Reindeer Chow

It isn't the holidays without making this Reindeer Chow recipe. Chocolate covered pretzels, red M&M's, and chocolate candies give this Christmas Chex mix a fun flair that will have you coming back for more. Great no bake treat to make for parties or gifts.

If you love easy holiday snack mixes, try our grinch popcorn or this chocolate peppermint popcorn.

A batch of this reindeer snack mix is always one of the last holiday treats that we make before Christmas. Our kids always loved putting a bag of this out for the reindeer along with milk and cookies for Santa every Christmas eve.

Even though our kids are too old and cool to continue this tradition, we still make the reindeer chow and reminisce about when they were little and still believed.

This fun snack mix goes by so many different names in different parts of the country. Do you call it muddy buddies, puppy chow, or Chex mix?  Whatever you call it, just make sure you call it delicious.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Easy to make with just a few ingredients.
• Great no bake Christmas snack that younger kids can help make.
• Our nut free version makes it perfect for anyone to enjoy.
• Chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate candies give it a sweet and salty flavor.

In less than 10 minutes you can have a festive holiday treat to share with friends and family. It's also a great snack mix to bring to parties or to give as a homemade gift.

Main Ingredient Notes

This fun reindeer snack mix comes together in minutes with just a few ingredients. Chocolate covered pretzels and Christmas candies make it festive.  Change up the mix-ins to create your own custom batch. 

• Chex Cereal - Any variety or flavor of Chex is good for puppy chow recipes.
• Chocolate - Make sure you use a good quality chocolate to coat the cereal in. We prefer to use the Ghirardelli melting wafers because they melt so easily and taste so good.
• Brownie Mix - Any brand of brownie mix will do. All you are using is the dry powder to turn these into brownie muddy buddies.
• Mix-ins - I like to add mini marshmallows, chocolate covered pretzels, mini peppermint patties, and red candies to mimic the look of Rudolph.

How to Make Reindeer Chow

This muddy buddies recipe only takes five minutes to put together. You can even get the younger kids involved in making this reindeer treat. The best part? It will be a hit with everyone at your parties!

1. Mix. Stir together the Chex cereal and mini marshmallows in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry brownie mix and powdered sugar.
2. Melt. Place the chocolate melting wafers in a microwave bowl and heat at 50% for 1 minute. Stir and repeat with more time until it is melted and creamy.
3. Stir. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl of cereal. Stir gently until everything is coated in chocolate. Slowly start adding the dry brownie mixture a little bit at a time as you stir until everything has a layer of powder on it. You can also use a large ziplock bag to shake the powder on the chocolate coated cereal.
4. Set. Dump the muddy buddies out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Add the pretzels and candies and let set at room temperature. 

Storage Recommendations

On the Counter - Keep the reindeer chow in an airtight container of ziplock bag at room temperature for 5-6 days. We personally like it best within 2-3 days of making it.

In the Fridge - It can also be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks if you want to keep it longer.

Tips and Variations

• Heat treat the dry brownie mix before stirring into the muddy buddies. Place the dry powder on a sheet pan and heat at 300° for 2 minutes, stirring after the first minute. Remove and cool.
• Do not over stir and crush the cereal mixture after adding the chocolate.
• Try using different cereals for a different flavor. Chocolate or cinnamon Chex or Golden Grahams taste great in this reindeer chow. 
• Replace some of the cereal with popcorn.
• Coat the mixture in white chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
• Package in cellophane bags, tie with twine, and add a cute gift tag.

Recipe FAQ's

More Easy Christmas Treats

• Candy Cane Bark
• Peppermint Bark Oreos
• Reindeer Balls
• Peppermint Brownie Truffles
• Reindeer Snack Cakes
• White Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
• Reese's Christmas Trees

Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life? 

Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.