Puppy chow goes by many names: muddy buddies, monkey munch, and muddy munch among others. But, whatever you call this sweet treat the fact is that people of all ages love this candy. There have been a lot of variations on this classic over the years, from the traditional chocolate peanut butter to snickerdoodle flavor, but this strawberry shortcake puppy chow mix is absolutely one of my favorites.

The creamy white chocolate base is the perfect supporting actor for the star of the show: the freeze-dried strawberries. Alongside the crunch of the Chex cereal it’s a winning combination and one that doesn’t rely on peanut butter or milk chocolate.

This recipe calls for corn or rice Chex since they take on the flavors of the other ingredients really nicely and both of these varieties are gluten-free. And, if you use allergen-free white chocolate chips then you’ve got an indulgent dessert that even people with nut allergies or celiac disease can enjoy. And, it’s not everyday you can say that a treat that meets those qualifications tastes this amazing.

The process is really simple, too. You start with freeze dried strawberries and pulse them in the blender or food processor until they are powder consistency. If you can find freeze-dried strawberry powder then all the better, but it’s not as widely available. Then you mix this powder with confectioner’s sugar.

Next, melt the white chocolate in short bursts in the microwave until melted, but be careful not to overheat. You can also use a double boiler on low if you don’t have access to a microwave.

Gently toss the Chex together with the melted white chocolate in a bowl before transferring the mixture to a 1-gallon zippered plastic baggie along with the strawberry sugar. You can use a bowl instead and mix it by hand, but the bag method not only results in fewer broken Chex pieces, it’s also a handy way to store the mix once it’s ready to eat. Finally, lay the mix out on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set before returning to the bag for storage.

If you love the combination of creamy vanilla and bright strawberries then this strawberry shortcake puppy chow is for you!