It’s been almost two years since the internet was introduced to Dubai chocolate, and it doesn’t look like our obsession with the decadent, crunchy, chocolate-pistachio treat is waning anytime soon. From Shake Shack launching its own Dubai chocolate milkshake to Costco stocking pistachio-chocolate ice cream in its freezers, food brands are giving everything the Dubai chocolate treatment—and we love every bit of it.
But it’s not just food brands that are jumping on the trend. Recipe developers and home cooks everywhere are equally captivated. A quick search on Google yields dozens of homemade recipes that harness the flavors and textures of Dubai chocolate, allowing those of us who haven’t tasted the real thing to enjoy the viral treat right from the comfort of our own homes.
One of these iterations is a delicious recipe from cookbook author and Food Network star Molly Yeh. It’s a fun take on a nostalgic Midwestern creation that leans into the nuttiness and richness of Dubai chocolate. Not only does it come together in a flash, but it can also be scaled up, so you can easily make a big batch and casually graze on it every day—if it’ll last that long, that is.
Molly Yeh’s Dubai-ish Puppy Chow
Puppy chow, aka Muddy Buddies, is a throwback snack I haven’t thought about in decades. Often associated with school field trips, middle school sleepovers, and holiday gifts, it’s not the first thing that comes to mind when I’m craving something sweet. Then I came across Yeh’s video for Dubai-ish Puppy Chow.
Yeh got the idea to use Chex because she couldn’t find kataifi (the crispy shredded phyllo dough found in Dubai chocolate) where she lives in Minnesota. The swap is pretty brilliant, ensuring the treat really delivers on the Dubai chocolate textural experience.
Like other puppy chow recipes, this one is embarrassingly easy. Make it once, and it’ll quickly turn into a no-recipe kind of recipe—one that you can whip up whenever you’re craving a no-fuss, irresistible, sweet-and-salty snack.
How To Make Dubai-ish Puppy Chow
Start by adding 2 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil, 1/4 cup of pistachio butter, and 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Yeh suggests adding a big pinch of salt if the pistachio butter isn’t salted. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Then stir in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, then fold in 4 cups of Rice Chex and 1 1/2 cups of roasted, salted pistachios.
This is when things get interesting. Yeh stirs 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup of unsweetened protein powder into the mix. It’s a clever move that not only packs protein into the snack but also buffers some of the sweetness.
From there, you could eat it straight from the bowl as is, or do what Yeh does: Pop it in the freezer because, well, anyone who’s anyone knows puppy chow is ten times more delicious when frozen.
Just like everyone else in the country, I’m constantly looking for ways to sneak in more protein, so I love that Yeh manages to do that for this recipe. In her video, Yeh uses Bob’s Red Mill Almond Protein Powder, which is made entirely from almonds. It’s definitely a niche ingredient that I was initially tempted to substitute with almond flour, since I didn’t want to lose the almond flavor and because it’s easier to find in stores.
However, I later discovered that Bob’s almond-based protein powder undergoes a defatting process, which enables the nuts to be ground into a super-fine powder, rather than resulting in almond butter. Without any of their natural oils, the final product is a whole different beast from almond flour, and thus, can’t be swapped one-for-one. So I stuck with Yeh’s suggestion and used Bob’s Red Mill Almond Protein Powder.
The result? Absolutely delicious. It has crunch, nuttiness, richness, and an ever-so-slightly bitter note that elevates this humble snack from good to divine. And blame it on the placebo effect, but knowing this puppy chow has a decent amount of protein makes me feel better about gobbling it down by the handful in between meetings.
You can easily swap in another protein powder or stick to the classic puppy chow formula and use only powdered sugar. After all, the core of puppy chow is that it’s endlessly adaptable.
And fair warning: This isn’t your average puppy chow. One bite and you’ll wonder whether you’ll ever be satisfied with the same old chocolate-peanut butter puppy chow again.