more satisfying chew. The cookie is soft and tender, and the chocolate coating is equally soft and not a hard coating.
Powdered sugar gives that touch of fun whimsy to the cookie without adding a ton of sweetness. Puppy Chow Cookies are a great twist on the classic holiday treat, and just like the cereal version, are best when shared!
Puppy Chow Cookies
For the cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the coating:
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 cups powdered sugar
To make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a bowl whisk together flour, and baking soda, set aside.
- In another bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together until smooth and lump free, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl periodically.
- Add in egg and vanilla, beating well to combine.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Use a tablespoon as a guide to portion out and roll the dough into balls and then press them into disks, flattening them until they are about 1/2-inch thick.
- Place the prepared cookies onto the baking sheets with 2-inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to a cool tray to chill, about 30 minutes
To make the coating and assemble the cookies:
- In a microwave-safe bowl combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter and melt the ingredients, stirring the mixture every 30-seconds to evenly melt everything.
- Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and prepare a clean, not warm baking sheet with clean parchment paper.
- Using a fork, dip each cookie into the melted chocolate mixture, gently tapping the cookie and fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess coating.
- Immediately toss the dipped cookie into the powdered sugar, tossing gently to coat all sides of the cookie.
- Place onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining cookies.
Recipe adapted from Cookies and Cups.