Christmas Puppy Chow

I have several fun, versatile and easy to make treat recipes on the blog. My personal favorites at the moment are my Christmas Cookie Fudge, Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Treats, Easy S’mores Truffles and Chocolate Covered Oreos. This Christmas puppy chow mix is another fun and easy treat I know you’ll love! 

• It’s quick, easy and fun to make. This Christmas chex mix is are made using 6 simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. This puppy chow recipe takes about 10 minutes to make and 30 minutes to set. 
• You love a delicious, beautiful and versatile no bake treat. This holiday puppy chow recipe is so simple to make, is easy to adapt and  and results in a beautiful holiday mix everyone will love.

For the Mix-Ins

Gather red and green M&M’s, salted caramel chips and chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles.

These recipe for Christmas puppy chow is meant to be quick, easy and the perfect treat to throw together at the last minute. Here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand:

• Chex Cereal: This christmas puppy chow recipe uses regular rice chex cereal. Feel free to use any flavor you like. Chocolate, cinnamon or peanut butter would all make delicious substitutions. 
• Creamy Peanut Butter: To make this recipe peanut butter free, use sunflower butter. 
• Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe. Use a vegan, plant based butter if needed to make this muddy buddy mix dairy free.
• Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: Use any brand of chocolate chips you like. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips would be delicious alternatives to semi sweet chocolate chips. 
• Vanilla Extract: This gives a nice background flavor to the christmas puppy chow. Omit if you don’t want to use it in the recipe. 
• Powdered Sugar: This is used to coat the chocolate and peanut butter coated chex cereal. I like using Wholesome Organic powdered sugar. 
• Mix-Ins: Use any festive candy, pretzels, salted caramel chips, butterscotch chips, nuts or mini peanut butter cups. 

• Red and green muddy buddies: Replace the semi sweet chocolate with an equal amount of red and green candy melts. Simple divide the red and green candy melts, peanut butter and butter into two different bowls. Melt and stir the mixture until well combined. Pour the red and green peanut butter mixture into two different bowls filled with cereal. Coat the cereal in powdered sugar using two different bags. 
• Dairy free: Use plant based or vegan butter and diary free chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life.
• Gluten Free: Use a gluten free Chex cereal. Make sure to use a powdered sugar that is also gluten free. I like this one from Wholesome. 
• Lower Sugar: If you need a lower sugar powdered sugar alternative, I recommend Swerve or Lakanto. Use a no added sugar chocolate and omit the added candy. 
• Nut Allergy: To make this recipe peanut butter or nut free, use sunflower butter. 
• Make it in the microwave: Melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments until all the ingredients are melted. Stir well in between each increment.

1. Heat the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium sauce pan. Frequently stir the chocolate, butter and peanut butter to ensure they melt and are well combined. 
2. Pour the chex cereal into a large mixing bowl. Once the chocolate and peanut butter mixture has melted pour half the mixture onto the cereal. Mix the cereal until mostly combined with the chocolate peanut butter. Repeat with the remaining half of the chocolate peanut butter. Mix well until all the cereal pieces are well coated.

3. Pour the chocolate peanut butter coated cereal into a gallon sized ziplock bag filled with powdered sugar. Shake the bag to coat the cereal pieces in powdered sugar. Pour the muddy buddy mix onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow the coated cereal pieces to set for about 30 minutes. 
4. Make the mix-ins. I love adding a little salty to break up all the sweet. To make the chocolate covered pretzels, melt 2 oz. white chocolate in a small bowl. Drizzle over 15-20 mini pretzels. Top with holiday sprinkles and set for about 30 minutes. 
5. Add the mix-ins to the christmas muddy buddy mix. Mix the M&M’s, salted caramel chips and chocolate covered pretzels.

Store leftover christmas puppy chow in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week. 

Freeze leftover muddy buddies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Thaw the christmas puppy chow in the fridge overnight.