Celebrate the Christmas season with this delicious Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe (aka Puppy Chow or Reindeer Chow)! Ready in just 10 minutes, this no-bake recipe is the perfect sweet snack to bring cheer to any gathering. The combination of melted chocolate and powdered sugar creates a delightful balance of flavor that will have everyone begging for more!
Christmas is the perfect time for special family recipes. And one of my all-time favorite Christmas baking recipes for my family is this Christmas Puppy Chow recipe. This recipe makes a big batch. I've been known to hide it in the freezer to make it last longer. 🙂
Make these Puppy Chow Cookies for the same great flavor but in cookie form!
Want more Christmas baking ideas for your next holiday party? Check out Smoked Chex Mix, Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Air Fryer Sugar Cookies, Christmas Crack, 2 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge, and Easy Christmas Fudge.
Another favorite is these Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry Christmas Trees! For Valentine's Day, I like to make this Valentine's Puppy Chow! And if you want something low-carb after indulging in Christmas treats, try my Easy 3-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Mousse!
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💗 Why you will love this easy recipe
- It requires only simple ingredients which you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- It's super easy to make! Literally, anyone can make this in 10 minutes – no baking or cooking experience necessary! This means that even if you’re short on time, you can still whip up a batch for your family and friends.
- It has an amazing combination of flavors – sweet chocolatey goodness paired with crunchy cereal plus a hint of peanut butter! It is so good!
- With its festive red and green M&Ms, this treat will look great at a Christmas party!
- Feel free to customize the ingredients however you want. Whether you want more chocolate chips or less powdered sugar – it's totally up to you!
- Muddy buddies make great gifts! Add it to a mason jar, wrap it with a bow, and give it away!
- Muddy buddies are the perfect holiday treat to munch on!
📋 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This festive holiday treat is made with simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
- Rice Chex. I used gluten-free Rice Chex, but you could use your favorite Chex cereal.
- Chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, or a combination!
- Peanut butter. I used smooth peanut butter, which gives it a velvety consistency. I haven't tried it with crunchy peanut butter, but I bet it would be delicious!
- Christmas m&ms. I used red and green M&Ms. You could also use mini marshmallows, pretzels, or peanuts!
See the full printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
🥣 How to make puppy chow
Step 1: Pour the entire box of Rice Chex (about 9-10 cups) into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Do this by heating them in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals in the microwave and stirring until smooth; or melt them in the air fryer on the reheat setting, also in 30-second intervals; or melt them in a medium saucepan on the stove over low-medium heat, constantly stirring until smooth and velvety.
Step 3: Add vanilla extract and stir until combined.
Step 4: Pour the peanut butter mixture over the Chex. Working quickly, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, being careful not to break up the cereal.
Step 5: Add ¾ cup of powdered sugar to a large Ziploc bag. Add half of the chocolate-coated cereal to the bag, along with half of the M&Ms. Seal the bag. Shake until the cereal is coated. You can also use a large bowl instead of a large plastic bag.
Step 6: Transfer the cereal to a large cookie sheet covered in wax paper or parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining Chex mixture, powdered sugar, and M&M's.
Step 7: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I actually like to store it in a Ziplock bag and keep it in my freezer. Anytime I feel like a sweet treat, I grab a handful and chow down!
Step 8: Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Melt the chocolate slowly and stir it often so it doesn't burn.
- Quickly mix the melted chocolate mixture into the cereal. Use a large spoon or spatula and scoop up from the bottom.
- Store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. This makes it easy to grab a bag whenever you want one! 🙂
🧾 Recipe FAQ's
Yes, muddy buddies can be frozen. To freeze, place the treats in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for one hour. Once frozen, transfer the treats to an airtight container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, eat them cold, or let them thaw at room temperature.
Yes, they can. It is best to store Muddy Buddies at room temperature for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Muddy buddies can be made up to a week ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for up to seven days. If you want to make them further in advance, you can freeze them for up to three months.
Yes, Muddy Buddies and Puppy Chow are the same thing. They are both snacks made with Chex cereal, melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
It's called Puppy Chow because it resembles the chow that puppies eat. The snack was originally created in the 1950s as a way to use up stale cereal and has since become a popular treat for people of all ages.
👩🏻🍳 More Christmas cookies you will love
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Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe (Puppy Chow)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl large
- Wooden spoon
- Baking Sheet
- Ziploc bags
Ingredients
- 9-10 cups Rice Chex cereal 1 box
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup mini Christmas M&Ms red and green
Instructions
- Step 1: Pour the entire box of Rice Chex (about 9 cups) into a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Melt the chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter. Either do this by heating it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments in the microwave and stirring until smooth. You can also melt it in the air fryer on the reheat setting at 360 degrees F for 3 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals. You can also melt it in a medium saucepan on the stove over low-medium heat, constantly stirring until smooth and velvety.
- Step 3: Add vanilla extract and stir until combined.
- Step 4: Pour the chocolate mixture over the Chex. Working quickly, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, being careful not to break up the cereal.
- Step 5: Add ¾ cup of powdered sugar to a large Ziploc bag. Add half of the Chex mixture to the bag, along with half of the M&Ms. Zip up the bag and shake it gently to coat all of the cereal.
- Step 6: Transfer the mixture to a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining Chex mixture, powdered sugar, and M&Ms.
- Step 7: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I actually like to store it in a Ziplock bag and keep it in my freezer. Anytime I feel like a sweet treat, I grab a handful and chow down!
- Step 8: Enjoy!
Notes
- Melt the chocolate slowly and stir it often so it doesn't burn.
- Quickly mix the melted chocolate mixture into the cereal. Use a large spoon or spatula and scoop up from the bottom.
- Store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. This makes it easy to grab a bag whenever you want one! 🙂
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