This Peppermint Puppy Chowis a simple yet crowd-pleasing holiday treat made with chocolate Chex, peppermint candy, and chocolate spread. Its the perfect Christmas dessert!
Contents
- Easy Christmas Muddy Buddies
- What is the Difference Between Puppy Chow and Muddy Buddies?
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Puppy Chow
- My Best Tips
- How to Store Finished Puppy Chow
- Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow
- FAQs
- What can I substitute for Andes peppermint baking chips?
- Is puppy chow a Southern thing?
- How long does puppy chow last?
- Why is it called puppy chow?
- Are Andes mints the same as Olive Garden?
- What Starbucks drink tastes like Andes Mint?
- What else is puppy chow called?
- What is Midwestern puppy chow?
- What do they call puppy chow in the south?
- Why did my puppy chow taste stale?
Easy Christmas Muddy Buddies
If you love chocolate and peppermint as much as I do, then youre going to LOVE this double chocolate peppermint puppy chow. Its the same idea as classic peanut butter chocolate puppy chow, but made with chocolate spread instead of peanut butter and given a Christmas-y twist with Andes peppermint Chips and peppermint extract!
This is really the ideal Christmas treat. You can whip it up in just a few short minutes, it makes a huge batch, and it travels super well. This if a great holiday gift to give it to friends, teacher, neighbors you name it! Its also one of the best desserts to bring to a party. Of course, just hoard it at home to grab handfuls of every 20 minutes or so to.
What is the Difference Between Puppy Chow and Muddy Buddies?
There aren’t any! The terms puppy chow and muddy buddies are used to refer to the same sweet treat, depending on where you live. Other terms you might have heard are monkey munch, reindeer chow, muddy munch, or even doggy bag!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Heres everything you will need for this peppermint puppy chow recipe:
For the Mix:
- Chocolate Chex Cereal I like to use the chocolate Chex cereal (because hello, more chocolate) but regular Chex cereal will work as well.
- White Chocolate Chips
- Peppermint Andes Chips you can also use Andes Peppermint Thins or Hersheys Candy Cane Kisses and just chop them up.
- Hersheys Chocolate Spread if you would prefer to go the classic route and use peanut butter feel free to do that instead.
- Butter
- Peppermint Extract
For the Coating:
- Andes Peppermint Chips finely chopped or ground into a powder with a food processor gives it an extra peppermint kick!
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Puppy Chow
This dish comes together fast and yields a large quantity.
- Prepare the chocolate coating. In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips, Andes chips, and chocolate Hersheys spread. Melt in the microwave in 30 second increments until the chocolate is smooth. Add in peppermint extract and melted butter. Stir until well blended.
- Combine the chocolate and the cereal. Place Chex cereal in a large bowl, then pour the melted chocolate mixture on top. Use a spatula to gently fold the chocolate into the cereal so the cereal is as evenly coated as possible.
- 2 cup Andes Peppermint Chips and grind them in a food processor until they resemble a fine powder. Shake the powder over the chocolate-coated cereal and gently mix.Peppermint powder should be added. Take 1
- 2 full with the cereal mix, then seal and shake to coat. Repeat until all the cereal is coated, adding more powdered sugar as needed.Coat with powdered sugar. Place the powdered sugar into a large Ziploc bag, fill 1
- Cool. Spread the finished puppy chow in a single layer on a baking sheet and let cool completely before serving.
My Best Tips
Here are a few tips and tricks for making the best possible puppy chow!
- Usean extra large bowl. This recipes makes a lot so make sure you mix everything up in a large enough bowl. You don’t want to struggle to cover the cereal completely.
- Before it cools, add the coating. Make sure you add the powdered sugar and peppermint chips before the chocolate cools so it sticks.
- Mix thoroughly. Use a spatula to gently mix the cereal with the chocolate mixture. If you stir too aggressively, youll crush the cereal.
- Leave the clusters alone. Its okay if a few pieces of cereal stick together in clumps with the chocolate. Those are the most enjoyable!
- Allow to cool before serving. Spread the prepped puppy chow out on a baking sheet to cool before you try to serve it. Otherwise youll end up with a sticky, melty mess.
- If you dont have a microwave, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate so it doesnt burn.
- Give it to someone. Puppy chow is super easy to transport. Package it up in mason jars or a decorative bag tied up with a bow and give it to friends and family as holiday gifts!
How to Store Finished Puppy Chow
Puppy chow will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. You can bring it to room temperature before serving or enjoy it cold straight from the fridge! If frozen, thaw in the fridge before serving!
Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow
- Author:LEE
- Prep Time:60 minutes
- Cook Time:0 minutes
- Total Time:1 hour
- Yield:11 cups
Description
This Peppermint Puppy Chow is a quick and easy Christmas treat prepared with chocolate Chex, peppermint candies, and chocolate spread. It’s the ideal Christmas dessert!
Ingredients
For the mix
- 9 cups Chocolate Chex cereal (or any variety)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- cup Andes Peppermint Chips (or chopped Andes Thins)
- cup Hersheys Chocolate Spread
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- tsp peppermint extract
For the coating
- cups Andes Peppermint chips, finely chopped
- 1 cups Powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a microwave-proof bowl, combine white chocolate chips, Andes chips, chocolate Hersheys spread, and melt in the microwave for 30-second increments until the chocolate is melted and stirred smooth.
- Using 2 tablespoons at a time.Add peppermint extract and slowly add melted butter, stirring until well combined. If you think your mixture is still too thick, add additional melted butter, 1
- In an extra large bowl, combine the Chex cereal and pour the melted chocolate mixture over the top of the cereal. Use a spatula to gently fold the chocolate into the cereal. Make an effort to cover the cereal as evenly as possible.
- Take cup Andes Peppermint Chips and grind in a food processor into a fine powder. Shake lightly over chocolate-coated cereal.
- 2 full with cereal mix. Seal it and shake it to coat the cereal. Repeat until all the cereal is coated. Add additional powdered sugar as needed.Place powdered sugar in a large Ziploc bag and fill 1
- Spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and allow it to cool completely.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. It is best enjoyed the same day.
Notes
- 2 cup. I recommend getting 2 package of the thins for this recipe, so you have enough to sprinkle over top. If you are using the baking chips, one package (10oz) should be fine. If you cant find Andes, you can substitute with Hersheys Candy Cane KissesUse with Andes Baking Chips or Andes Peppermint Thins. One package (4.6oz) of peppermint thins has 28 pcs. Youll need about 16 pcs chopped to get 1
More Easy No-Bake Holiday Recipes
- Andes Peppermint Crunch Cookie Dough Truffle Bars
- Eggnog Cheesecake Parfaits
- Gingerbread Cheesecake
- Eggnog Cream Pie
FAQs
What can I substitute for Andes peppermint baking chips?
Andes peppermint crunch baking chips – Substitute another peppermint baking chip, like Nestle’s peppermint chocolate morsels, if you can’t find the peppermint crunch ones. Crushed candy canes – Make sure they’re peppermint flavored. Mini candy canes or other hard peppermint candies can be substituted.
Is puppy chow a Southern thing?
Puppy chow, also known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag, is the name for a homemade candy made in the United States, primarily in midwestern states.
How long does puppy chow last?
If you store the muddy buddies or puppy chow in a zip-lock bag or an airtight container, they will last about a week at room temperature or about two weeks in the fridge.
Why is it called puppy chow?
So named because it closely resembles dog food*, puppy chow starts with Chex or Crispix cereal (rice or corn—gluten-free before gluten-free was a thing) coated in a mixture of peanut butter, chocolate, and butter, and dusted with powdered sugar.
Are Andes mints the same as Olive Garden?
The after-dinner mints at Olive Garden may seem like regular Andes mints, but they’re actually a specially made candy. Andes uses the same recipe as always, but a different design for the candy and the wrapper in order to add a special touch.
What Starbucks drink tastes like Andes Mint?
For the Andes Mint Cold Brew, start off by asking for a venti cold brew with three pumps mocha and three pumps white mocha. Then ask for regular cold foam with two pumps of peppermint blended in so you get that minty flavor in every sip.
What else is puppy chow called?
Some people call it puppy chow, while others know it by different names: muddy munch, monkey munch, or muddy buddies. Muddy Buddies is actually the official name of the recipe marketed by General Mills, the maker of Chex cereal.
What is Midwestern puppy chow?
Puppy Chow, also known as Muddy Buddies, is a popular snack in the Midwest that’s fun to make and eat all year long, but especially around the holidays. Something about clusters of chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar covered-Rice Chex looking like delectable little snow balls or something like that.
What do they call puppy chow in the south?
This quick no-bake mix will also answer to other names such as Muddy Buddies, Muddy Munch, Monkey Munch, or Reindeer Chow.
Why did my puppy chow taste stale?
Why does my puppy chow taste stale? First, before you even start the recipe, make sure the Chex cereal is not stale. Don’t make the mistake of using old cereal that nobody wanted to make this recipe. That old, stale taste will be noticeable even through all the chocolate.