Swap Peanut Butter With Cookie Butter For Delicious, Nut-Free Puppy Chow

Few desserts capture nostalgia like puppy chow. Otherwise known as muddy buddies or monkey munch, the five-ingredient recipe tastes like Christmas parties in grade school, gossiping at sleepovers, and girl dinner. The simple, sweet taste of chocolate and peanut buttered-Chex topped off with powdered sugar is something we refuse to outgrow; however, we are giving it an update. Whether you want to improve upon this already stellar recipe or finally indulge in something you couldn't have due to the all-too-common nut allergy, swapping out peanut butter for cookie butter in your puppy chow elevates the dish.

At the heart of cookie butter lies speculoos cookies, Belgian shortbread cookies that taste similar to gingerbread cookies. The ground-up cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cardamom found in speculoos gives cookie butter a fragrant, spiced edge that transforms the childhood treat into something more adult. Aside from cookie butter, there's a whole world of nut-free butter alternatives for those with nut allergies to use in their puppy chow.

One of the closest to peanut butter in taste and texture, soy nut butter looks almost like the real thing. While it won't taste exactly like peanut butter, the similarities allow you to utilize it in all the ways you would use peanut butter without noticing too much.

Made from oil, salt, and sesame seeds, which lends the condiment its nutty taste, tahini is another healthy, nut-free alternative to peanut butter. Originating from the Middle East and Mediterranean, it's often used in hummus or eaten with falafel. However, you can spread it on your toast, put it in smoothies, or add it to your puppy chow.

Granola butter is another aromatic alternative to peanut butter. Thick and creamy like your standard nut butter, it's made from toasted oats and ginger, cardamom, allspice, and cinnamon. And, in addition to being incorporated into your puppy chow recipe, granola butter can be placed in overnight oats or on top of brownies.