Looking for a fun and easy snack to make for your next party? Look no further than classic Chex Muddy Buddies recipe! This tasty treat is perfect for any occasion, is easy to serve, only requires a few simple ingredients, and can be easily customized for different holidays, including Christmas Muddy Buddies. This delicious treat is also a crowd favorite on game nights or movie nights. So grab your ingredients and made up a batch of this Muddy Buddy recipe!
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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make
- Requires minimal ingredients
- Great for parties and gatherings
- Fun treat to customize for different holidays or events
- Kid-friendly snack that they can help make too!
Chex Muddy Buddies Recipe
It’s hard to find good recipes that are festive and easy to make, especially during the holiday season. Between all of the parties, family gatherings, and work events, it can be tough to find time to cook a big meal. And even if you do have time, sometimes you just don’t want to deal with the hassle.
This original recipe for Muddy Buddies is perfect for those moments when you need a quick and easy dessert that still feels special. These chocolate-covered Chex cereal treats can easily be customized for any holiday, so they’re perfect for Christmas or any other winter celebration.
What are Muddy Buddies?
Muddy Buddies are a snack mix made of Chex cereal, covered in melted chocolate and peanut butter, and coated in powdered sugar. They are also often referred to with the crazy name, Puppy Chow because they resemble puppy food or dog food (but trust me, they taste much better!)
Muddy Buddy Ingredients
*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Chex Cereal: You can use any variety of Chex Cereal from General Mills that you want. I like to use a combination of Chocolate Chex, Corn Chex, and Rice Chex cereal.
Chocolate Chips: Use milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate chips for this recipe.
Peanut Butter: For this recipe you will want to use your favorite brand of creamy peanut butter. I like to use Honey Roasted peanut butter because it is delicious!
Butter: Either salted butter or unsalted butter will work for Muddy Buddies.
Vanilla Extract: Using vanilla extract will help to enhance the flavor of this sweet treat. I prefer real pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla, but either will do.
Powdered Sugar- This is used to create the sweet coating on the Muddy Buddies.
Holiday (or regular) M&M’s, optional: Using M&Ms is a great way to add some flavor and color to your Muddy Buddies.
How to Make Chex Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow Recipe)
[Step 1] Add the Chex cereal to a large mixing bowl.
[Step 2] In a separate, smaller microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 minute and stir. Continue to cook in 30 second increments until the mixture is completely melted. Stir in the vanilla.
[Step 3] Pour mixture over the cereal and use a spatula to gently stir until all of the Chex is coated.
[Step 4] Add the powdered sugar to a 2 gallon size ziplock bag. Scoop in the chocolate cereal mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat.
[Step 5] Pour the Muddy Buddies out onto wax paper to cool. Once cool, place the Muddy Buddies in and airtight container or serving bowl.
[Step 6] If desired, carefully stir the colorful M&M’s or other holiday candy into the mix.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Store Muddy Buddies
Store leftover Muddy Buddies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the weather is particularly hot and humid, it is best to store them in the refrigerator to prevent melting.
Recipe Variations
If you want to change up this great recipe, you can try using different kinds of chocolate chips or peanut butter. You could also add in other holiday-themed ingredients like candy canes or sprinkles. Just be creative and have fun with it!
Holiday Muddy Buddy Ideas
The great thing about making Muddy Buddies is how versatile they are. You can customize this recipe for almost any holiday. One way to do this is to add holiday-appropriate colored M&Ms.
4th of July
In this Patriotic Muddy Buddies recipe I used special Red, White, & Blue M&M’s that are sold around the 4th of July. I found these at both Target and Walmart as well as smaller grocery story chains. You can also find them here on Amazon.
Christmas
M&M’s does release Christmas colored candy but I’ve also seen white chocolate and peppermint versions as well. Both of those flavors would be really good in a Muddy Buddies recipe. I also have a delicious Christmas Crack Chex Mix recipe that I promise you will love and will make every year!
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day would be a fun holiday to make Muddy Buddies! Not only could you do pink, red, and white M&M’s, but you could add conversation hearts or red hot candies!
Halloween
There are so many possibilities for Halloween Muddy Buddies! You could add Halloween M&M’s, but it would also be fun to add candy corn! Looking for more Halloween recipes? Check out my Mickey Halloween Cupcakes, Mickey Mummy Macarons, and Disneyland’s Graveyard Cupcakes!
Easter Muddy Buddies
Easter has a lot of fun candy choices to spruce up Muddy Buddies. You can your M&Ms Eggs or my favorite Cadbury Mini Eggs!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) got its name because it looks like something that a puppy would eat. The combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar in a large bowl during the holiday season is so delicious that even humans can’t resist it!
Muddy Buddies are also commonly known as Puppy Chow, Snack Mix, Reindeer Food, Reindeer Chow Muddy Buddies or Bait. No matter what you call them, they’re sure to be a hit at your next holiday party!
This easy recipe is already pretty festive, but if you want to make it even more holiday-specific, you can try using different kinds of chocolate chips or peanut butter to create different flavors. You could also add in other holiday-themed ingredients like candy canes or sprinkles. Just be creative and have fun with it!
There is no one definitive answer to this question, but Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) has been around for many years. It’s a popular snack food that can be enjoyed by people of all ages!
Yes, you can freeze Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies). Just store them in an airtight container and they should last for up to 3 months. This sweet snack can be made early, put in the freezer, and then given out at your next Christmas party!
There are many different types of cereal that you can use for this recipe that you can use to create a perfect holiday treat. Some of our favorites include Rice Krispies, Corn Pops, and Chex Mix cereal. Just be sure to use a cereal that has a nice crunch to it so the Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) don’t get too soggy.
There are many different types of chocolate that you can use for this recipe. Some of our favorites include milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate. You could even use a combination of all three to create a tasty chocolate mixture!
There are many different types of peanut butter goodness that you can use for this recipe. Some of our favorites include creamy, chunky, and natural peanut butter. Just be sure to use a peanut butter mixture that you like the taste of since it is such a key ingredient in this recipe!
Yes! There are many different mix-ins that you can use for this recipe. Some of our favorites include candy canes, sprinkles, and chocolate chips. You can also add green candy melts or red candy melts to this festive holiday treat. Just be creative and have fun with it!
Add Some Extra Flavor: If you want to add some extra flavor to your Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies), you can try adding in a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract. This will give the snack mix a nice, subtle flavor that everyone is sure to love at any time of year.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have all of the information you need to make the perfect batch of Muddy Buddies, it’s time to get started! Don’t forget to experiment with different mix-ins and flavors to find your own unique twist on this classic holiday treat. Happy snacking!
More Recipes to Try:
- Churro Cereal Treats
- Christmas Crack Chex Mix
- Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best Rice Krispie Treats
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Bars
Watch the video here:
Holiday Muddy Buddies
Looking for a fun and easy snack to make for your next party? Look no further than classic Chex Muddy Buddies recipe! This tasty treat is perfect for any occasion, is easy to serve, only requires a few simple ingredients, and can be easily customized for different holidays, including Christmas Muddy Buddies. This delicious treat is also a crowd favorite on game nights or movie nights. So grab your ingredients and made up a batch of this Muddy Buddy recipe!
Ingredients
- 9 Cups Chex Cereal (your choice)
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Cup Holiday (or regular) M&M’s
Instructions
- Add the Chex cereal to a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate, smaller microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 minute and stir. Continue to cook in 30 second increments until the mixture is completely melted. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour mixture over the cereal and use a spatula to gently stir until all of the Chex is coated.
- Add the powdered sugar to a 2 gallon size ziplock bag. Scoop in the chocolate cereal mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat.
- Pour the Muddy Buddies out onto wax paper to cool. Once cool, place the Muddy Buddies in and airtight container or serving bowl.
- If desired, carefully stir the colorful M&M’s or other holiday candy into the mix.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 4g
Molly
Wednesday 27th of November 2019
In the ingredients it said we needed vanilla but when I was making the recipe I realized that I didn’t use the vanilla. So I am a little confused 😐 but overall a pretty good recipe
Mindy
Saturday 30th of November 2019
Thanks for letting me know! Just got it fixed :)