Perfect for parties or a gift, Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe is a festive sweet snack that everyone will enjoy and the best part is it quick to make. Also known as Reindeer Chow it is made with Chex cereal, peanut butter, Christmas-colored chocolate, and M&Ms then coated in powdered sugar. It's sure to become a favorite family tradition.
If you are looking for gift ideas this Christmas this recipe would be perfect. Fill up a glass mason with it and tie a red ribbon around the top. You might also like to check out my cookies in a jar post. Treat your friends with homemade cookie mix gift jars. They will love making their own homemade warm and delicious cookies from a jar.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- If you want a quick Christmas snack that is on the level of addictive then this is what you should make.
- This is a simple recipe that only takes a few ingredients and a microwave.
- It's great to make for your own family or to give away as gifts to teachers, friends, or coworkers. Everyone will appreciate it.
- It's a delicious sweet snack mix to serve at holiday parties during the Christmas season. It's always a crowd pleaser!
🛒 Ingredient notes
- M&Ms: Keep an eye out around Thanksgiving for the Christmas M&M bags to be on your grocer's shelves. In a pinch, I have bought a big bag of M&Ms and picked out all the red and green M&M. We just ate the other colors as a snack.
- Chex cereal: you have a choice to use rice Chex or corn Chex, whichever you prefer.
- Peanut butter: It is best to use a good quality creamy peanut butter. Be sure to divide the cup of peanut butter in half if you want two colors of cereal.
- Candy Melts: You can use white candy coating melts from Wiltons or white chocolate chips. They also sell white chocolate in squares at most grocery stores.
See the recipe card for a complete list and quantities.
Tip
If you do not want to use food coloring you could also buy a bag of green melts and a bag of red candy coating melts.
🔪 Step by step instructions
- For this recipe, it is best to gather all your ingredients and have everything in bowls ready to go. You are working with melted chocolate so it will be easier this way.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl combine 1/2 cup of chocolate wafers and 1/3 cup peanut butter. Repeat doing the same in another small bowl.
3. Microwave one bowl at a time on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until you can stir the peanut butter mixture smooth.
4. Mix in green food coloring in one of the bowls, stir to mix well. Add more green food coloring until you have a nice Christmas green color.
Pour over one of the large bowls of cereal and toss gently coating the mixture over all of the cereal.
5. Sprinkle powdered sugar all over the chocolate-coated cereal. I find it easier to lift the bowl and toss gently but a large wooden spoon will work also. This should take at least one to two minutes to coat well.
6. Spread on wax paper to cool.
7. Repeat for the second bowl using red food coloring. It will probably not take as much food coloring to get a good red color. Pour over cereal and coat with powdered sugar just as you did above for the green.
Variations
This is a very easy recipe to add in some fun items to mix up the flavors. Try adding any one of these to your Christmas muddy buddies recipe.
- Use chocolate Chex mix cereal instead of corn or rice
- Festive sprinkles
- Mini pretzels
- Mint M&Ms
- Peanut M&Ms
- Peanuts, cashews, pecans, or any other favorite type of nuts
- Peanut butter chips, melt these instead of chocolate.
- white chocolate (just don't add the food coloring)
- Peanut butter flavored M&Ms
- Pieces of candy canes
💭 Storage Tip
If you plan on serving this recipe at a Christmas party it would be best to make it the day before and then store it in an airtight container such as a resealable food-storage bowl. You could also use a ziplock-type large plastic bag. Then when you are setting up for the party pour mixture into a festive bowl to serve.
🎀 Gifting
This Christmas version of a muddy buddies recipe is perfect for gifting at Christmas time. It's the perfect Christmas treat everyone will enjoy getting during the busy holiday season.
You can fill Mason jars with the mixture and tie a pretty ribbon and tag around the top.
❓ FAQ
It most likely got its name because in a bowl it looks somewhat like dog food. Chex cereals shared the recipe for their cereal coated in a mixture of peanut butter, chocolate, and butter, and dusted with powdered sugar.
There is really no difference other than the name, the base recipes are all the same. Many names have been taken on for this recipe. Some call it reindeer food, or reindeer puppy chow for Christmas snacks.
Related Recipes
Love a recipe you've tried? 😋 Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
Be sure and sign up to get your free Party In The Freezer Ecookbook. I'll send it right to you and keep you up to date with all that is happing on Intentional Hospitality.
Recipe
Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe, aka Reindeer Chow
Ingredients
- 8 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 1 cup melting wafers white
- green food coloring
- red food coloring
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup M&Ms red and green plain, You can always add more if you like.
Need an ingredient to make this recipe? Click this Instacart button and get what you need sent right to you.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix in 4 cups of Chex cereal and 1/2 cup of M&Ms. Repeate using another large bowl adding 4 cups of cereal and M&Ms.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl combine 1/2 cup of chocolate wafers and 1/3 cup peanut butter. Repeat doing the same in another small bowl.
- Microwave one bowl at a time on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until you can stir the peanut butter mixture smooth.
- Mix in green food coloring in one of the bowls, stir to mix well. Add more green food coloring until you have a nice Christmas green color.
- Pour over one of the large bowls of cereal and toss gently coating the mixture over all of the cereal.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar all over the chocolate-coated cereal. I find it easier to lift the bowl and toss gently but a large wooden spoon will work also. This should take at least one to two minutes to coat well.
- Spread on wax paper to cool.
- Repeat for the second bowl using red food coloring. It will probably not take as much food coloring to get a good red color. Pour over cereal and coat with powdered sugar just as you did above for the green.
Need an item in the this recipe? Click the Instacart button and have it sent right to you.
Notes
- Use chocolate Chex mix cereal instead of corn or rice
- Festive sprinkles
- Mini pretzels
- Mint M&Ms
- Peanut M&Ms
- Peanuts, cashews, pecans, or any other favorite type of nuts
- Peanut butter chips, melt these instead of chocolate.
- white chocolate (just don't add the food coloring)
- Peanut butter flavored M&Ms
- Pieces of candy canes
