Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball – Covered in Muddy Buddies

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This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball is covered in Muddy Buddies for the ultimate party treat. Combine a sweet cream cheese spread with the classic Puppy Chow snack mix for one epic dessert dip that will have everyone double-dipping. It’s so easy to make with only 7 ingredients. You’ll be a star when you share this with family and friends.

Sometimes I get distracted.

No joke, the idea for this dessert dip popped into my head years ago. I’ve seen more than one chocolate chip cheese ball recipe floating around the interwebs. But with the way my brain works, where there is chocolate, there must be peanut butter.

Just covering it in chocolate and peanut butter chips seemed so, well, boring. But what else is chunky and chocolaty and peanut buttery?

Muddy Buddies!

So then I got invited to an event at General Mills. We were talking about the health benefits of cereal and had the opportunity to create a recipe in the Betty Crocker kitchens and photograph it in their studios. Despite the healthy theme, I still felt compelled to make this recipe.

I made it, photographed it, and, subsequently got preoccupied with about eleventy million other things and forgot about it. For years.

By the time I remembered, I only had a few scribbled notes about the recipe and the photos weren’t quite what I wanted. So I remade it, re-shot it, and… forgot about it again.

Until now, and boy are you lucky I finally remembered. Because you need this recipe!

Muddy Buddies Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Recipe

Talk about a dessert mashup. This fun party food combines a deliciously sweet cream cheese dip with everyone’s favorite cereal snack mix. Let’s learn a little more about each of these on their own before we put them together into one incredible indulgence.

Dessert cheese balls took this concept and gave it a sweet twist. The cream cheese is sweetened with powdered sugar, brown sugar, honey, or another sweetener. Again, the mix-ins are the key to creating many varieties, from cake batter to caramel to s’mores.

Or, in this case, peanut butter and chocolate.

About Muddy Buddies

Muddy Buddies, also know os Puppy Chow, Chex Mix, and about a million other names depending on the flavors and seasons and holidays that inspire the recipe, are an absolutely irresistible sweet snack mix.

The original version has Chex cereal coated in melted chocolate and peanut butter, then tossed in powdered sugar. Their resemblance to pieces of dog food kibble is where the Puppy Chow name came from. And when General Mills began sharing their recipe and products based on this treat, they adopted the name Muddy Buddies.

But this tasty snack mix can be more than just peanut butter and chocolate. You can find Muddy Buddies recipes with all kinds of flavors, like

• Chocolate Coconut Almond Butter Muddy Buddies
• Chai White Chocolate Puppy Chow
• Key Lime Pie Muddy Buddies
• Salted Caramel Puppy Chow from The Cookie Rookie

and so much more! But this recipe starts with the classic.

Start with the basic sweet cream cheese ball, then add chocolate chips and a swirl of peanut butter. Roll it all in a mini batch of Muddy Buddy snack mix. Get your cookies and fruit slices ready, because once you get started, your sweet tooth will make it hard to stop double and triple dipping.

What You’ll Need

For the cheese ball

• Cream cheese – regular or low fat will work fine. I do not recommend using fat free, though. Let it soften to room temperature.
• Butter – unsalted is best in this case, and again, you will want it at room temperature in order to blend easily.
• Powdered sugar
• Pure vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips – regular-size semisweet chocolate chips can be used, but I prefer the mini as they distribute more evenly making it feel more chocolaty.
• Peanut butter – you can use creamy or chunky depending on your preference.

For the Muddy Buddy coating

• Chex cereal – you can use any variety of Chex. I recommend rice or corn, and you’ll need to avoid the wheat variety if you need a gluten free cheese ball recipe. The flavored varieties such as Chocolate Chex, Peanut Butter Chex, and Vanilla Chex will also work, though they may make it extra sweet.
• Semisweet chocolate chips – the minis will be fine if that’s what you have for making these cream cheese filling.
• Peanut butter
• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Pure vanilla extract

Directions

For the cheese ball

1. Blend the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the mini chocolate chips.
2. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap, spread out slightly, and drizzle or spread peanut butter over the mixture.
3. Using the plastic wrap, form the mixture into a ball, and wrap tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
4. While the cheese ball is chilling, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in the microwave, then stir in the vanilla.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal in a bowl and stir until coated.
6. Transfer the cereal mixture to a plastic storage bag, add the powdered sugar, seal, and shake until coated. Spread on wax paper to cool.
7. Roll the chilled cheese ball in Muddy Buddies to coat completely.
8. Serve on a platter with cookies, graham crackers, or fruit slices for dipping.

Time-saving tips

Use a bag of Muddy Buddies Chex Mix

While it only takes a few minutes to whip up this mini batch of Muddy Buddies, if you are really pressed for time, just pick up a back of Muddy Buddies Chex Mix. If you want to change it up, they have several flavors besides just the classic chocolate and peanut butter.

Just use about 2 cups and slightly crush them before coating the cheese ball.

Make it in advance

The cheese ball needs to chill in the fridge for at least several hours anyway, but it can definitely hang out in the fridge wrapped up in plastic wrap for a few days. And the Muddy Buddies are good in a plastic storage bag or airtight container for several days as well.

So just make the different components when you have time, then roll the ball in the coating right before you are ready to serve or take it to a party.

Chill it fast

You can chill it more quickly by putting the wrapped ball in the freezer for about an hour. It won’t be firm all the way through, but it should be set enough that you can coat it and serve the Muddy Buddies Cheese Ball on a platter.

Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Dip

Yes, you can totally turn this into a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Dip. Just spread it into a glass pie plate or other dish and sprinkle the Puppy Chow mix on top.

FAQ’s

Gluten Free Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This information is solely based on my research and personal experience, and I provide it as a courtesy to my readers. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for any questions as it relates to your needs, particularly if you have celiac disease or a severe gluten allergy or intolerance. Products, manufacturing facilities, and ingredients change frequently, so you should always contact the manufacturer for the latest information. 

More chocolate and peanut butter desserts

• Reese’s Poke Cake
• Flourless Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Roll
• No-Churn Reese’s Ice Cream Cake

More dessert dips

• Monster M&M’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip
• Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
• Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip
• Flourless Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
• Peanut Butter Sweet Dessert Hummus
• Birthday Cake Cheese Ball from Inspired by Charm