Christmas Puppy Chow

5 from 26 votes

Make this Christmas puppy chow recipe in just 15 minutes! This festive Chex mix muddy buddies is the perfect holiday snack or edible gift!

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time13

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Christmas snacks, sweet snacks, muddy buddies, puppy chow, christmas muddy buddies

Servings: people

Calories: 240kcal

6 cups crispy corn cereal and/or rice cereal, like Chex, Crispix, or other brand.
1 ½ cups white chocolate chips or other types of chocolates
1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
1 ½ cups powdered sugar divided
red and green food color drops or gel

Pour the cereal into a large mixing bowl.
Add the chocolate chips and shortening (or oil) to a medium-sized microwave safe bowl (we use a 2-cup glass measuring cup). Microwave on high for one minute, then use a spoon or whisk to combine. Continue microwaving in 30 second bursts until mixture is completely melted and smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal and stir quickly with a large silicone or wooden spoon to combine. Divide coated cereal evenly into two, 1 gallon-sized zip top bags.
Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar to each bag. Close and seal the bags; shake both bags to coat the cereal.
Add 5-6 drops of green food coloring to one bag and 5-6 drops red to the other bag). Seal the bags and shake again to coat with color. Add more coloring as needed to reach desired colors.
Combine the colored cereals into one bag or airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week, or in the fridge for 2 weeks.

For the best Christmas puppy chow, use a microwave-safe bowl to melt the chocolate in 15-second intervals, stirring between each to prevent scorching. To keep it from getting soggy, let it cool completely on a cookie sheet before storing. Want extra crunch? Toss in pretzels or nut butters for a fun twist on this reindeer food recipe!

Recipe Variations:

Chocolate lovers’ version: Use a mix of milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips for extra richness.
Holiday cheer: Stir in green M&M and green candy melts for a fun, festive touch.
Crunchy twist: Add pretzels to turn this into a reindeer chow for even more holiday fun.
Extra sweet: Toss in sprinkles or chopped peanut butter cups for added texture and flavor.

Storing Instructions:

There’s no need to refrigerate Christmas muddy buddies. Keep them in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container at room temperature for up to a week!
If you do wish to refrigerate them, they’ll last for even longer — up to 2 weeks.
And this is one recipe that freezes incredibly well! We would recommend freezing in smaller portions rather than in one single freezer bag (unless you plan on serving it all at once), as it can clump together.