Halloween Puppy Chow Recipe

ByLisa August 23, 2023September 13, 2023

Desserts & Sweets Halloween Recipes Holiday Recipes Recipes

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This Halloween puppy chow recipe is a festive fall version of the classic cereal mix. Loaded with cookies and candy, your party guests will go nuts for this crunchy chocolate and peanut butter treat!

Puppy chow (a.k.a muddy buddies) is one of our all-time favorite party treats. It’s easy, versatile, fun to eat, and of course, incredibly delicious. The basic recipe uses Chex cereal coated in melted chocolate and powdered sugar, but there are so many tasty variations!

This Halloween version adds peanut butter to the melted chocolate and coats half of the cereal in brownie mix and the other half in powdered sugar. To top it off, add Oreo pieces, pretzels, candy corn, and Reese’s Pieces for a treat that’s full of flavor, texture, and color.

Make Halloween puppy chow Chex Mix for your next party or gathering and watch it disappear in a hurry. This sweet, salty, and chocolatey treat is one of the easiest crowd-pleasing treats you’ll ever make and one of the tastiest too!

Why We Love This Recipe

Festive – Because this version of puppy chow is filled with candy and treats, it’s perfect for a Halloween party. And we love the fun pop of fall color from the candy corn and Reese’s pieces!

Great for Parties – You can’t go wrong with this snack at a party! The peanut butter and chocolate flavor along with the crunchy texture make this easy Halloween treat a sure crowd-pleaser.

Versatile – Toss in just about any kind of chocolate candy or nuts to make your own sweet and salty version. There are all kinds of delicious options!

Ingredients

Rice Chex cereal
Semisweet chocolate chips
Peanut butter
Butter
Vanilla extract
Mini pretzels (slightly crushed)
Candy corn
Oreos (slightly crushed)
Reese’s pieces
Powdered sugar
Brownie mix

How to Make Halloween Puppy Chow

Step 1: Start by heat treating the brownie mix. You’ll want to do this before using any raw flour product, just to ensure it’s safe to eat. Place the mix in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat 3 more times, stirring again in between each interval. Set aside.

Step 2: Pour the Chex cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 3: Place the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Once the chocolate chips are melted, mix in the vanilla extract.

Chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter in bowl

Chocolate and peanut butter mixture melted together in mixing bowl

Step 4: Pour the chocolate mixture over the Chex cereal and gently stir to coat, taking care not to crush the cereal.

Chex cereal and melted chocolate mixture in clear glass bowl

Step 5: Divide the mixture between two large Ziploc bags. Add the powdered sugar to one and the brownie mix to the other. Seal the bags and gently shake until the cereal is coated.

Step 6: Spread the cereal out on parchment paper lined baking sheet and let the chocolate set for about 20 minutes.

Ingredients for puppy chow in plastic bags

Step 7: In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and brownie coated Chex with the pretzel pieces, Oreo pieces, candy corn, and Reese’s pieces. Mix well and enjoy!

Puppy chow topped with candy corn, pretzels and cookies

Tips & Tricks

You can substitute M&Ms or peanut butter cups for the Reese’s Pieces or add your own favorite Halloween candy. You can even add candy eyeballs or seasonal Halloween sprinkles to give it a fun and spooky look.
Try using white chocolate in place of the semisweet chocolate. Also, if you don’t have brownie mix, you can simply coat all the cereal with the powdered sugar.
Choose a creamy peanut butter and avoid chunky and natural varieties. They won’t blend as well and will make it more difficult to coat your cereal evenly.
Change it up for different holidays. For example, you can make Christmas puppy chow with red and green M&M’s and other Christmas holiday candy.

How Do I Store Fall Muddy Buddies?

Store puppy chow in an airtight container. It’ll keep at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

How Do I Serve Muddy Buddies?

I love to put these in cellophane bags and give them as gifts or party favors. If serving them at a party, you can make it easy for your guests by serving them in individual serving containers like plastic cups, ramekins, or even Halloween themed paper cupcake liners.