Christmas Puppy Chow Recipe
This Christmas Puppy Chow mix or Muddy Buddies is a wonderfully quick and easy to make holiday treat made from Chex Rice Cereal, chocolate chips, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Make this holiday puppy chow even more festive with your favorite mix-ins such as red and green M&M’s and chocolate covered pretzels.
Equipment
- 1 small or medium sauce pan (or large microwaveable bowl)
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 2 gallon ziplock bags
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 large spoon
Ingredients
Christmas Puppy Chow
- 8 cups (240 g) Chex cereal
- ½ cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (140 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
Holiday Mix-ins
- 1 cup red and green M&M's
- 2 cups chocolate covered pretzels
- 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
- 1 cup salted caramel or butterscotch chips
Instructions
- 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.
- 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 mixture. Mix well until all the cereal pieces are well coated.
- Pour the chocolate peanut butter coated cereal into a gallon sized ziplock bag filled with powdered sugar. Shake well until all the cereal pieces are coated in the powdered sugar.If you would like to coat the muddy buddies in powdered sugar twice, reserve ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar in another ziplock bag.
- Pour the muddy buddy mix onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow the coated cereal pieces to set for about 30 minutes.
- 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.
- Add the mix-ins to the christmas muddy buddy mix. Stir until all the M&M’s, salted caramel chips and chocolate covered pretzels are mixed in.
Notes
Store leftover christmas puppy chow: In an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week.
Variations:
Red and green muddy buddies: Replace the semi sweet chocolate with an equal amount of red and green candy melts.
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.
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.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram