Cookie Butter Puppy Chow

Step 1

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips, cookie butter and coconut oil on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir the mixture. Continue heating in 30-second increments, stirring after each burst, until smooth and almost melted. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate, so once the chocolate looks mostly melted, stir until it melts in the residual heat. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Step 2

Place about a third — generous 3 cups — of the cereal in the largest, widest bowl you have. Pour in about one-third of the chocolate mixture. With a flexible spatula, gently fold the chocolate mixture into the cereal, so that all the pieces are well coated. A gentle touch helps keep the cereal from breaking too much. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl so you don’t lose any of the chocolate mixture. Repeat adding the cereal and chocolate mixture in two more additions.

Step 3

While you prepare the confectioners’ sugar, pop the bowl into the refrigerator to let the chocolate cool and set slightly, about 10 minutes. Line two large sheet pans with parchment or wax paper.

Step 4

Add half the confectioners’ sugar and half the cocoa powder, if using, to a 1-gallon zip-top silicone or plastic bag. Add half the cereal mixture to the bag, seal and shake so that the cereal is evenly coated. Pour the puppy chow onto one of the lined baking sheets, spreading it into a fairly even layer. Repeat with the remaining confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and cereal mixture and spread on the other prepared sheet.Before eating or storing, transfer the pans to the refrigerator for about another 10 minutes to ensure the chocolate is set. Or, if you can’t wait and don’t mind sticky fingers, dig in.