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Christmas Puppy Chow is a downright addictive and festive treat, with Chex cereal coated in peanut butter, candy melts, and powdered sugar. It makes a great lunch box snack and is perfect for serving at Christmas parties.
Puppy chow, or muddy buddies, is something I love to make and customize for every holiday. I make Halloween puppy chow, Easter puppy chow, Valentine’s Day puppy chow, and this Christmas puppy chow every year. It’s so much fun to switch it up for the season, though the base of vanilla coated Chex cereal always stays the same.
Why I Always Make This Christmas Puppy Chow Recipe
- Kid-approved. Kids LOVE puppy chow, from little kids to teens. It’s also a great recipe for the kids to help make, since there’s no baking or hot pans.
- Shareable. Each recipe of Christmas puppy chow makes approximately twelve cups. That’s enough to serve at least 12 people, though at parties it’s often more since people just grab a handful.
- Easy to customize. There are lots of variations on this recipe as far as the ingredients go. I kept it pretty simple but the mix-in ideas are endless. M&Ms and pretzels always make a great addition! Check out our other fun versions including reindeer chow and our Christmas snack mix!
Recipe Ingredients
This fun Christmas treat is made with just 5 ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Rice Chex cereal – Or any store brand cereal that’s similar.
- Melting wafers – I found the melting wafers at a local craft store in various colors. I used red and green for this Christmas theme.
- Peanut butter – Processed creamy peanut butter works best for the smoothest coating of the cereal.
- Salted butter – If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt for the added flavor.
- Powdered sugar – The coating for the puppy chow.
Mix-In Ideas
I kept this recipe simple but feel free to switch it up with an add-in or two. Here are some ideas:
- Red & green Holiday M&M’s
- Mini pretzels or chocolate covered pretzels
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
- Peppermints
- Sprinkles
- Other holiday-themed candy
- Teddy Grahams
How To Make Christmas Puppy Chow
One of the best things about this recipe is that there’s no baking required. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Add a cup of powdered sugar to a gallon bag. Add 6 cups of Chex cereal to a large bowl.
- Melt the chocolate. Add the green melting wafers, 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons of butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and continue microwaving in 15-second increments until fully melted and smooth.
- Coat the cereal. Spoon the chocolate over the cereal and gently mix. Pour half of it into the powdered sugar, seal, and gently shake to coat. Add the remaining cereal and repeat. Spread it evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Repeat with red. Repeat the process with the red melting wafers and the remaining ingredients.
- Set & combine. Allow both sheets of red and green puppy chow to set for an hour. Then combine into a single bowl if desired to serve and enjoy.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making Christmas puppy chow.
- Melting wafer alternatives. Melting wafers are the easiest thing to use in this recipe since they can be found in many colors. However, you could use white Almond Bark or white chocolate chips along with red and green oil-based food coloring. You won’t be able to use water-based food coloring as it will cause the Almond Bark and white chocolate to seize and it will be unusable.
- Avoid overheating the candy melts. When melting, be sure to do so in short increments and stir between each one. Do NOT overheat it or the melting wafers will seize up. Liquids, even water-based food coloring, will also cause it to seize.
- Get the brightest colors. Adding half of the colored Chex Mix to the powdered sugar and mixing before adding the rest, helped to make the colors stand out more. When adding the whole amount at once, it made the colors paler and more washed out.
- Set before serving. Allowing the mix to set before serving will help keep the green and red coloring transfer to your fingers.
Proper Storage
Store Christmas puppy chow in an airtight container. At room temperature, it will stay good for a week or so. Just keep it away from heat to prevent from melting.
Christmas Puppy Chow
Christmas Puppy Chow is a downright addictive and festive treat, with Chex cereal coated in peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar. It makes a great lunch box snack and is perfect for serving at parties.
Servings: 12 cups
Ingredients
- 12 cups Rice Chex cereal 1 ½-15-ounce boxes of Chex cereal
- 7 ounces green vanilla flavored melting wafers
- 7 ounces red vanilla flavored melting wafers
- 6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter divided
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter divided
- 2 cups powdered sugar divided
Instructions
- Add one cup of powdered sugar to a gallon-size Ziplock bag. Set aside.
- Add 6 cups of Chex mix to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Add 7 ounces of green melting wafers, 3 Tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 Tablespoons of butter to a small, microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, then stir.
- Continue to microwave in 15 second increments, while stirring in between, until the mixture is fully melted and smooth. Make sure to NOT overheat as it will seize up, and don’t add any liquids to the mixture as well. It will not be super runny, which is normal.
- Pour/spoon the green melts over the Chex cereal and use a large spoon to gently combine. I find it’s best to use your hands to assist with this process.
- If you find you can’t fully mix and cover the cereal with the green melts, pop the bowl back into the microwave for an additional 15 seconds at the same power as before. Then gently stir again to finish coating the cereal.
- Pour HALF of the Chex mix into the bag with powdered sugar. Seal and gently toss to coat the cereal with powdered sugar. Open the Ziplock bag and pour the remaining cereal in. Seal and toss to coat the rest.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper then pour the green puppy chow onto it, spreading it out evenly.
- Repeat the exact process with the red melting wafers, using a second Ziplock baggie and a clean bowl to work with.
- Allow both sheets of Puppy Chow set for an hour or so before handling and serving.
Last Step:
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Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 9mg
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