Christmas Puppy Chow (Easy No-Bake Muddy Buddies with Pretzels and M&M's)

My Aunt Katie's Christmas puppy chow is the easiest no-bake holiday treat there is. Chex cereal and salty pretzels get coated in melted peanut butter chocolate and tossed in sweet powdered sugar, then finished with festive M&M's to make it extra special. It is fun to make, addictively good, and perfect for snacking all week through New Year's or packaging up as gifts for friends and family. Everyone is obsessed.

These are the last few days before Christmas. It is hard to believe we are less than a week out. I am so excited!

Now is crunch time, and of course I still have plenty to do, so this is the moment for our simplest recipes, the ones we make every year without a second thought.

My Aunt Katie's puppy chow is one of them. It is a little crazy that it took me so many years to share it, but after making it for so long, I finally realized it had to happen this Christmas.

Her recipe is wonderfully old-school, written on a single lined index card covered in smudges. My only two tweaks are the salty pretzels and the Christmas M&M's. I could not resist.

I know if she were here today, she would fully approve.

How to Make It

Step 1: melt the chocolate. This is easy. Melt a stick of butter with ½ cup creamy peanut butter and a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted and smooth.

Step 2: add the cereal. Next, toss the cereal with the pretzels and pour the chocolate over the top. Mix it all together with a spatula, ideally a Christmas one, because it is the season.

Step 3: shake! Now the fun part. Transfer the puppy chow to a large zip-top bag and add the powdered sugar. Shake until every piece is coated and completely white. It should look like snow, so do not be shy with the powdered sugar.

Step 4: make it festive and even sweeter. Add the Christmas M&M's and toss gently.

At this point you can package the puppy chow up as gifts or simply store it in the same bag you shook it in. Nothing difficult, nothing fussy.

When to Serve Christmas Puppy Chow

Honestly, it works for every occasion, but I especially love serving it over the holidays.

I plan to make a few batches for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then enjoy the leftovers all week. It absolutely belongs on your cookie tray too; the possibilities are endless.

If you are looking for a quick and easy gift, this one is perfect packed into a cute box, jar or bag. It will brighten anyone's day, and it makes a lovely present for friends and family you might not get to see over the holidays.

My advice: make a batch for yourself tonight and another for a friend. It is about to become your new easy holiday indulgence. So good!

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings; about 15 minutes total. Roughly 541 kcal per serving (nutrition information is an estimate).

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons / 113 g) salted butter
• ½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 5 cups (about 150 g) Rice Chex cereal
• 1 cup mini pretzel sticks
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• 2 cups holiday M&M's

Instructions

1. Combine the butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
2. Place the Chex and pretzels in a large bowl. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the top and stir until evenly coated. Transfer the cereal and pretzels to a large zip-top bag, add the powdered sugar, seal and shake until well coated. Let dry, then toss in the M&M's.
3. Store the puppy chow in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to two weeks.