Reindeer Food Recipe (Christmas Puppy Chow) Recipe
This festive Reindeer Food, also known as Christmas Puppy Chow, is a delightful holiday snack mix combining crunchy Rice Chex cereal, pretzels, melted peanut butter and chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar, and colorful M&Ms and mini peanut butter cups for a sweet and salty treat perfect for holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 10 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 5 cups Rice Chex Cereal
- 1 ½ cups mini pretzels, broken into pieces
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups red and green M&Ms
- 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
Instructions
- Combine Cereal and Pretzels. In a large bowl, mix together the Rice Chex cereal and broken pretzel pieces until evenly distributed.
- Melt Peanut Butter and Chocolate. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips together until melted and smooth, either on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave using 20-second intervals, stirring between each.
- Coat Cereal Mix. Pour the melted peanut butter and chocolate mixture over the cereal and pretzels, stirring gently to coat all pieces thoroughly.
- Chill Mixture. Place the coated mixture in the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes until it just begins to set up.
- Prepare for Sugar Coating. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator. In a large clean bowl, spread ½ cup of powdered sugar on the bottom.
- Layer and Sugar Coat. Add half of the chilled cereal mixture into the bowl on top of the powdered sugar, sprinkle another ½ cup of powdered sugar over it, then add the remaining cereal mixture on top.
- Toss to Coat. Gently stir and toss the cereal with the powdered sugar until the pieces are evenly coated with powdered sugar.
- Chill Again. Return the mixture to the refrigerator and chill for another 30 to 60 minutes until fully set.
- Additional Coating. If needed, add powdered sugar in ¼ cup increments, tossing to coat until the mixture is adequately covered and no longer sticky.
- Add Candy Mix-ins. Stir in the red and green M&Ms and mini peanut butter cups until evenly combined throughout the mixture.
- Serve. Transfer the festive mix into a serving bowl and enjoy your holiday treat.
- Storage. Store any leftover mix in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Use semisweet or dark chocolate chips for a balanced sweetness that complements the peanut butter.
- Breaking pretzels into smaller pieces adds extra crunch and texture.
- Chilling the mixture helps the coating set properly and prevents clumping.
- Adding powdered sugar in increments ensures an even, non-sticky coating.
- This snack is not suitable for those with peanut allergies.
- For extra holiday flair, use red and green M&Ms corresponding to Christmas colors.
- Store in an airtight container to keep the mix fresh and crunchy.
Keywords: Reindeer Food Recipe, Christmas Puppy Chow, Holiday Snack Mix, Peanut Butter Chocolate Cereal Mix, Festive Treat, Christmas Snack
