This festive Christmas Puppy Chow recipe is guaranteed to bring a pop of flavor and color to your Christmas celebrations! Sweet, crunchy and so easy to make, this recipe is perfect for party snacks, movie nights, holiday food gifts and is a colorful addition to dessert tables – sure to be a new holiday favorite!
Looking for more bright and festive Christmas treats? Check out this Christmas Crack, Christmas Bark and these adorable Grinch Cookies!
Festive Puppy Chow for Christmas
This delightful Christmas Puppy Chow recipe is sure to add a pop of color and a burst of flavor to your holiday celebrations! This easy treat takes just minutes to make and is perfect for gift giving, snack time and movie nights. A festive twist on classic puppy chow (also known as muddy buddies), this quick and easy recipe is sure to bring Christmas cheer!
Puppy chow is a delicious snack mix that is made with just a handful of ingredients and is perfect for so many occasions and this Christmas version is sure to be a hit! This festive snack is a total crowd-pleaser and is made with Chex cereal, creamy peanut butter, butter, vibrant green and red candy melts all dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet finish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ideal for holiday parties or as a festive and easy homemade gift, this Christmas Puppy Chow recipe is not only delicious but also adds a pop of color to your festive treats. Quick, simple, and perfect for getting into the holiday spirit!
- Color! Color! Color!: The bright green and red colors make this treat festive and appealing to kids an adults alike.
- Sweet and Crunchy: Puppy Chow is the perfect balance of textures and flavors – so yummy!
- Easy to Make: This no bake recipe comes together quickly with just a handful of ingredients.
How To Make Christmas Puppy Chow
This festive puppy chow is the perfect combination of sweet and crunchy, ideal for holiday parties or a cozy night in. Here’s a quick look at how to make the muddy buddies and, as always, you can find the fill printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Green Puppy Chow
- Combine green candy melts, creamy peanut butter and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds. Stir and continue heating in the microwave in 15-second increments.
- Pour over the Chex and use tongs to gently toss until evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal to a large Ziploc bag and add powdered sugar.
- Seal the bag tightly and gently shake the to coat the cereal evenly.
- Empty the bag onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Allow to set up for 2 hours.
Repeat the process with the red candy melts.
Once the muddy buddies have set up, combine in a large bowl and enjoy!
I used red and green candy melts to make quick work of this recipe but you can always use white candy melts (or almond bark or Ghirardelli melting wafers) and color red and green using gel food coloring.
Storage Information
Store leftover puppy chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Variations To Try
This recipe is super simple which makes it ideal for customization. Here are some fun and delicious ideas:
- Add in some holiday sprinkles, small candy like M&M’s, nuts, or even dried fruit!
- Try using different flavors of Chex or a mixture of flavors.
- Add half a cup of chocolate chips to the melts for a classic chocolate peanut buttter combination.
- Use different color candy melts for even more festive fun. Yellow and blue would be great additions.
- I used colored candy melts but you can always use white candy melts (or almond bark or Ghirardelli melting wafers) and color red and green using gel food coloring.
- Add vanilla extract, almond extract or even peppermint extract to the melting wafers mixture.
Trish’s Tips
- Make sure that each piece of cereal is evenly coated for the best texture and flavor.
- Toss the cereal gently to avoid breaking it up into small pieces.
- When melting the candy melts with peanut butter and butter, do it in short bursts in the microwave and stir frequently. .
- Add red and green M&M candies or holiday sprinkles to make these treats more festive.
- Feel free to experiment with different extracts like vanilla, almond, or even peppermint for a festive twist. Just a few drops mixed into the candy melts can add a delightful new dimension to the flavor.
- Ensure the muddy buddies coating has set up and the treats have cooled completely before transferring them to a container for storage. If the coating is still wet, the muddy buddies will become soggy.
Do I have to use Chex cereal?
While Chex cereal is the traditional choice for its unique texture and ability to hold onto the coating, feel free to experiment with other cereals. You can also use different flavors of Chex.
Can I make this puppy chow ahead of time?
Sure can! Properly stored in an airtight container, this Christmas Puppy Chow will stay fresh for up to 1 week. Make sure that it is cooled completely before storing.
Is it possible to double or triple this recipe?
Yes, this recipe scales up easily. Just make sure you have a large enough bowl for mixing and use as many baking sheets as need for the muddy buddies to set up.
Do I have to use candy melts?
Nope! You can use white or chocolate chips in this recipe. The texture will be slightly different as will teh flavor.
Can I give puppy chow to my dog?
Nooooo! This is not a pet friendly recipe. Strictly for humans only!
More Festive Christmas Treats
- Pretzel Reindeer
- Melting Snowman Oreo Balls
- Homemade Gumdrops
- M&M’s Marshmallow Dream Bars
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Christmas Puppy Chow
Ingredients
Green Puppy Chow
- 5 cups Chex cereal
- 1 cup green candy melts about 6 ounces
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Red Puppy Chow
- 5 cups Chex cereal
- 1 cup red candy melts about 6 ounces
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Green Puppy Chow
- Put Chex cereal in a large bowl.5 cups Chex cereal
- Combine green candy melts, creamy peanut butter and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds. Stir well and continue heating in the microwave in 15-second increments until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, making sure to stir in between.1 cup green candy melts, 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Carefully pour the mixture over the Chex in one bowl. Use tongs or a large spoon to gently toss until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal to a large Ziploc bag and add powdered sugar. Seal the bag tightly and gently shake the to coat the cereal evenly.1 cup powdered sugar
- Empty the bag onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow to set up for 2 hours.
Red Puppy Chow
- Put Chex cereal in a large bowl.5 cups Chex cereal
- Combine green candy melts, creamy peanut butter and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds. Stir well and continue heating in the microwave in 15-second increments until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, making sure to stir in between.1 cup red candy melts, 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoons salted butter
- Carefully pour the mixture over the Chex in one bowl. Use tongs or a large spoon to gently toss until the cereal is evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated cereal to a large Ziploc bag and add powdered sugar. Seal the bag tightly and gently shake the to coat the cereal evenly.1 cup powdered sugar
- Empty the bag onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow to set up for 2 hours.
Assembly
- Once the muddy buddies have set up, combine in a large bowl and enjoy!
Yvette Carpenter says
I have made puppy chow for all the holidays! But never thought to use colored candy melts, so thank you. It came out great