Easy Festive Christmas Muddy Buddies

During the Christmas season I love making super festive treats, whether they are no bake or require baking I love adding a little flair or red and green in there and this Christmas Chex mix allows me to do just that. I like to add in the holiday m&m’s because they take this to the next level both visually and taste wise. Of course you can also add some green sprinkles and some red ones as well if you want to add a little extra cheer.

Another great thing is that you can take this recipe and tweak it by using whatever chocolate you prefer. Like using melted white chocolate will allow the puppy chow to stay a lighter color, making the m&m’s pop out even more.

This is the best Christmas muddy buddies recipe ever!

Since this recipe uses pretty simple ingredients it’s very bugged friendly making is an easy Christmas gift as well. I love to scoop about 1-2 cups in a cute holiday baggie and tie it with the cutest ribbons and take it to friends and family as a gift. I promise you they will more than enjoy it!

Why you need to make this recipe!

• It is a super easy and fun Christmas recipe.
• This recipe doesn’t require any baking YAY!
• It is the perfect Christmas gift if you love giving treats as gifts to your loved ones.
• This recipe is so versatile and can be changed up to fit your needs.
• You can start a new family tradition and get your little ones involved in this recipe as well!

Ingredients for this Christmas puppy chow recipe

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this easy recipe. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements. 

• Chex cereal- You can use the Chex mix cereal or the off brand version both work great.
• Pretzels– Use your favorite pretzels for this recipe. Pick your favorite shape as well, I went with the more traditional ones.
• Semi-sweet chocolate- I like using semi sweet chocolate for this but feel free to use dark chocolate or even white chocolate to get different flavors and looks as well.
• Peanut butter- Use smooth peanut butter like Skippy or Jif.
• Vanilla extract– This will add a little extra depth of flavor to our chocolate-coated cereal.
• Christmas m&m’s – You can use any m&m’s or candy you like but I love using the holiday themed ones because they really take this to the next level plus it’s Christmas time spa why not!
• Mini Oreos- You can use Mini Oreos or whatever mini cookies you like for this step. You can even omit it if you’d like but I think it’s a really fun addition.
• Imperial Sugar Powdered Sugar- I love Imperial sugar so I am using my favorite powdered sugar from them to ge the perfect finish on this delicious Christmas treat.

Why Imperial Sugar?

Since this recipe is pretty much coated in powdered sugar I wanted to make sure that I used a high quality sugar for the perfect mouth feel. This is why I went for this super fine Imperial Sugar powdered sugar!

How to make this festive Chex mix recipe / Christmas muddy buddies

This is how you can make reindeer puppy chow. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions! 

1. Melt the chocolate and peanut butter mixture in a large mixing bowl in the microwave or over a double boiler.
2. Stir in the vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture.
3. Add in the pretzels and Chex cereal and gently mix to coat everything.
4. In a large ziplock bag, add about ½ the amount of powdered sugar then the Cereal mixture and top it off with the recipe of the powdered sugar.
5. Seal the bag and shake.
6. Pour the mixture onto a parchment lined baking pan and let it set.
7. Add in the holiday m&m and the Mini Oreos and mix to evenly distribute everything.

Frequently asked questions – FAQ

How to store this festive holiday treat?

You can store these in in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks

Can I make this Christmas muddy buddies recipe gluten free?

Absolutely! Chex cereal is gluten free but make sure you grab gluten free Oreos and chop them up if you want to use those and go for the Gluten free pretzels as well. Check the labels of your peanut butters and chocolate chips just in case but most of the time they will be gluten free.

Is it easier to make this Chex mix in a bag or a bowl?

This will depend on preference. I like to do it in a bag because it will make things less messy and I think it allows us to coat our cereal a bit better. Of course, if you have a bowl large enough you can definitely use that instead and reduce waste!

Reindeer chow muddy buddies

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