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Home » Dessert » Reindeer Chow

November 26, 2017 By Sara 49 Comments

Reindeer Chow

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No holiday party is complete without a big bowl of reindeer chow! This Christmas chex mix is loaded with chocolate flavor and is perfect for feeding a crowd.

Chocolate muddy buddies, holiday M&M’s, peanut butter cups and pretzels all come together for a festive snack mix that’s easy to make and fun to eat!

Reindeer Chow | Christmas Chex Mix | Christmas Muddy Buddies | Holiday Chex Mix

A tin of reindeer chow with chocolate coated chex, M&M's and pretzels.

You have been warned: this reindeer chow is addicting! I may or may not have grabbed a handful every time I walked by on the day I made this awesome chex mix. It’s the ultimate Christmas snack with the perfect blend of sweet and savory and it features the classic flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

A sheet pan of Christmas muddy buddies mixed with candy and peanut butter cups.

How to make reindeer chow

To make the muddy buddies in this reindeer chow, you’ll need Rice Chex, chocolate chips, peanut butter and dry brownie mix. That’s it! The cereal is coated in melted chocolate and peanut butter, then covered in the brownie mix. If you don’t want to use brownie mix, you can use powdered sugar with some cocoa powder mixed into it. After the muddy buddies are dry, they get mixed together with Christmas M&M’s, miniature peanut butter cups and pretzels.

The end result is an amazing combination of flavors and textures. This Christmas chex mix makes a large batch, so it’s perfect for a holiday party or to package up in tins or cellphone bags for gift giving.

A tin filled with reindeer chow snack mix.

I know there are a lot of peanut allergies out there, and it is possible to make this reindeer chow peanut free! Simply use white candy melts instead of the peanut butter for the muddy buddies, and instead of miniature peanut butter cups, you can use mini marshmallows.

To me, it’s not the holidays without reindeer chow. It’s incredibly delicious and couldn’t be any easier to make. In about 20 minutes you can have a fun and festive treat that’s sure to be enjoyed by all!

More holiday treats

  • Christmas Tree Brownies
  • Crock Pot Candy
  • Peppermint Patties
  • Rocky Road Fudge
  • Candy Cane Hearts

Reindeer Chow Video

Christmas Chex Mix
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5 from 10 votes

Reindeer Chow

No holiday party is complete without a big bowl of reindeer chow! This Christmas chex mix is loaded with chocolate flavor and is perfect for feeding a crowd.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword muddy buddies, Reindeer Chow
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 11 minutes
Servings 20
Calories 434kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Rice Chex cereal
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup dry brownie mix or 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 bag Christmas M&M's 12 ounce bag
  • 2 cups mini peanut butter cups
  • 2 cups pretzel twists

Instructions

  • Place the cereal in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave the chocolate mixture for 30 second intervals until melted; stir until smooth.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and use a spatula to gently toss the cereal in the chocolate until completely coated.
  • Place the brownie mix inside a resealable gallon sized plastic bag. Add the chocolate coated cereal. Seal, then shake until cereal is coated in the brownie mix.
  • Spread the cereal out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper; cool completely until dry.
  • Combine the cereal, M&M's, peanut butter cups and pretzel twists, then serve.

Notes

1. Adapted from Your Cup of Cake
2. To make this reindeer chow peanut free, use white candy melts instead of peanut butter in the chex and swap out the peanut butter cups for mini marshmallows.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 8.6mg

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: Chocolate, Christmas, Peanut Butter

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Comments

  1. Leah says

    December 5, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    Have you used the Honey Chex for this recipe before ?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 5, 2020 at 9:30 pm

      I have not but I think it would work just fine!

      Reply
  2. Amy says

    November 25, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    Can this be made ahead and frozen?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 25, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      I’m not sure how well this would hold up to the freezer, the powdered sugar would probably melt as would the M&M’s from the condensation when thawing. But it will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for a while!

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    December 21, 2019 at 10:48 am

    How long should it take for the mix to dry?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 21, 2019 at 11:36 am

      About 30 minutes!

      Reply
  4. Leah says

    December 16, 2019 at 8:05 am

    I want to make this in my classroom but we won’t have heat! Do you think I could use chocolate syrup instead of melting chocolate?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 16, 2019 at 8:14 pm

      You have to use melted chocolate or the coating won’t set.

      Reply
    • Cortney says

      December 17, 2019 at 9:29 am

      Wilton sells a candy melter…looks like a little melting pot type thing. Just plug it in and put the candy in there.

      Reply
    • Virginia Teter says

      December 20, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      You can use a crockpot to melt the chocolate

      Reply
  5. Erica says

    December 13, 2019 at 12:03 pm

    Does this call for unsweetened or sweetened cocoa powder?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 13, 2019 at 12:12 pm

      Unsweetened

      Reply
  6. Robin says

    December 12, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    At Christmas time, Hershey’s sells a candy that looks like M&Ms but is safe for people with peanut/treenut allergies. (M&Ms aren’t safe.). Rolos are a nice suggestion. If you still want a safe peanut flavor, Sunbutter is an option for replacing peanut butter.

    Reply
  7. Rachel Rauh says

    December 9, 2019 at 10:01 am

    5 stars
    This is a really great recipe! Its also so easy to make Gluten free!

    Reply
  8. Linda says

    December 16, 2018 at 1:14 pm

    Is the cocoa powder necessary if using powdered sugar?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 16, 2018 at 1:30 pm

      You can skip the cocoa but your chex will be white instead of brown like the photos!

      Reply
  9. Sandra says

    December 14, 2018 at 5:44 am

    What is the serving size?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 14, 2018 at 7:31 am

      3/4 cup!

      Reply
  10. Darlene says

    December 11, 2018 at 6:42 pm

    If put in an airtight container does this chow stay fresh? How long can it be stored that way?
    Looks wonderful and sounds delish.Thank you.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 11, 2018 at 9:37 pm

      It should keep for up to a week!

      Reply
  11. Jenny says

    December 11, 2018 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    Hi, what size m and m bag is used for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 11, 2018 at 9:40 pm

      11.4 ounce bag!

      Reply
  12. Paige says

    December 8, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    5 stars
    This a wonderful holiday treat. To make it even more special, take scoops of the chow and put it in holiday themed , foil cupcake holders and bring them to a holiday party. They will disappear quickly!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 8, 2018 at 10:26 pm

      Love the idea of putting them in cupcake holders for a fun presentation!

      Reply
  13. Nicki says

    November 22, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Thank you so much! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  14. Nicki says

    November 22, 2018 at 4:19 am

    Where can I find mini peanut butter cups? Do they sell them at most grocery stores? Thank you very much!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 22, 2018 at 6:55 am

      They come unwrapped in a bag in the candy section, they’re called Reese’s Mini Unwrapped Peanut Butter Cups!

      Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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