This recipe has me All Shook Up. And you know what? That’s All Right. I can guarantee that, pretty soon, this recipe will be Stuck on You as well.
All right, all right. Done with the Elvis puns for now. Let’s get down to business. This puppy chow is addictive. Now, that’s not hard to believe when you take into account how absolutely addicting the regular version of the recipe is. Can anyone stop eating after they start? I always find myself closing the lid on the tupperware saying I’m done for the day and returning mere seconds later for “just a couple pieces more.” My friend & college roommate Jacqueline still claims puppy chow to be her favorite snack, and I can’t count the number of times I’d bring a container back to school with me intent on sharing it and just fail to have enough left after my two-hour drive downstate (sorry J!).
This Elvis Puppy Chow is no different. I put some on the table when my family came over for my birthday last year and my niece stole the bowl and ate nearly half of it before anyone else could get their hands on it. It’s sweet, like the original, but the candied bacon adds a nice sweet & salty element that just makes this snack complete.
Now, just about everyone knows the story of Elvis’ favorite sandwich: peanut butter, banana, and bacon. It always sounded weird to me. Peanut butter and banana were a classic to me, but the bacon never seemed like it would mix.
And then I had an Elvis-themed hamburger topped with peanut butter and bacon and the mix of the fatty, salty spread and the crispy, meaty bacon is still something I can’t stop thinking about. Add banana to the mix, especially banana chips that call out to the caramelized bananas that Elvis reportedly used in his sandwiches, and you get a bit of sweetness that perfectly balances out the fat and salt of the peanut butter and bacon.
Just like regular puppy chow (or muddy buddies as I used to refer to it before my roomie got me in the habit of using its other name), this is super easy to throw together. Sure, there’s a little more prep time needed, but all you really need to do is coat some bacon in the brown sugar, syrup, and pepper mix, bake it, and let it cool. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to chop (or use your hands to rip it into pieces if you desire) it into small bits and proceed with melting, stirring, and shaking the rest of the ingredients.
This is best when stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Honestly, like regular puppy chow, this Elvis Puppy Chow is actually a better when it’s a bit chilled (I can’t be the only one that thinks this, am I?!). So why don’t we have A Little Less Conversation and let’s get to snacking!
(Sorry! I had to throw one more in there!).
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 5 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 9 cup Chex Mix cereal any kind--corn, rice, wheat, or a mix!
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp powdered peanut butter like pb2 or PBfit
- 1 cup broken banana chips (break by hand before measuring)
- 1 recipe candied bacon above, cut into small pieces
Ingredients
Candied Bacon
Elvis Puppy Chow
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- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of it. In a shallow bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, ground black pepper, and maple syrup. Dip the bacon strips into the mixture, making sure both sides are covered with the sugar/syrup mix. Line the bacon on the wire rack. Bake 15-20 minutes until the brown sugar is melted and caramelized and the bacon fully cooked through. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the bacon to cool and firm up. Once cooled, cut into small pieces and set aside.
- Measure the cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium, microwavable bowl, combine the peanut butter, peanut butter chips, and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Return the bowl to the microwave for another 30 seconds or so and stir until the mixture is completely smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the melted peanut butter mixture over the cereal and stir carefully with a wooden spoon until evenly coated. Carefully pour the cereal into a 2-gallon Ziploc bag (or two 1-gallon bags).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and the powdered peanut butter. Add this mixture to the Ziploc bag(s) with the peanut butter coated cereal. Seal and shake until well coated. Spread onto wax paper and cool. Sprinkle broken banana chips and candied bacon pieces over the cereal mix. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.