This Muddy Buddy Ice Cream has everything you love about the classic treat, turned into a delicious, creamy ice cream. You have rich and creamy chocolate and peanut butter ice cream base, with swirls of peanut butter, and tossed with actual peanut butter muddy buddies pieces.

This recipe has the perfect easy chocolate and peanut butter base, so you don’t need to mess with any egg-yolks. Just melt, stir, churn, swirl, and freeze. You’ll end with the richest peanut butter and chocolate ice cream that is super nostalgic and fun!
It’s a rich, thick and creamy ice cream base with two types of chocolate (both melted and cocoa powder) because we can never have too much, mixed with creamy peanut butter in the base. Then it’s swirled with my small batch muddie buddie recipes.
Because we are big chocolate and peanut butter fans over here! Don’t miss my No Bake Peanut Butter Bars, or Chocolate Peanut Butter Marbled Cookies for two other chocolate peanut butter favorites.

Why You’ll love this Recipe
- Egg Free Ice Cream Base – If you want to use our custard chocolate ice cream base you can, but this is super creamy, with out any eggs!
- Uses real Ingredients – Want ice cream without any preservatives?! We’ve got real chocolate, real peanut butter, real cream, and the best flavor!
- Simple Prep – Only a few minutes of active work
- Loaded with Chocolate and Peanut Butter Flavor – chocolate and peanut butter in the base, swirled with more peanut butter and loaded with chocolate and peanut butter muddy buddy pieces. Yes please!

Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Muddy Buddy Ice Cream Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Heavy Cream – provides the creamy texture for homemade ice cream
- Whole Milk – the right amount of fat gives your ice cream the perfect consistency
- Granulated Sugar – to sweeten the ice cream
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – adds the chocolate flavor to the base
- Semi Sweet Chocolate – Use a chocolate bar, not chocolate chips for the best creamy result
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Use regular old peanut butter, not natural
- Vanilla Extract – Just a little to enhance the flavors
- Salt – Just a little to balance the sweetness
- Rice Chex Cereal – To make your own crunchy Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddy mix
- Powdered Sugar – To coat the cereal mixture
How to make Puppy Chow Ice Cream
Step 1: Make the Ice Cream Base. Add the cream, milk, cocoa powder and sugar to a medium sauce pan and heat for a couple minutes over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the chocolate and peanut butter and stir until both are melted into the cream. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: Make the Muddy Buddies. Melt the chocolate and peanut butter in the microwave until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cereal and stir to coat. Add it to a bag with the powdered sugar and shake it up to coat completely.
Step 3: Churn the Ice Cream. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture into a 2QT ice cream maker and let it churn until the ice cream starts to thicken, about 30-40 minutes, according to the machines directions.
Step 4: Layer the Ice Cream. Scoop about 1/3 of the ice cream into a 2QT container (a 9×5 bread pan works well) then top with melted peanut butter and a sprinkle of muddy buddies. Stir gently with a knife. Repeat with more ice cream, peanut butter and muddy buddies. Then finally the last portion of each. Freeze. Cover the ice cream and freeze it for at least 6 hours, up to overnight is even better for a nice scoopable ice cream like you’d get from the ice cream shop.
Tips and Tricks:
- Plan Ahead – This homemade ice cream is easy to make, but it does require some planning time. You need to freeze your ice cream maker for at least 12 hours until frozen solid, then you need to freeze your ice cream after churning for at least 6 hours
- Dark Chocolate: If you want a darker chocolate ice cream, try using dark cocoa powder, and a dark chocolate bar.
- High Quality Ingredients: For the best results use a regular peanut butter (natural peanut butter is not ideal here), and a high quality chocolate for a nice rich and creamy ice cream base.

Storage Instructions
Store the muddy buddy ice cream in an 2 Quart airtight container with a lid, or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and then foil for up to 3 weeks. I usually use a 9×5 bread pan, or I love these ice cream containers as well.

This homemade muddy buddy ice cream is creamy, crunchy, sweet, and fun! It’s a new favorite for chocolate and peanut butter lovers and you’ll want to make this all summer long!
More Ice Cream Recipes
- How to make Ice Cream in a Bag
- French Vanilla Ice Cream
- Rocky Road Ice Cream
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Pistachio Ice Cream
- Biscoff Ice Cream

Muddy Buddy Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Ice Cream Base:
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt
For the Muddy Buddies:
- 2 cups Rice Chex Cereal
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker
Instructions
For the Ice Cream Base:
- Add the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and cocoa powder to a medium sized sauce pan and heat over medium high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk everything often as it heats. 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Remove from heat and add in the chopped chocolate, and peanut butter. Let it sit for about 1 minute. Whisk it all together until the chocolate is melted and the mixture can be stirred in completely. 6 oz semi sweet chocolate, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 dash salt
- Place the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
For the Muddy Buddies:
- Put the Chex cereal in a small bowl, and set it aside. 2 cups Rice Chex Cereal
- Add the chocolate chips and peanut butter to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until the mixture can be stirred smooth. 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the cereal and stir it together to completely coat the cereal.
- Pour the cereal into a large ziplock bag and add the powdered sugar. Shake until the cereal is completely coated. 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Pour the muddy buddy mixture out onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
For Assembling the Ice Cream:
- Pour the mixture into a 2QT sized ice cream maker, and let the ice cream maker run according to the manufactures directions, or until the ice cream is churned into a thick soft serve ice cream, about 30-40 minutes.
- Microwave the peanut butter for 30 seconds, until it is nice and runny. 1/2 cup peanut butter
- Scoop about 1/3 of the ice cream into a 2 QT container, then drizzle about 1/3 of the peanut butter over the top of the ice cream. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the muddy buddies and gently stir..
- Repeat with more ice cream, more peanut butter, more muddy buddies. Then the final layer of more ice cream, peanut butter, and muddy buddies.
- Cover the ice cream and place it in the freezer for 6 hours, or overnight, for a thicker, harder, hand scooped ice cream.
Leave a Reply