This reindeer chow recipe makes the perfect sweet and salty treat that's the ideal snack for holiday get-togethers, Christmas movie night, or decorating the tree. A winning combination of muddy buddy mix, salty pretzels, mini peanut butter cups, and mini M&Ms will make this Christmas puppy chow recipe everyone's favorite snack this holiday season.
When the holidays roll around, I make my fair share of cakes, cookies, and special savory dishes. After all, there are so many get-togethers, and darn it, I just love to make tasty things. One of my favorite things to make it this reindeer chow recipe.
It's so delicious, and it's the perfect accompaniment to the holidays.
What I love about it is that I can use it for so many different parts of the holidays. I'll bring out a big bowl of it when we watch Christmas movies or decorate the tree. I love to stuff the biggest Christmas tin I can find with it and bring it to holiday parties or use smaller tins to give out as gifts.
This Christmas puppy chow recipe is one of the best things you can make during the holiday season, and I'm so happy to share it with all of you today.
What is Reindeer Chow?
It is the classic muddy buddy recipe or puppy chow snack mix all Christmas'd up for the holiday season. A delicious coating of chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar is wrapped around Chex cereal then mixed with salty pretzels, mini M&Ms, and mini peanut butter cups.
It's a sweet and salty combo that's perfect for every part of the holiday season!
Looking for more Christmas-themed desserts and snacks? You're going to love this sugar cone Christmas trees recipe, my collection of easy Christmas cookie recipes, and this Christmas hot chocolate.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Customizable. Feel free to experiment with other cereals, candies, and snacks to use up ingredients you love!
- Easy to Make. The recipe uses minimal ingredients in a few easy steps so you'll have a delicious, kid-friendly snack ready in no time.
- Perfect for Gifts. Reindeer chow makes a festive and thoughtful sweet and salty gift for friends, family, and coworkers during the holiday season.
- Crowd-pleaser. Serve this no-bake snack at your next holiday gathering and watch it disappear in a flash.
Ingredients
It only takes a few ingredients to make this delicious snack recipe. Here's a look at the simple baking staples, cereal, and other ingredients to make the recipe. Here's what you'll need.
- Corn Chex Mix, Rice Chex Mix, and Honey Nut Cheerios. This combination of cereals makes the base of this recipe. You can easily use Chocolate Chex or you can use a similar-shaped cereal like Crispix or even Cornflakes as a substitute.
- Butter, Chocolate Chips, and Peanut Butter. These combine to make the delicious coating on the cereal pieces. Substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips with white chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips for a different flavor profile.
- Confectioners or Powdered Sugar and Cocoa Powder. The cereal is tossed in this mixture to coat it thus reducing the stickiness and adding sweetness.
- Christmas M&M’s, Mini Peanut Butter Cups and Pretzels. Added treats for flavor and crunch.
Substitutions and Variations
Outside of the delicious flavor of this mix, perhaps the best thing about it is how versatile it is. By adding in holiday M&Ms, puppy chow becomes reindeer chow, but there's so much more that can be done with it.
Just make the base mix, and then get creative! You can add in whatever you like, it's all delicious. You can even use different cereals if you want. Some great additions to this or any puppy chow mix include:
- Different Candies: Use Reeses Pieces, various types of M&Ms such as milk chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, or other seasonal varieties, Chocolate Kisses, Chocolate Covered Caramel like Rolo's, Whoppers, and more.
- Add Nuts: Salted peanuts, mixed nuts, almonds, cashews, or any other mixture of nuts works great.
- Change Up the Salty. Use Goldfish, popcorn, or plain Bugles.
- Fun and Tasty Additions. Mini marshmallows, sprinkles, sparkles, or gummy bears or worms.
How to Make Christmas Puppy Chow
If you think the ingredient list for this Christmas puppy chow is easy, just wait until you make it. It's the easiest thing you'll make all holiday season, honestly. You don't even have to use the stovetop to melt the chocolate. Just use the microwave! Here's all you need to do.
- Place the Chex cereal and cheerios in a large bowl.
- Melt the butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir until there are no lumps. Repeat if needed until it's completely melted. Pour the chocolate over the cereal mix.
- Stir to fully coat the cereal with the chocolate mixture.
- Combine the confectioner's sugar and cocoa in a gallon bag. Add the cereal mixture to the bag and seal it. Shake and turn it over and over to coat all the cereal.
- Pour the coated cereal onto a cookie sheet. Allow it to cool completely and set up.
- Add the M&M’s, peanut butter cups, and pretzels and mix together with the cereal mix.
⭐️ Hint: Take your time and carefully mix ingredients to avoid crushing the delicate Chex pieces. Using a large mixing bowl will give you enough space to toss the ingredients together and make sure all of the pieces are evenly coated.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our muddy buddy cookies.
How to Store
This delicious holiday snack is best served fresh however, it will keep well in a resealable container or bag at room temperature for about seven days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Make sure the mixture has cooled to room temperature before storing.
For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to three months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Thaw it out on the counter until you notice it has softened slightly. Usually, about 20 minutes is all that's needed.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas puppy chow is the perfect recipe to make during the holiday season. Bring it to any holiday get-together and simply place a big bowl of it out for everyone to take as much as they want.
It's perfect for holiday movie nights, decorating the tree, and at any special holiday event you can think of. Everyone always loves it, and you'll love it because it comes together so quickly.
If preparing a dessert table or want to provide other options, we have you covered. Check out our incredible list of Christmas cookie recipes, easy coffee cake recipes, Christmas muffins, and easy Christmas Dessert recipes.
Tips
To create the perfect sweet and salty Reindeer Chow, we've compiled a few tips to help you master this irresistible holiday recipe.
- Use any combination of cereal. Just make sure the total amount of cereal is the same as required in recipe.
- Check for peanut allergies. This recipe uses peanut butter but you can also use sunflower butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, or almond butter.
- Be gentle and patient when mixing ingredients to avoid crushing the delicate Chex pieces. I find using a large mixing bowl gives you enough space to toss the ingredients together and make sure all pieces are evenly coated.
- Give the chocolate coated cereal time to set. You can also place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to speed it up.
- Give as gifts. Reindeer Chow can make a wonderful homemade gift for the holidays packaged in decorative cellophane bags or festive tins to share with friends and family.
FAQ
Sure thing! Just swap the semi-sweet chocolate for white chocolate to make white chocolate reindeer chow. Melt the white chocolate chips along with the butter and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Reindeer chow and puppy chow are similar in that they both use Chex cereal as a base. The main difference lies in the mix-ins. Reindeer chow typically includes holiday-themed ingredients like festive colored M&M's, pretzels, and peanuts, while puppy chow (also known as Muddy Buddies) mainly consists of Chex cereal coated with chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
Yes, it's easy. Replace the traditional M&M's with a vegan chocolate candy alternative, vegan chocolate chips, and use a plant-based butter as well. Also be sure to check the other ingredients like pretzels and cereal are also free of any animal-derived ingredients.
Yes, simply omit peanuts and use a peanut-free alternative like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond or your favorite nuts instead. Be sure to check the ingredients of your chocolate candies and anything else included for trace amounts of peanuts to make sure you're serving a completely peanut-free treat.
Whether you're making up a batch of this delicious Christmas puppy chow for a Christmas movie night, as a snack for decorating the tree, or bringing it to a holiday gathering, this reindeer chow recipe is always a winner.
It's so delicious and easy to make, there's never a bad time to whip up a batch! Make a big batch for yourself this holiday season, and I know you'll love it. So will your family and friends. It makes the perfect holiday gift!
Video
More Christmas Snack Recipes
Do you like snacks? I mean who doesn't. Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Reindeer Chow
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn chex mix
- 3 cups rice chex mix
- 2 cups honey nut cheerios
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 bag Christmas M&M’s
- 2 cups mini peanut butter cups
- 2 cups mini pretzels
Instructions
- Place chex cereal and cheerios in a large bowl.
- In a separate microwave safe bowl combine butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter and microwave for 30 seconds then stir till there are no lumps. If needed, microwave for an additional 30 seconds and stir till smooth.
- Pour the chocolate over the cereal mix. Gently stir to combine.
- In a large gallon resealable bag combine the confectioner sugar and cocoa.
- Pour the cereal mixture into the bag close or zip to seal, then shake and turn over and over to coat all the cereal.
- Pour coated cereal into a parchment covered cookie sheet and allow to cool completely and set up.
- To a large decorative Christmas bowl add the M&M’s, peanut butter cups and pretzels. Then add the cereal mix from the cookie sheet into the bowl and gently combine.
- Then it’s ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Use any combination of cereal. Just make sure the total amount of cereal is the same as required in recipe.
- Check for peanut allergies. This recipe uses peanut butter but you can also use sunflower butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, or almond butter.
- Be gentle and patient when mixing ingredients to avoid crushing the delicate Chex pieces. I find using a large mixing bowl gives you enough space to toss the ingredients together and make sure all pieces are evenly coated.
- Give the chocolate coated cereal time to set. You can also place it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to speed it up.
- Give as gifts. Reindeer Chow can make a wonderful homemade gift for the holidays packaged in decorative cellophane bags or festive tins to share with friends and family.
Nutrition
This post was originally published September 2021. It has been updated with new images and content.
Lisa says
Such a delicious addictive snack as we ate it all last night. I’m making more today to share with the company that we’re supposed to enjoy it with us lol I am hoping we will get sick of this snack but I doubt it! I think that’ll be impossible lol Thanks for sharing Karin. We appreciate it.
Karin and Ken says
Unfortunately I don’t think it’s possible to get sick of this snack! Lol I am glad to hear you’re enjoying it. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. All the best. Karin
Darla says
We love this snack and I hate to admit it but my husband and I eat it all year round. We love this stuff. It’s so good. The grandchildren also love it. Thanks for sharing your recipes were having a great time eating them. ❤️
Karin and Ken says
Don’t worry at all. We eat this snack all year long too! Most do! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes and thank you for letting me know you made my day! All the best. Karin