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5 from 19 votes

Puppy Chow (Christmas Muddy Buddies)

ByDana DeVolkUpdated: March 9, 2026
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Puppy Chow is an easy, fun, and favorite holiday treat! With minimal ingredients and prep, you will be snacking on this in no time.

Reindeer Chow overhead in white bowlPin

This is one of those holiday treats my family always made and is also commonly known as Muddy Buddies.

HERE IS WHAT OUR READERS ARE SAYING:

“This is always a huge hit in my house and geez I almost always forget to make it, thanks for the delicious reminder! 🙂 ” – Michelle

I doctored them up a little for more of a festive flair by adding holiday m&ms! I KNOW you’re going to love this Puppy Chow – you need to try this ASAP!

This is loaded down with goodness and is completely irresistible, our family cannot stop eating this, once it’s on the table, it’s gone in no time.

Bring on the Puppy Chow! You won’t regret it.

Some of my other favorite holiday recipes we have on our site include Muddy Buddy Cookies, Christmas Trail Mix and Mint Fudge.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

  1. With minimal ingredients and time, this recipe is perfect for a quick and easy snack.
  2. This is a perfect holiday gift giving recipe, just package up in baggies and give away!
  3. This can be doubled or tripled depending on how many people you plan on serving.

Star snapped bowl filled with Reindeer ChowPin
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INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

  • Chex cereal
  • Holiday m&ms
  • Semi-sweet chocolate bar or chips
  • Unsalted butter
  • Peanut butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar

HOW TO MAKE PUPPY CHOW:

  1. Melt the peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave in 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Add the chocolate a little at a time until all is melted into the mix. You might need to microwave one last time to make sure everything is melted and add the vanilla. Stir together.
  2. In a large bowl add half of the cereal. Drizzle half of the chocolate peanut butter mixture into the cereal in the bowl. Mix with a spoon.
  3. Place one large paper bag into another one. Add 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and half of the mixed cereal into the bag. Close this tightly and shake vigorously. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time if needed until all the cereal is coated. Add 1/4 of the m&ms into the bag and toss. Place in an air tight container.
  4. Continue these step with the remaining ingredients. Keep stored in an airtight container. I personally love to keep it in the freezer, YUM!

Puppy Chow Chex Mix Recipe, Muddy Buddy Chex Mix, Christmas Reindeer Chow – call it what you want, but I call it delicious!

FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

WHAT IS PUPPY CHOW MUDDY BUDDIES?

This festive Puppy Chow recipe is a mixture of peanut butter, chocolate, chex cereal, candy, and powdered sugar.

Depending on the type of candy you use you can make this for any holiday!

I used red and green for a Christmas themed recipe, but you can easily use pink candy for Valentine’s Day, pastel-colored candy for Easter and so on!

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ANY ADDITIONS?

Yeppers! I’ve got quite a few ideas for ya.

  • Toss in pretzel sticks for a salty crunch in this Christmas puppy chow.
  • Sprinkle white chocolate chips for extra sweetness in the cereal mixture.
  • Add mini marshmallows for a fluffy twist to this sweet snack mix.
  • Mix peanut butter cups for a nutty burst in your reindeer mix.
  • Include holiday M&M’s in green and red for a festive Christmas snack mix vibe.
  • Stir in pretzel twists for a salty combo that’s perfect for holiday parties.
  • Add mini pretzels for more crunch in this Christmas chex mix.
  • Drizzle melted chocolate over the reindeer food for a festive treat shine.
  • Sprinkle chopped nuts for a nutty flavor in this delicious holiday snack.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Nothing says you have to stick with the original!

  • Use corn Chex instead of rice Chex for a different crunch in the chex cereal mix.
  • Swap creamy peanut butter with natural peanut butter for a smoother chocolate peanut butter mixture.
  • Replace semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate for a sweeter chocolate mixture.
  • Use sunflower butter instead of peanut butter for a nut-free easy reindeer chow option.
  • Substitute vanilla extract with almond extract for a unique festive recipe flavor.

HOW TO STORE:

ROOM TEMPERATURE: Store in an airtight container and it can remain at room temperature and it will keep for up to 1 week.

FREEZER: This can also be frozen.

I like to then place it in the freezer and eat it slightly frozen- yum!

Yes! I love sticking this in the freezer and eating it that way! 

It will keep for at least a month in the freezer, but honestly, it never lasts that long in my house, because we eat it up so fast!

REFRIGERATOR: There is really no reason to refrigerate this stuff unless you just like it a little chilled.

Overhead of star bowl with Reindeer ChowPin

Tools used to make easy Puppy Chow:

DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:

  • You can use any Chex cereal that you like, but we like too use the rice version.
  • You can switch up the colors of candy for the holidays that you are serving this for.
  • This recipe can be frozen, and tastes amazing frozen.
  • If you want a little crunch you can use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
  • You can use chocolate chips or chocolate bar for this recipe, whatever you have on hand works!

Close up of white bowl filled with Reindeer Chow Pinterest imagePin

Looking for a fun and easy Christmas treat?

Then you need to make a batch of this Puppy Chow as soon as possible, it will disappear in minutes.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

If you’ve tried this PUPPY CHOW let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Learn more about the author, Dana DeVolk, on our ABOUT ME page!

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5 from 19 votes

Puppy Chow (Christmas Muddy Buddies)

Author Dana DeVolk
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Reindeer Chow is an easy, fun, and favorite holiday treat! With minimal ingredients and prep, you will be snacking on this in no time.
Servings 20 servings

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Melt the peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave in 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Add the chocolate a little at a time until all is melted into the mix. You might need to microwave one last time to make sure everything is melted and add the vanilla. Stir together.
    12 oz semi sweet chocolate, 1/2 Cup unsalted butter, 1 Cup peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • In a large bowl add half of the cereal. Drizzle half of the chocolate peanut butter mixture into the cereal in the bowl. Mix with a spoon.
    14 Cups Chex cereal
  • Place one large paper bag into another one. Add 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and half of the mixed cereal into the bag. Close this tightly and shake vigorously. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time if needed until all the cereal is coated. Add 1/4 of the m&ms into the bag and toss. Place in an air tight container.
    4-5 Cups powdered sugar, 18 oz holiday m&ms
  • Continue these step with the remaining ingredients. Keep stored in an airtight container. I personally love to keep it in the freezer, YUM!

Video

Notes

  1. You can use any Chex cereal that you like, but we like too use the rice version.
  2. You can switch up the colors of candy for the holidays that you are serving this for.
  3. This recipe can be frozen, and tastes amazing frozen.
  4. If you want a little crunch you can use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
  5. You can use chocolate chips or chocolate bar for this recipe, whatever you have on hand works!

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 669IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 15mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

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Dana is a professional Chef turned blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, cookbook author, brand ambassador, local tv personality, and more! Her passion is writing about food and posting recipes while offering tips and tricks of the trade. She lives in Florida with her Hubby and fur babies. Interested in working with Dana? Email her at dana@thissillygirlskitchen.com

5 from 19 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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57 Comments

  3. I love to eat “puppy chow.” Now..cute name and extra yummies for the Christmas season 🙂

  4. I think I just died and ended up in reindeer heaven!

    Love it and pinned it!

    Thanks so much for linking up at the Super Saturday Link Party!

    🙂 Linda

  5. This looks delicious, Dana! Pinned.

  7. Ohhh this looks so good (and so addicting!) What a great Christmas treat!!!

  9. This looks yummy. I think this will be a project for me and my 7 year old while her brother goes to scouts and her sister goes to activity days. She always feels left out because she doesn’t get to go until she is 8. We have mommy/daughter time during that time of week and I’m always looking for a fun easy project we can do together. This looks just right, fun, easy adn yummy! Thanks for sharing on Tasty Tuesdays! HUGS!

  11. Any idea what could be substituted for the peanut butter for those with nut allergies? I have to avoid all nuts so almond butter is out, too. 🙂 Thanks!

  12. I’d say just substitute more chocolate for the peanut butter, YUM!

  14. This is such a cute recipe idea for the holidays… and easy too! 🙂
    Thank you for sharing at Marvelous Mondays this week- Pinned!

  15. YUM! I remember making something similar to this when I was younger. Thanks so much for linking up to the par-tay — pinning and tweeting! xo

  17. We recently bought some Muddy Buddy Snickerdoodle Chex Mix at the store because my husband was saying how delicious they were, but they were okay. I did love the velvety goodness that the powdered sugar adds. Your Reindeer Chow Muddy Buddies are just so delicious looking. I have been wanting to make some of my own, thanks for sharing the how to’s so I can get some made. Thanks as always for linking up with us at Inspiration in Progress, I always enjoy your posts.

  18. I’ve bought those packs when traveling and they aren’t half as good as the homemade stuff! You will fall in love with these babies, I promise!

  20. This is always a huge hit in my house and geez I almost always forget to make it, thanks for the delicious reminder! 🙂 Michelle

  21. Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says:

    I love the fun holiday spin on muddy buddies 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up to Freedom Fridays, Dana!

  24. I was looking for this recipe…I saw it on Thifty Thursday! Thanks, I pinned it to make for Christmas treats.

  25. Wonderful for munching on while you watch a sweet Hallmark Christmas movie too 🙂
    Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. I featured you on facebook!♥

  26. Thank you so much for sharing your Muddy Buddy recipe at last weeks Saturday Spotlight on Angels Homestead!

    Hope to see you again soon!

    April

  27. Thank you for linking up at Craft, Create and Inspire last weekend 🙂 your awesome project is featured this week !!

    Come grab an “I’ve been featured button” hope you will join us again this weekend

    http://livel0vecreate.blogspot.co.uk/ (new url)

    claire x

  28. love this and the photos are amazing! This is a Tasty Tuesday at I’m Not a Trophy Wife on Tuesday! Please head over and grab a button on Tuesday!!! laura@imnotatrophywife.com
    ps something tells me you will be featured several times!!! laura

  30. Kelley Sparacino says:

    I love puppy chow now reindeer chow 🙂 I’m going to make some small baggies of it for my son’s class party this week & I absolutely LOVE your graphic/logo. Is it possible to get just the graphic “Reindeer Chow” without the photo of the mix in the background? I would love to use it for a printable tag & of course would be happy to pay you for your time!
    Thanks & Merry Christmas, Kelley

  31. Thanks so much, this sounds like a great idea! I will be contacting you shortly!

  33. Can this be made without the peanut butter?

  34. I’ve never tried but I don’t see why not. Just double up on the chocolate, yum! Let me know how it comes out, thanks!

  35. Judie Dutton says:

    5 stars
    These look yummy, and I definitely want to make them. Does it matter what kind of chex cereal you use?

  36. I recommend the rice chex, they are light and crispy and I think the flavor work with it the best. Thanks!

  37. Judie Dutton says:

    5 stars
    Thanks!

  38. 5 stars
    great recipe and thanks
    Can anyone suggest a substitute for PB for those of us with nut allergies??

  39. Approx. how many servings does this make? I love the idea as giving this as a gift to my coworkers, and I’ve already purchased cute bags. But I’m not sure if I need to do a double batch or not.

  40. Easily 20 servings! Thanks for stopping by, I hope they like it!

  41. 5 stars
    I make this without peanut butter. I use one bag of chips and one stick of butter. Melt, toss with cereal and then the powdered sugar. Tastes great with mint M&Ms!

  42. 5 stars
    I’m also planning to make a batch or two for my coworkers. (Using your mason jar idea gift jar idea, too!!) How many oz are you estimating per “serving”? Or how many 32oz mason jars would a batch fill? I’m guessing 3 – 4 jars?

  43. I hate to say that I’m not entirely sure. It really makes a LOT. Depending on the size of the mason jars you use too. If you are using the smaller mason jars, I’d say you would get at least 12 portions if not more.

  44. C J MvEwen says:

    Sun butter makes a peanut free butter from sunflower seeds

  45. Brenda Neudorf says:

    So you just omit the peanut butter??
    My grand daughter is allergic to PB so would like to make this PB free

  46. Yes, you can, but I would replace it with more chocolate in the same amount of peanut butter. If she can eat other nut butters, that would be a great replacement as well.

  47. What a great idea to add the holiday M&Ms! I love it! I want to make this for gifts and Christmas day, but need to make some early. How do you recommend storing it, and how long do you think it will be good? Thanks so much! ::)

  48. When I make muddy buddies I always store it in an air-tight container in the freezer. That is just a personal preference but it will keep for weeks like that. So, if you want to make it ahead of time, I suggest making this without the m&m’s, freeze it and then right before handing them out as gifts, mix in the m&m’s and package it up. I hope that helps!

  49. Thanks so much for your help! That sounds perfect. 🙂

  50. How much butter?

  52. It looks so good to eat. I like yummy treats.

  53. Linsey F. says:

    How much you think the serving size is?

  54. According to similar pre-packaged products like this a serving size is 1/3 Cup. However, if you are giving it as gifts or separating it into portions I would serve it in 1 Cup portions.

  55. How many boxes of cereal should I buy for this??

  57. gloria tarasoff says:

    VERY VERY GOOD

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