Passover has always been, hands down, my favorite holiday. I love the tradition of the seders, I love the fact that Passover means spring is here — heck, I even love gefilte fish!
What I don’t love? The lack of good snacks.
I’m not talking about that ubiquitous can of macaroons that is on every kitchen counter during the holiday week. And I’m not talking about those jellied fruit slices either (does anyone actually eat those?).
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No — I’m talking about crave-worthy snacks that you would want to eat any time of year, but happen to be Passover-friendly, too. Like this Passover puppy chow!
If you’ve never heard of puppy chow — well, it’s one of the easiest and most addictive snacks EVER. Ingredients can vary, but it’s typically made with just four ingredients: cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. Yes, practically healthy food.
Yet each of these ingredients pose a problem for the Passover cook. Most cereal (even the gluten-free kind) is made from corn or rice — not allowed in the diets for many who observe. Same for peanut butter and powdered sugar (which contains cornstarch). And if you need a treat that’s dairy-free, butter and chocolate are off-limits, too. (Note: If you eat corn during Passover, feel free to use regular powdered sugar and you can skip the first step.)
But no worries — I’ve swapped out each of these ingredients with a totally Passover-friendly substitute, and I promise you will not notice the difference. This recipe gets bonus points for being egg- and dairy-free, so loved ones who have food allergies or follow a vegan diet can indulge, too!
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp potato starch
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup dairy-free spread
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 6 sheets matzah, broken into coarse pieces
Directions
- Make the powdered sugar — using a blender or food processor, process the granulated sugar and potato starch until fine, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
- In a large bowl set over barely simmering water, combine the chocolate chips, almond butter, dairy-free spread, and vanilla, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and add the matzah pieces, stirring gently and quickly to coat completely.
- Transfer the matzah to the Ziploc bag, seal, and shake to coat pieces completely. Spread onto a baking sheet to set; store in an airtight container at room temperature.
