Peppermint Puppy Chow (Paleo, Gluten Free)

This healthy peppermint puppy chow recipe puts a holiday spin on my original paleo puppy chow. It's made with grain free cereal that's coated in almond butter, minty dark chocolate, crushed candy canes and powdered monk fruit.

I never really made puppy chow growing up, but anytime I tried it at a party I immediately went back for more. There's something highly addictive about the combination of sugary chocolate and nut butter!

Even though this peppermint puppy chow is made with healthier ingredients, it is just as delicious as the classic version.

Recipe Highlights

• paleo friendly: everything but the candy canes are paleo, although I did use organic, naturally colored candy canes. For strict paleo, just omit this ingredient. The puppy chow will still be minty by adding peppermint flavoring/extract.
• vegan: this is a vegan peppermint puppy chow recipe since it's made with plant based cereal and is completely egg and dairy free.
• gluten free & grain free: this peppermint puppy chow is made from Lovebird cereal. This cereal is completely gluten free and grain free. It's basically a paleo cheerio cereal, made from cassava flour and coconut.
• lower in sugar: my recipe for peppermint puppy chow is made with dark chocolate, unsweetened almond butter and dusted with powdered monk fruit sweetener. Therefore, making this recipe a lot lower in sugar than your average puppy chow.
• dairy free: all of the ingredients are dairy free
• peanut free: this puppy chow recipe is made without peanut butter.

This Christmas puppy chow would be a great holiday party dessert since its super easy to make, lasts well at room temperature and is a kid favorite.

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make this peppermint puppy chow recipe:

• grain free cereal
• dark chocolate
• almond butter
• coconut oil
• peppermint flavoring (or extract)
• vanilla extract
• organic candy canes
• powdered monk fruit

Grain Free Cereal

This puppy chow recipe is made with Lovebird cereal. Lovebird is a small cereal company that makes organic, grain free cereal that's low in sugar but tastes amazing! The cereal comes in four flavors (as of now): unsweetened, cinnamon, cacao and honey. I used unsweetened for this recipe, but any flavor will work.

If you want to try the cereal yourself, then use the discount code "bakeitpaleo" at checkout.

Dark Chocolate

Because of how sweet the powdered monk fruit is, I recommend a dark chocolate between 70-90% dark. My favorite paleo baking chocolate are the Hu Gems, but any brand will work.

Almond Butter

I recommend an organic, unsweetened almond butter. Salted is fine.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is makes the chocolate runnier and easier to work with. Although this ingredient can be omitted, I recommend keeping it in the recipe.

Flavoring/Extract

I used organic peppermint flavoring and vanilla extract to give the chocolate a vanilla mint flavor. A peppermint extract will work as well, but you'll need to reduce the amount you use.

Candy Canes

Unfortunately, I've never seen a paleo candy cane. So, for strict paleo, omit the candy canes from this recipe. If you do decide to use them I recommend organic candy canes.

Powdered Monk Fruit

Instead of regular powdered sugar, powdered monk fruit is used for the coating on this almond butter puppy chow. Monk fruit sweeteners are the only sugar-free sweeteners that I like (taste-wise).

If you cannot consume sugar-free sweetener (or just don't want to) you can make your own powdered sugar by blending coconut sugar and tapioca flour. It won't turn out white since coconut sugar is brown, but the taste will be just as great.

How to Make Peppermint Puppy Chow

To make this Paleo puppy chow recipe, you'll need a small sauce pan for melting the chocolate and coconut oil (or you can melt them in the microwave), a large mixing bowl and a large plastic baggie (or something similar).

First, pour the cereal into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Next, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a small sauce pan over low heat. Once the chocolate is fully melted, turn off the stove top and mix in the almond butter, peppermint flavoring and vanilla.

Pour the chocolate-almond butter mixture over the cereal. Add the crushed candy canes. Then, use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the ingredients until the cereal is fully coated.

Next, place the cereal in the fridge for 10 minutes. This step is important if you don't want to add a ton of powdered sugar. As, letting the chocolate harden a little will make it so that the powdered sugar doesn't melt into the chocolate. Be sure to set your timer!

Then, remove the chocolate cereal from the fridge and pour it in a large baggie. Add the powdered sugar (just ¼ cup to start) and shake the bag, coating the cereal. If necessary, add more powdered sugar.

Storage

Store this peppermint puppy chow in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge or freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lovebird Cereal?

Lovebird Cereal is a grain free, paleo friendly cereal that's shaped like Cheerios. The main ingredients are cassava and coconut. This cereal currently comes in four flavors: unsweetened, cinnamon, cacao and honey.

You can purchase Lovebird Cereal online, at the lovebird website.

Is Lovebird Cereal vegan?

The unsweetened version of Lovebird Cereal is vegan. However, the flavored varieties contain honey. In addition to being plant based, this cereal is organic, grain free, gluten free, dairy free, non GMO, and free of refined sugars.

More Recipes Using Lovebird Cereal

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