You might know this sweet treat as Reindeer Chow or Muddy Buddy Chex Mix. It is made with Chex cereal, peanut butter, Christmas-colored chocolate, and M&Ms, then coated in a sweet dusting of powdered sugar. It’s sure to become a favorite family tradition.
Great Reasons To Make This Christmas Puppy Chow
- If you want a quick Christmas snack that is that you will want over and over, 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!
What You Need From The Grocery
- 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.
📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Gina’s Ingredient 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 helps to set out everything before you start. Melted chocolate waits for no one, so having your ingredients measured and in bowls makes the whole process easier. You’ll be making two batches, one green and one red, so you’ll use half of the ingredients for each color.
- Gather two large bowls and pour 4 cups of Chex cereal into each.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup chocolate wafers and 1/3 cup peanut butter. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring until smooth.
- Mix green food coloring into one bowl until you achieve a Christmas green color. Repeat with red food coloring in the other bowl.
- Pour the green mixture over one bowl of Chex cereal and gently toss to coat.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar over the chocolate-coated cereal and toss until well coated (about 1-2 minutes).
- Sprinkle in 1/2 cup of M&Ms.
- Spread the green mixture on wax paper to cool.
- Repeat the process for the second bowl using red food coloring.
- Pour the red mixture over the other bowl of Chex cereal, coat with powdered sugar. Stir in M&Ms. Spread on wax paper to cool.
- Once both mixtures have cooled, combine them in a large container or bowl, mixing the colors together.
Puppy Chow Add-In Ideas
This is an 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 cane
Storage Tip
To ensure that this recipe is perfectly ready to serve at your Christmas party, it is recommended to make it a day ahead. After preparing the recipe, store it in a container that can be sealed tightly, such as a resealable food-storage bowl or a large plastic bag with a ziplock. On the day of the party, all you need to do is pour the mixture into a festive bowl and serve. This will save you time and allow you to focus on other preparations for your party.
Puppy Chow As A Gift
If you’re searching for food gift ideas, this Christmas puppy chow recipe would be an excellent choice. Fill a glass mason jar with it, and tie a red ribbon around the top to make it look festive. Also, check out my post about cookies in a jar. Treat your friends with a homemade cookie mix gift jar, and they’ll love making their warm and delicious cookies themselves.
Do you have a question about the recipe? Feel free to ask in the comments below. I’m here to help! If you loved this recipe, please consider sharing what you liked about it & give it a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support and time mean a lot to me!
Easy Christmas Puppy Chow Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 1 cup melting wafers, white (divided into 1/2 cup servings)
- green food coloring
- red food coloring
- 1 cup peanut butter, creamy (divided into 1/2 cup servings)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided in (1/2 cup servings)
- 1 cup M&Ms, red and green – plain, (You can always add more if you like.) (divided in 1/2 cup servings)
Instructions
- For this recipe, it helps to set out everything before you start. Melted chocolate waits for no one, so having your ingredients measured and in bowls makes the whole process easier. You’ll be making two batches, one green and one red, so you’ll use half of the ingredients for each color.
- Gather two large bowls and pour 4 cups of Chex cereal into each. Set aside.8 cups Corn Chex cereal
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup white chocolate wafers and 1/2 cup peanut butter.
- Microwave the bowl on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring until smooth.
- Mix green food coloring into the bowl until you achieve a Christmas green color.
- Pour the green mixture over one bowl of Chex cereal and gently toss to coat.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar over the chocolate-coated cereal and toss until well coated (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add in 1/2 cup of M&Ms.
- Spread the green mixture on wax paper to cool.
- Repeat the process for the second bowl using red food coloring.
- Pour the red mixture over the other bowl of Chex cereal, coat with powdered sugar. Stir in M&Ms. Spread on wax paper to cool.
- Once both mixtures have cooled, combine them in a large container or bowl, mixing the colors together.
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- 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
Gina this is one of my kid’s favorite snacks but I’ve never made a Christmas version! I’ll have to try your recipe. I’d love to invite you to come link up at my weekly link party every Wednesday-Sunday https://www.ourtinynest.com/2022/12/07/weekly-wednesday-link-party-325/
I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
Thanks, Nicolle, I will add the linkup to my calendar reminders. :)
So which is it 1/3 or 1/2 cup of peanut butter? Ingredients say 1 c., but directions say 1/3 c.-not 1/2 c!
Thank you for catching that. The recipe uses 1 cup of peanut butter total, but it gets divided so you can make two colors of cereal. Each color batch uses 1/2 cup peanut butter. The 1/3 cup in the directions was a typo. For this recipe, it helps to set out everything before you start. Melted chocolate waits for no one, so having your ingredients measured and in bowls makes the whole process easier. You’ll be making two batches, one green and one red, so you’ll use half of the ingredients for each color.