So, Let Me Tell You About The Time I Made Reindeer Food…
Puppy chow at Christmas? Oh, you know it. I remember the first time I tried making this, I actually mistook it for real reindeer food (like for yard sprinkling). Rookie mistake. But nope, this is the people version: chocolatey, peanut buttery, crunchy goodness that looks like snow and disappears faster than you can say “pass the tin.” My nephew tried to hide the last cup in a baggie one year, but my sister found it stuffed down the sofa, so we had a good laugh—no hiding the magic of this stuff. There’s just something about making a snack that looks so festive but draws everyone in with its old-school, kid-at-heart crunch.
Why I Keep Making This (And Why My Family Races for It)
I make this when: a) I need something no-bake (meaning, I forgot to save oven space for treats, whoops), b) I want to bring something to a party that will absolutely be gone by the end, and c) I want the house to smell like chocolate and nostalgia. My family goes bonkers for this, especially after dinner—my uncle eats it by the handful. One time the powdered sugar clumped and I muttered some not-so-merry things, but honestly? No one cared; it still tasted great. So that’s why I keep making this even when I’m low on prep time (I’ll sometimes do a half batch just for me, don’t judge!)
The Stuff You’ll Need for Reindeer Food (Christmas Puppy Chow)
- 6 cups Chex Cereal (rice, corn, or wheat or my gran always demanded the name brand—seriously though, off-brand works just fine, especially if that’s all your shop has)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet, but milk chocolate melts way smoother if you’re in a hurry i.e. hungry)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (yep, creamy is classic, but you can use almond or even sunflower butter if peanuts are a no-go in your house—I tried crunchy once and it was… let’s just say, not for me)
- 1/4 cup butter (I sometimes use margarine—don’t tell my mom)
- 1 tsp vanilla (bottled is fine, but if you have the real deal, splash it in)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I measure by ‘clouds’—it honestly doesn’t have to be perfect)
- Optional: Holiday Sprinkles, M&Ms, Pretzels (for a little extra Christmas jazz—I once used edible glitter. That was the fanciest it ever looked, but not the tastiest)
Ok, Here’s What You Do (And Don’t Stress)
- Pour your cereal into the biggest mixing bowl you’ve got. I’ve tried doing this in a saucepan before, but honestly, just use the largest thing you can find; it’ll save you the headache later.
- In a microwavable bowl (I use my trusty Pyrex jug—if you don’t have one, a glass measuring cup works), nuke the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter together on high for about a minute. Stir until mostly smooth—sometimes it needs another 20 seconds, but careful, it can burn faster than you’d think. Or just do this on the stove if you’re feeling old-school.
- Stir in vanilla once melted (this is always where I sneak a little taste—not gonna lie, once I ate half the mix before even pouring it over). Oh, and if the mixture looks like it separated a bit, don’t panic. Give it a good stir and it’ll come together.
- Pour the melty goodness over the cereal and gently fold until each piece is coated. Don’t worry if it looks totally gloopy, by now the kitchen probably smells incredible.
- Toss everything into a big paper bag or a gigantic zip bag. Pour in that ‘cloudy’ powdered sugar. Shake it all up—kids love helping here, but the bag will fly open if you’re over-enthusiastic (trust me). It should be nicely snow-dusted all over.
- Tip it out onto a baking tray or parchment (or, if you’re me and in a hurry, straight into a serving bowl—just break up big clumps with a spoon). Cool it down for, I dunno, 10 minutes. Unless you plan on eating warm Reindeer Food, which honestly isn’t bad at all.
- Now (optional): toss in a few handfuls of holiday M&Ms or sprinkles for even more festive vibes. Admire your handiwork. Or just eat it.
Stuff I’ve Learned (By Doing It Wrong A Few Times)
- If you use natural peanut butter, it sometimes makes a greasy batch. Just give it a good stir—or actually, regular peanut butter gives a better ‘classic’ texture.
- If you overmelt the chocolate in the microwave, it kind of seizes up. Scrape it out, add an extra dab of butter and remelt gently. Or just eat it as is—it’s still good. Not pretty, but hey, who cares?
- Don’t use the supermarket’s super-fine ‘confectioners’ sugar—makes it more cake-like. Regular powdered is better, in my book.
Stuff I’ve Tried (Some Worked, Some Didn’t)
- White chocolate instead of regular: Actually, not bad. Kinda sweet. My friend Laura added peppermint extract once and it went over surprisingly well.
- No powdered sugar: Nope, not the same. Too sticky, and my niece called it “Reindeer Mud.” (Cute, but not for the Christmas tins.)
- Gluten-free cereal: Works if you pick a good one—just avoid the super-crunchy kind or it gets weirdly chewy the next day.
About The Gear (Or What I Do If I Can’t Find Something)
Big bowl is pretty much non-negotiable, unless you actually like Chex dust everywhere. If you don’t have a microwave, melt on the stovetop super low and slow, and stir the bejeezus out of it. Ziptop bags make cleanup simple, but I’ve used giant salad bowls and a wooden spoon before—bit more effort, but gets the job done in a pinch.
How I (Try) To Store It
Stick in an airtight tin or container, and it’ll last about a week at room temp. In theory. Realistically, it never makes it past Day 2 in our place. I put it at the back of the pantry once, but the kids have eyes like hawks. You can check out tips from Serious Eats for longer term crunchiness, though to me it’s best fresh.
Serving: How We Roll On Christmas Eve
Scoop into little treat bags with ribbons (this is my make-ahead hack for last-minute teacher gifts), or just dump in a big bowl right smack in the middle of the table. My aunt likes a scoop atop vanilla ice cream, which I thought was odd ’til I tried it (delicious). For parties, I’ll decant it into a vintage tin I snagged off Etsy one year—makes it look way fancier than it is.
Lesser-Known Nugget: The Time I Skipped Sifting
I once tried skipping sifting the powdered sugar. Bad move. Clumps like tiny snowballs. Now I do a quick sift, but when I’m too lazy, I just pick out the giant bits (honestly, they’re the best bites). Funny how some kitchen improvisations become traditions, isn’t it?
A Few “Don’t Be Me” Warnings
- Don’t rush the letting-it-cool step. I’ve scorched my tongue more than once diving in too soon.
- If you use too much sugar it sort of drowns out the flavor. Actually, I think it tastes better the next day once the sugar mellows (assuming you’ve hidden it well enough).
- Bags: Go big or go home. Once tried splitting into two small bags, ended up with a literal dust storm. Won’t do that again.
Well, What Else Do You Want To Know?
Can I make this without peanut butter?
Absolutely! I’ve done it with almond butter and, once, with cookie butter—crazy rich but yummy. If nut allergies are a thing, sunflower butter’s a good shout. Might have to tweak the chocolate ratio a touch because it’ll mix a bit differently.
Does it really keep for a week?
Depends on your willpower. Formally, yes, airtight for about a week. In reality, it vanishes sooner. If you want to freeze it, go right ahead, but it can get a tad soggy coming back to room temp—so I usually don’t bother.
Is this basically Muddy Buddies by another name?
Pretty much! Christmas Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies, call it what you want. I just like ‘Reindeer Food’ at Christmas since it sounds so much more magical—even if nobody’s fooled about who it’s really for.
Can I double or halve the recipe?
Oh yes, and I usually do. The ratio’s forgiving, so you can wing it a bit (I sometimes just eyeball the cereal amount if I’m lazy on the measuring front).
If you want more fun Christmas snacks (with less powdered sugar chaos), Delish has a killer round-up. Let me know how your Reindeer Food turns out—or what you’ve chucked in that made it legendary!
Ingredients
- 9 cups crispy rice cereal squares (such as Chex)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup red and green M&Ms
- 1/4 cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
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1In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
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2Stir in vanilla extract to the melted mixture.
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3Add the crispy rice cereal to a large mixing bowl. Pour chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the cereal and gently stir to coat evenly.
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4Transfer the coated cereal into a large zip-top bag. Add powdered sugar, seal the bag, and shake until all pieces are well coated.
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5Pour the coated cereal into a serving bowl. Add M&Ms and holiday sprinkles, stirring gently to combine. Serve or store in an airtight container.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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