Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies (Gluten-Free!)

These cookies and cream oreo muddy buddies are such a fun spin on the classic! Plus, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat!

I’m a BIG-TIME fan of classic Muddy Buddies. That peanut butter and chocolate combo gets me every time! But when I want a little something different, these Oreo muddy buddies can be such a fun option!

Side note: do you call this treat muddy buddies or puppy chow? We moved a lot growing up, and it seemed like different parts of the US have a favorite way to say it. I’d love to know what YOU call them (and where you’re from!).

This no-bake Cookies & Cream Chex Mix is quick and easy to make—no oven required! It’s great when you want something sweet last minute, or don’t want to wait around to preheat an oven or chill cookie dough. (In fact, they’ll likely be done faster than you can preheat your oven!)

You only need a few simple ingredients for these gluten-free cookies and cream muddy buddies. Let’s make a batch!

Here’s What You Need To Make Cookies & Cream Chex Mix

• Corn Chex Or Rice Chex. Both corn Chex and rice Chex are gluten-free, and PERFECT for making gluten-free muddy buddies! Either flavor will work here, though rice Chex will give you the most neutral flavor and color. (That’s what I used for my photos, but I’ve done it both ways!)
• Gluten-Free Oreos. Regular Oreos are NOT gluten-free, but Oreo makes gluten-free Oreos that work great for this recipe. You can also use one of these brands of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies. (We like Glutino and Goodie Girl!)
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. For the chocolate “cookies” half of the recipe, I prefer semisweet chocolate chips. (You can absolutely use milk chocolate chips for sweeter treat or dark chocolate chips for a more intense chocolate flavor.)
• White Chocolate Chips. Then, for the “cream” half of these cookies and cream muddy buddies, you’ll need white chocolate chips. My absolute favorite are Hershey’s premier white chocolate chips, but you can use your favorite! Guittard and Ghirardelli both melt well and are my back-up choices.
• Powdered Sugar. This will help coat the cereal and give it that signature look.
• A Little Oil. This helps the chocolate spread out better. White chocolate chips, especially, tend to melt less well and end up thicker, which can be difficult to work with. The oil makes this much easier!
• A Pinch of Salt. A little salt is the secret to the BEST muddy buddies! I add some to all my Muddy Buddy recipes and it’s a game changer. It’s that little extra something that balances the flavors and intensifies the chocolate and vanilla notes beautifully.

How To Make Oreo Muddy Buddies, Step By Step:

Start With The “Cookies” Half

1. Divide The Cereal. Divide Chex cereal in half. Place half the cereal into a large mixing bowl (or gallon-size zip-top bag) and the other half in a second mixing bowl (or gallon size bag). I find it easier to mix and coat the cereal by stirring it in a bowl, but if you prefer to shake yours in a bag, you absolutely can!
2. Crush Oreos. Next, pulse gluten-free Oreos in a food processor or place them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or measuring cup to a fine powder. These will be used to coat the “cookies” half of the recipe.
3. Make The Crumb Mixture & Powdered Sugar Mixture. Add 2 Tablespoons of the cookie crumbs to the powdered sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of the crumbs mixture to the powdered sugar and set aside. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to both the crumbs mixture and the powdered sugar mixture.
4. Melt The Chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, gently melt the semisweet chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon oil in 15-20-second increments, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
5. Make The “Cookies” Half. Working quickly, pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal in the first bowl and stir to coat well. (If using a bag, pour the chocolate over the cereal in one bag, seal the bag with as much air in it as possible, and shake to coat the cereal well.) When the cereal is coated in chocolate, quickly add the crushed Oreo crumbs to the bowl (or bag) and stir (or shake) to coat the cereal in cookie crumbs.

Finish with the “Cream” half

1. Make The White Chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, gently melt the white chocolate chips with the remaining 3 teaspoons oil in 15-20-second increments, stirring after each interval, until the white chocolate is smooth and glossy.
2. Make The “Cream” Half. Working quickly, pour the melted white chocolate mixture over the cereal in the second bowl and stir to coat well. (If using a bag, pour the white chocolate over the cereal in the second bag, seal the bag with as much air in it as possible, and shake to coat the cereal well.) When the cereal is coated in white chocolate, quickly add the powdered sugar mixture to the bowl (or bag) and stir (or shake) to coat the cereal in powdered sugar. (There will likely be some leftover powdered sugar. This will help coat the Oreo cereal as you combine them later)
3. Finish The Snack Mix. You should now have half the recipe covered in chocolate and cookie crumbs and half the recipe in white chocolate and powdered sugar. Combine the two halves in a large serving bowl or a sheet pan and mix in the chopped Oreos to finish.
4. Serve & Store. Oreo Muddy Buddies are best enjoyed within 2-3 days. Cover the mix and store in an airtight container or bag at room temperature up to 3 days. (Or freeze for even longer storage!)

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies

Stay Celiac Safe! If you’re gluten-free (or making this for someone who is), be sure to use gluten-free Oreos or one of these brands of gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies. Regular Oreos are NOT gluten-free!

Bowl VS Bag. The classic method for mixing up Muddy Buddies is using large gallon-size bags to shake and combine the cereal and coating. I actually find it easier to work with to put it into large mixing bowls to stir. There are trade-offs for each method (bags = more plastic waste & easily portable, with less dish washing. Bowls = easier to mix, less plastic, more dish washing). No judgement either way!

Having Trouble Melting The Chocolate? Different brands of white chocolate chips have different percentages of fat. More fat = easier to melt! If your white chocolate chips aren’t melting easily, you can add 1/2 teaspoon or so of extra canola, coconut, or vegetable oil to help it melt better. (This shouldn’t impact the taste!)

🌟 Leave a star review below when you try our Cookies And Cream Muddy Buddies recipe! We can’t wait to hear what you think!

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