I truly love cereal. I mean, I really love it—enough that I daydream about installing several cafeteria-style dispensers in my kitchen so I could have different varieties ready to pour at a moment’s notice.
I don’t own a single drawer worth mentioning, but I’d happily trade that dream away for an array of cereals on constant standby. I’m only slightly exaggerating.
Cereal shows up in many of my meals because it’s an effortless option. That’s why I want a selection available at all times—simple logic, really. A girl can dream.
Cereal makers understand that most people eat cereal alone, staring off and using a spoon to shovel it in. To keep you entertained during those solitary moments, they put games, trivia, crossword puzzles and recipes on the box. Chances are you could recite the nutrition facts of your preferred brand because the cereal box often wins your attention over the junk mail on the table.
Muddy Buddies is probably the best recipe you can find on a cereal box. It was also the second thing I attempted as a child to make in the kitchen—this cake being the first.
Muddy Buddies came back to mind a few weeks ago when a friend and I were reminiscing about childhood snacks.
If Muddy Buddies aren’t familiar, here’s the gist: melt peanut butter, chocolate, and butter together, pour it over Chex cereal of your choice until coated, then toss everything in powdered sugar.
My friend called them Puppy Chow, though I’m not sure which name is better. Both sound a bit unappetizing, but kids don’t care—peanut butter and chocolate win every time.
Now that I’m a grown-up (well, at least part of the time), I like to elevate childhood snacks into something a bit more refined. That’s why I made an adult version using peanut butter filled pretzels.
Crunchy, salty, chocolatey, and filled with peanut butter—this hits every dessert note. If we’re being fancy, it also deserved a grown-up name.
According to culinary definitions, a dragée is a small bite-sized confection that can be decorative or symbolic as well as enjoyable to eat.
Yes, another staged food photo of a hand taking a bite. Guilty as charged.
These peanut butter filled pretzel dragées are a nostalgic treat dressed up—like the pearl-wearing set of the dessert world. They’re simple, indulgent, and even cuter when served in an unexpected bowl that originally held a candle from IKEA.
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Dragées
Makes about 2 cups
Inspired by a classic Muddy Buddies recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups (about 150 g) peanut butter filled pretzels (Trader Joe’s makes a good version)
1/2 cup (about 100 g) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (about 28 g) butter
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (about 125 g) powdered sugar
Preparation:
Measure the powdered sugar into a large bowl and place the pretzels in a separate large bowl. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set everything aside.
In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the chocolate with the butter and a pinch of salt, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the melted chocolate over the pretzels and stir until they are evenly coated. Transfer the coated pretzels to the bowl with powdered sugar and toss until each piece is well covered. The pretzels may clump together—separate them so each piece gets a good dusting of sugar.
Spread the coated pretzels on the prepared baking sheet to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for best texture.