Halloween muddy buddies, or puppy chow, is the perfect sweet snack combining crispy Chex rice cereal, a tasty coating, chopped candy, and Halloween candies. Whether you want to serve it at a party or just make a fun treat with your kids this October, you won't be disappointed. In fact, there's no cooking required with this easy recipe; mix it up and you're good to go.
Check out my Halloween brownies, mummy macarons, and Halloween Reese's Pieces bars for more Halloween treats.
Puppy chow is a super fun and easy-to-make snack mix that is popular all year long (check out my reindeer chow for a Christmas version). This specific recipe features festive mix-ins to give it a spooky Halloween vibe that is great for any upcoming events.
Puppy chow, by any of its names, is a Midwestern snack mix that originated on the back of Chex cereal boxes and has become a staple snack. My son discovered it after we moved to Minnesota and was instantly hooked.
I promise that if you serve this snack mix at a Halloween party, you won't have any left. It is completely addicting.
🥘 Ingredients
- Chex - I used Chex rice cereal, but you could also try the corn, wheat, or even chocolate varieties.
- Cheerios (optional) - I love adding Honey Nut cheerios for extra texture and flavor.
- Chocolate Chips - I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, but any variety would work. Chocolate chunks are delicious as well as chopped chocolate candy bars.
- Peanut Butter - Creamy peanut butter is my preference, but crunchy or a type of peanut butter alternative would also work.
- Butter - Butter is melted together with your chocolate chips to make everything nice and smooth.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract boosts the flavor.
- Powdered Sugar - Confectioners' sugar adds sweetness and perfectly coats the cereal.
- Kit Kats - You can use the bite-sized candy or cut them into small pieces.
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Either the small bite-sized ones or just the regular-size ones that have been cut into chunks.
- Candy Corn - If you aren't a fan of candy corn, you can always leave it out.
- M&M's - I used only the brown, yellow, and orange pieces to give it a festive Halloween appearance.
- Halloween Sprinkles Candy Mix - Find some fun Halloween sprinkles.
- Mini Candy Eyes - Mini candy eyes always up the spookiness.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Halloween Muddy Buddies
Muddy buddies are incredibly easy to make, as no cooking is required! Simply grab a large mixing bowl, and you are ready to begin.
This recipe will make about 10 cups of puppy chow, so it is perfect for a big Halloween bash.
Prepare & Melt
Step 1: Measure the cereal. To get started, measure out your 9 cups (243 grams) of Chex cereal and 1 cup (339 grams) of Cheerios, if using, and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
Step 2: Add melting ingredients. In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup (180 grams) of chocolate chips, ½ cup (129 grams) of peanut butter, and ¼ cup (56.75 grams) of butter (photo 1).
Step 3: Melt. Heat the mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments while making sure to stir in between each session. Once the chocolate is almost completely melted, stir it vigorously until the mixture is nice and smooth.
Step 4: Add vanilla. Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir again until smooth (photo 2).
Combine
Step 5: Coat the cereal. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over your Chex (photo 3) and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the cereal until it is well coated (photo 4).
Step 6: Add the powdered sugar. Coat the chocolate and cereal with the 1½ cups (180 grams) of confectioners' sugar, gently folding until everything is evenly distributed (photo 5).
Step 7: Add in the candy. Next, add in the 1 cup (237 grams) of chopped Kit Kats, 1 cup of Reese's peanut butter cups, ½ cup (87.5 grams) of candy corn, 2 tablespoons (10 grams) of Halloween sprinkles, ½ cup of M&M's candies, and 2 tablespoons (15 grams) of candy eyes (photo 6). Gently stir until well combined (photo 7). Serve immediately or store for later.
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Puppy chow is super customizable. You can mix in anything you like. Try some pretzels, plain Cheerios, or Honey Grahams cereal.
- Mix until just combined. Make sure you don't overmix your muddy buddies, as the chunks are the best part. Only stir enough for everything to be coated and well-combined.
- Use your favorite chocolate chips. I have found that semi-sweet chocolate chips are the best for making puppy chow. Of course, you could experiment with your favorite variety, but it will affect the overall flavor.
⭐ Testimonials
This is so easy to make and it is always a hit at parties. Everyone asks for the recipe and I'm always told how much friends love it too. ~ Angela in S.C.
🥄 Make Ahead Options
This snack stores amazingly well, so you can easily make it one or two days ahead of time if needed.
Freezing
You can also freeze your muddy buddies. Just place them into a large storage bag and squeeze out any excess air.
They can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, let your muddy buddies thaw at room temperature.
🥡 Storing
If you have any muddy buddies left over, they can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
❓ Halloween Muddy Buddies Recipe FAQs
This funny name is because the base recipe (just the Chex, chocolate, and powdered sugar) looks very similar to dog food. However, it definitely tastes much better.
Nope. Your muddy buddies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Of course, you can store them in the fridge if you prefer.
These are the exact same thing. In fact, it seems to be a regional thing as to which name you'll hear more often.
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📖 Recipe Card
Halloween Muddy Buddies
Ingredients
- 9 cups Chex rice cereal
- 1 cup Honey Nut Cheerios (optional)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups confectioners sugar
- 1 cup Kit Kats (unwrapped bit size candies, or cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (unwrapped bit size pieces, or cut into chunks)
- ½ cup candy corn
- ½ cup M&M's candies (sorted for the Halloween colors - brown, yellow, and orange)
- 2 tablespoon Halloween sprinkles candy mix
- 2 tablespoon mini candy eyes
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- To get started, measure out your 9 cups Chex rice cereal and 1 cup Honey Nut Cheerios, if using, and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add your 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup peanut butter, and ¼ cup butter.
- Heat the mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments, making sure to stir in between each session. Once the chocolate is almost completely melted, stir it vigorously until the mixture is nice and smooth.
- Add in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir again until smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over your Chex (and Cheerios) and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the cereal until it is well coated.
- Coat the chocolate and cereal with the 1½ cups confectioners sugar, gently folding until everything is evenly distributed.
- Next, add in the chopped 1 cup Kit Kats, 1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, ½ cup candy corn, ½ cup M&M's candies, 2 tablespoon Halloween sprinkles candy mix, and 2 tablespoon mini candy eyes. Gently stir until well combined. Serve immediately or store for later.
Notes
- Puppy chow is super customizable! You can mix in anything you like. Try some pretzels, plain Cheerios, or Honey Grahams cereal.
- To store: Keep your muddy buddies in an airtight container or plastic storage bag for 7 days at room temperature.
- To freeze: Muddy buddies can be stored in a storage bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Angela Latimer says
This is one of my favorite party mixes for any occasion and everyone raves about this chocolatey-spooky mix. It's the hit of the party, so be sure to make plenty to share. ~ Angela