I took a classic Muddy Buddies Recipe and spun it into an apple pie inspired snack using apple butter and a crunchy streusel topping that had everyone asking what was in it.
I wasnt planning to fall for a snack but these Apple Pie Muddy Buddies with streusel topping hooked me. I used apple butter and white chocolate chips so theres this warm apple note wrapped in creamy sweet coating that clings to crunchy bits, kind of confusing but totally delicious.
Its basically a Muddy Buddies Recipe with a guilty pleasure twist, and if you know Puppy Chow thats the vibe but elevated. I ruined my first try and learned quick tricks, so this version is messy and honest, and it makes you want to steal a handful when no ones looking.
Ingredients
- Rice Chex cereal gives crunch, mostly carbohydrates with a little fiber and protein, light base.
- White chocolate chips or vanilla melts are super sweet, mostly sugar and fat, adds creamy sweetness not much nutrition.
- Apple butter concentrated apple flavor, gives apple sweetness and some fruit fiber, kinda tangy.
- Unsalted butter adds richness and fat, no protein, makes mouthfeel silky and more indulgent.
- Powdered sugar pure sweetness, mostly carbs, powders coat everything and make it cloyingly sweet.
- Cinnamon and apple pie spice warm spices, tiny calories but big flavor, make it taste like fall.
- Flour and brown sugar for streusel flour gives structure carbs, brown sugar adds molasses note and chew.
- Pecans or walnuts optional nuts add healthy fats, some protein and crunch, nice contrast to sweetness.
Ingredient Quantities
- 9 cups Rice Chex cereal (about 1 standard box)
- 12 oz white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts
- 1/3 cup apple butter (smooth, store bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for streusel)
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a small baking sheet with parchment for the streusel.
2. Make streusel: in a bowl mix 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter with a fork or pastry cutter until pea sized clumps form, stir in 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if using. Spread on the prepared sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden; let cool completely then break into crumble, reserve a few tablespoons for topping.
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment for the muddy buddies to cool on later.
4. Melt 12 oz white chocolate chips (or vanilla candy melts) with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/3 cup apple butter in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until smooth, or use a double boiler. Tip: warm the apple butter a bit first so it blends easier and dont overheat the chocolate or it will seize.
5. Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice and a pinch of salt into the melted mixture, taste and adjust if you want more spice.
6. Put 9 cups Rice Chex cereal into a very large bowl (or split between two bowls). Pour the chocolate-apple butter mixture over the cereal and fold gently with a spatula until all the pieces are coated, try not to smash the cereal.
7. Transfer coated cereal to a large resealable plastic bag, add 2 cups powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, seal and shake until every piece is dusted. Do this in batches if the bag gets too full so everything gets coated evenly.
8. Dump the powdered-sugar coated cereal onto the prepared parchment to cool and separate any big clumps with a fork or your fingers while still slightly tacky.
9. While the coating is still a little tacky fold most of the cooled streusel into the muddy buddies so it sticks, then sprinkle the reserved streusel on top just before serving so it stays crunchy.
10. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days. Tip: add the extra streusel right before serving for max crunch, and if your white chocolate seems thick a teaspoon of neutral oil or milk will loosen it up.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven plus 2 baking sheets
2. Parchment paper
3. Small bowl for streusel and a large bowl for the cereal (or two large bowls)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Microwave-safe bowl or a double boiler for melting chocolate
6. Fork or pastry cutter for cutting butter into the streusel
7. Rubber spatula or large spoon for folding the coating onto the cereal
8. Large resealable plastic bags (gallon) for tossing with powdered sugar
FAQ
Apple Pie Muddy Buddies With Streusel Topping Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Rice Chex cereal: swap for Corn Chex, Crisp Rice (like Rice Krispies) or plain Cheerios — use about the same volume (9 cups). If you need gluten free, pick a cereal labeled GF.
- White chocolate chips / vanilla candy melts: use white almond bark or chopped white chocolate bars (about 12 oz) or vanilla-flavored melting wafers. If it seems too thick, stir in 1–2 teaspoons neutral oil or coconut oil while melting to smooth it out.
- Apple butter: sub with pumpkin butter or pear butter for a similar texture, or use 1/3 cup applesauce plus 1 tbsp packed brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to approximate the sweetness and thickness.
- Powdered sugar: use a 1:1 confectioners sugar alternative like Swerve Confectioners, or make your own by blitzing 2 cups granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a high speed blender until powdery — works great in a pinch.
Pro Tips
1) Warm the apple butter a little before you mix it with the white chocolate, it blends way easier that way. If the melted white chocolate gets too thick or starts to grab, add a teaspoon of neutral oil or a splash of milk and stir until smooth, but dont overheat the chocolate or it will seize.
2) Do the cereal coating in batches if your bowl or bag gets full, otherwise pieces wont coat evenly and you end up with big clumps. Fold gently so you dont crush the cereal, and when you put the sugared pieces on the parchment separate clumps while the coating is still a little tacky.
3) For a crisp streusel make sure the butter is really cold when you cut it in so you get pea sized crumbs, and cool the streusel completely before folding most of it in. Save a few tablespoons to sprinkle on top right before serving so it stays crunchy.
4) Store the mix in an airtight container at room temp and add the reserved streusel only when you serve, that keeps the texture best. If the white chocolate firms up too much later just warm it for a few seconds and toss gently, but dont reheat so long it melts the cereal.
Apple Pie Muddy Buddies With Streusel Topping Recipe
I took a classic Muddy Buddies Recipe and spun it into an apple pie inspired snack using apple butter and a crunchy streusel topping that had everyone asking what was in it.
12
servings
458
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven plus 2 baking sheets
2. Parchment paper
3. Small bowl for streusel and a large bowl for the cereal (or two large bowls)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Microwave-safe bowl or a double boiler for melting chocolate
6. Fork or pastry cutter for cutting butter into the streusel
7. Rubber spatula or large spoon for folding the coating onto the cereal
8. Large resealable plastic bags (gallon) for tossing with powdered sugar
Ingredients
-
9 cups Rice Chex cereal (about 1 standard box)
-
12 oz white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts
-
1/3 cup apple butter (smooth, store bought or homemade)
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
-
2 cups powdered sugar
-
pinch of salt
-
1/2 cup all purpose flour
-
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
-
1/4 teaspoon salt (for streusel)
-
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel)
-
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line a small baking sheet with parchment for the streusel.
- Make streusel: in a bowl mix 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter with a fork or pastry cutter until pea sized clumps form, stir in 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if using. Spread on the prepared sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden; let cool completely then break into crumble, reserve a few tablespoons for topping.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment for the muddy buddies to cool on later.
- Melt 12 oz white chocolate chips (or vanilla candy melts) with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/3 cup apple butter in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until smooth, or use a double boiler. Tip: warm the apple butter a bit first so it blends easier and dont overheat the chocolate or it will seize.
- Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice and a pinch of salt into the melted mixture, taste and adjust if you want more spice.
- Put 9 cups Rice Chex cereal into a very large bowl (or split between two bowls). Pour the chocolate-apple butter mixture over the cereal and fold gently with a spatula until all the pieces are coated, try not to smash the cereal.
- Transfer coated cereal to a large resealable plastic bag, add 2 cups powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, seal and shake until every piece is dusted. Do this in batches if the bag gets too full so everything gets coated evenly.
- Dump the powdered-sugar coated cereal onto the prepared parchment to cool and separate any big clumps with a fork or your fingers while still slightly tacky.
- While the coating is still a little tacky fold most of the cooled streusel into the muddy buddies so it sticks, then sprinkle the reserved streusel on top just before serving so it stays crunchy.
- Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days. Tip: add the extra streusel right before serving for max crunch, and if your white chocolate seems thick a teaspoon of neutral oil or milk will loosen it up.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 104g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 458kcal
- Fat: 19.4g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 6.6g
- Cholesterol: 21mg
- Sodium: 75mg
- Potassium: 67mg
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Sugar: 45g
- Protein: 4.4g
- Vitamin A: 83IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 83mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
