Santa gets cookies, but his reindeer get hungry too. I made this little treat for the kids to set out on Christmas Eve. It’s super easy and super sweet! Check out the recipe below and use these ingredients:
Reindeer Chow
Prep Time
15 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 cups Crispix Cereal
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 1 box confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in microwave 1 minute at a time until melted.
- Add peanut butter to melted chocolate and mix well.
- In a large bowl (with a snap on lid), add melted chocolate and peanut butter to top of cereal and mix well.
- Add confectioner's sugar and cover bowl with lid. Shake well to coat thoroughly.
Notes
If you don't have a bowl with a lid, you can place the coated cereal and confectioner's sugar in a large ziploc bag and shake well.
This treat is also called Puppy Chow when not served during the holidays. It was originally given to me by a co-worker and now it's a must have every Christmas.
perfect for xmas!
looks good! i love reindeer chow!
can’t wait to make it…but how many grams or oz. is ONE box of confectioner’s sugar?
*WARNING* this is addictive! Thanks for the recipe! My daughter came home with a bag of this and im not kidding when I say I could not stop eating it. Im abit afraid to make it and have so much in the house. I agree that a name change is in order… it should be called *reindeer crack*
I love this recipe an decided to teach my 5/6 grade students how to make it. I tweaked it just a little because we are peanut free and I wanted to reduce the sugar. So, I substituted the peanut butter with sunflower butter, added 3 TBS of milled flax seed and 2 tsp of cinnamon to the chocolate mixture. Then, I reduced the confectioner’s sugar by half and replaced it with unsweetened coconut. The kids loved it!!
I plan on making this for my Daugters Bridal Shower. I’ll be putting it in small bowls oneach guest table with a small sign that reads, “Chubby Hubby Chow” or
Chubbie Hubbie Munchies
Bakerella, I followed this recipe over the Christmas holiday. It is true what everyone says, it’s incredibly delicious and addicting. I do have a problem though. About half the amount of chow I made was broken and crumbly (still delicious). I was wondering if you had any suggestions on mixing the ingredients so that there is less breakage?
If I wasn’t on a Daniel Fast I would make this RIGHT NOW! haha
1 cup ? how many ml of peanut butter ?
I love adding pretzels in the mix. The salty sweetness is soo good! You think I could put dark chocolate instead? I feel semi-sweet is too sweet for me, especially because of the powdered sugar.
Great recipe! Can this be frozen? I was thinking of making a large batch and keeping some in the freezer for future use.
I always thought this was called “Puppy Chow”?
My mom used to make these when I was a kid! But she called them “Muddy Buddies!”
I will never leave this post.
I didn’t found the Crispix in Québec (Canada), but I did this recipe with Golden Grahams… It’s very good and my boyfriend told me: “Hide them, because I will eat them all” :)
(I’m sorry for my poor English :$)
I meant “new”. My fingers are to big for the iPhone keypad.
I just today made this wonderful raindeer chow for the very first time thanks to me finding you and your blog in your beautiful book “cake pops”. I am about to make my first cake pops too. Thank you. I love this book. Recieved it from my husband for Christmas. Happy Mew Year!!
Just finished making this!! It’s sooooo goood!!!!! Love it! Thank you soooo much Bakerella!!!!
We call this crack in our house! LOL
Annika
you can purcahse choclate morsales at any grocery store here in the US.. for us they are located on the baking isle and a common brand is Tollhouse
i understand you have admitted this is called puppy chow but you shouldn’t take credit … it belongs to kellogs… you should definetly give credit to Kellogs!
My aunt makes this for every family occasion. Love it!
this may be a daft question, but for those of you who have made this with cheerios (i live in the uk so cant get crispix or chex) do they stick together in clumps or stay seperate once the sugar is on? I may try cinnamon grahams ? thanks cant wait to try this one with my kids at christmas, in fact i may have to do a trial run ……..
Can you also add other things like peanuts and pretzels?
Bakerella, I was actually wondering, i come from australia, how much are those chocolate morsels and where can you buy them from?
I love this, its the best thing to munch on(:
mmmmm i want to try these really badly. a friend of mine had them and they were delicious and i’ve been looking for the recipe since then. thanks!!
I have made these (with Chex cereal or Rice Krispies) for years! I started calling them “PMS Pillows.” Because what else do you want besides chocolate and peanut butter during that time of the month??
These are also fantastic chilled in the refrigerator and eaten like cereal with cold milk in a bowl!
delicious!! y family calls it “muddy buddies” =D
Also known as “People Chow”. Very good recipe :)
My family in Seattle make this all the time. I love it! It is very addicting! They make it with Cherrios instead of Chex cereal. I love it both way. Delish!
I loce the peanut butter-chocolate combo and I feel like I could practically smell this already. Can’t wait till CHristmas to make these.
I love this stuff! We call it puppy chow all the time, but reindeer chow is cute! It has always only been a Christmas time treat for us too. In fact, I am only allowed to have it at Christmas because I am addicted and could eat the whole batch if I tried, so it is a once a year sort of treat. I have no self control when it comes to puppy chow!
we call this puppy chow and it’s soo good!!!
I make this with Cheerios and call it People Chow. Have given it in Dollar Store Dog Dish to friends who love my big (100 lb) black lab Ellie Bear.
Enjoying your blog.
Peggy
This made me laugh because my friend and I make this with white melting candy and call it snow man poop. Our kids get a great kick outta it and so do “most” adults.
I have seen this recipe before – but the one I have says to use butter and vanilla with the PB and chocolate. Any idea how the difference effects the taste/texture?
I just found your website early this morning and decided to make this recipe as my first of many of yours. Let me just say, this is going to be the death of me!
It’s so delicious and easy, I have a feeling I’m going to be making this often!
Thanks for being awesome!
Kirra
This year, I made reindeer chow with two of the grandkids – ages 4 and 6. However, to distinguish it from puppy chow, we added a cup of red and green M&Ms.
spending a lazy day inside and gave this a go…amazing!! My son prefers to call it Reindeer Poop (he’s 7, so fitting). Delicious and easy. thanks!
Craziest thing….somone actuall fed this to their pet because it was called “puppy chow” the pet died and they sued…now it is called Muddy buddies or People chow.
Crazy people…seriously how could you think that was for a pet!
I make this with Chex (and add butter and vanilla to the chocolate/pb)…and call them muddy buddies OR for the season…snowman poop. yum.
I have made this before and tastes really good when served cold from the freezer. I made a huge batch and froze it in hopes to have some for the holidays last year but my husband found it…so yummy it didn’t last very long.
Ashley and others with nut allergies, try sun butter.
To those making this for friends with nut allergies, please don’t use any other nut butters as peanut & other nut allergies often go hand in hand.
Also don’t be offended if they politely decline. Home baked goods are some of the most dangerous items for people with nut allergies. Allergic reactions also tend to get worse with each exposure, so what may have been swelling & wheezing one time could be anaphylactic shock next time.
Until you are told differently, treat any nut allergy as life threatening. This means THOROUGHLY cleaning all utensils used between recipes.
I need tips to make this without peanut butter, since my kiddos are allergic.
Cool…plan on making the Christmas Crunch real soon. Just finished baking some macaroons..and my son and Grandson want to sample them…all…..
I plan on making the Christmas Crunch real soon. Seems as it willbe a fav in our home.Thanks for the recipe.
The reindeer food I’ve made before,aka Muddy Buddies. Actually made them last year for our Super Bowl party. Found the recipe on a Chex box and now, Chex Mix is selling it all ready made but that’s not any fun!
Bakerella..All the best wishes to you and yours for a most wonderful Christmas! The same for everyone out there in baking land. ~ Holly
I love this stuff!! we make it all the time.
I am so excited to make this with my daughter (4) she is going to be so excited, we were going to leave some carrotts for the reindeer but this is way way way better! Thanks!
A friend brought me some of this today – it’s yummy!!
I just made this again yesterday and I am ashamed to admit I NEVER thought of using a bowl with a lid. So much simpler especially since my bag wouldn’t close properly.
I’ve had this before only called Werewolf Kibble for those twilight lovers out there! Delish!!
Delicious! Should have made a double batch! Have to make some to take to a New Years Eve Party!
I LOVE Puppy Chow. SO much so that I cannot make it b/c hubs won’t eat it and I will inhale it all in one serving. Very very bad but oh so good!
Lou Lou,
Almond butter would be a nice choice; I think I’m going to make it that way.
Soy is bad for the thyroid, so it is out for me.
My daughter made this for her Middle School Friends this year and refused to call it “People Puppy Chow”. “Reindeer Chow” is brilliant! We ended up calling it “Snow Candy” although we recently moved from MD to TX and rarely see snow. Amazing photographs! Merry Christmas!
Made this today and it was fabulous! My daughter loves that it’s called “Reindeer Chow”. We will be leaving some for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve. Thanks for sharing. :)
Lou Lou- my daughter had a peanut allergy. We often substituted either cashew butter, soy nut butter and sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter. No one could tell the difference when it was mixed with other things like chocolate.
This is awesome! It reminds me of the “Reindeer Droppings” that I like to make. And I just realized why I’m so attracted to your site! As a kid I came up with this yummy treat: rice krispy treats rolled into bite-sized balls, dipped in chocolate, dipped in powdered sugar. Simple I know but as a kid I felt proud. I think this year they might be filled with cake and actually look pretty on the outside :-D
also, i have a friend how uses I.M. Healthy soy nut butter instead of regular peanut butter… not amazing he says, but close enough to bluff. good luck!
I was so excited when i found this! We used to make this in high school and i ate so much of it! Were in our first apt and getting ready to make this as our first snack here! thank you for reminding me of the ingredients! lol!
Ps. we all called it puppy chow too, but we werent dumb enough to give it to our dogs….
Hi there – long time read, first time commenter :)
These are so adorable! I think I’ll give them a go with my son this year.
My partner, however, is allergic to peanuts (I know, what a bummer!). Do you know of anything to substitute the peanut butter?
xx
just made them with my daughter!! hey are truly yummy!!! My husband said i do it on purpose to make him gain weight, cause he eats all the treats i make… he love pb andchocolate!
: )
When I was in grade school there was this one Mom that made these for every school party and I LOVED them! I have tried and tried to make them(with out a recipe) over the years without any success. Ummm I can’t wait to make them for my son and I, he may have to fight me over them..lol
Thanks!!
Stewart – it’s a pound or almost four cups
I know it was a while ago that you did this, but I’ve only just found it…
I’m from the UK, so just wanting to check what size your “box of confectioners sugar” is
I grew up calling this Puppy Chow, and I Love the idea of it as Reindeer Chow instead! I see a new Christmas Eve Goodie Tradition in the making!
Thanks!
This looks so good and really easy! Every year I make cookies and sweets etc. around the holidays i will definitively have to try this!
I know this recipe post is old, so it might not matter much…but… a relly easy way to coat the cereal/choc. mixture with powdered sugar is to put the cereal (a cup or two at a time) in a brown paper bag and then add a little powdered sugar at a time to coat. It works really well. I love this stuff. I am really excited to try your red velvet cake balls and pb cookies. I am off to the store-just found your site-thanks so much!
Lynwyn webb – I only make this around Christmas. But if I made it any other time of the year I’d call it Puppy Chow, too.
lol I always heard this referred to as ‘[Human] Puppy Chow’ but I think I might have to change what I call it… people get so hesitant when you offer them some Puppy Chow, perhaps Reindeer Chow is the better name for it… keep up the great work Bakerella, I love reading your blog and trying out your recipes on my family!
That is called” Puppy Chow”!!! And it is amazing!
these sound yummy…i’m a big fan of white chocolate too, Kanga, may i have the full recipe? Thanks.. :)
OMG~my daughter made this last night, and we couldn't stop ourselves from eating it. My husband called it 'dangerous'. Soooo yummy! We're using it as a lunch box treat for school this week. Love it!
I make something called Reindeer Chow that is a completely different recipe. Isn't it funny how that happens? This recipe looks wonderful and definitely worth a try! My recipe is corn chex, rice chex, cheerios, m&ms, pretzel sticks and white chocolate! Mmmmm…
I had heard of these made with Chex and called "Muddy Buddies" we made them years ago to take to the movies. My mom had THE LARGEST faux leather purses in the world.
I say go for it. The great thing about this kind is that it has openings in it that the chocolate and pb can get stuck in. Yum!
I LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!
I have one question, can i use any other cereal?? I don't have this particular one.
Thanx!
I used to make these, or something similar growing up… We called them Muddy Buddies :)
Love your site!
Thanks slepre – I doubt anyone would make that mistake, since they are making it for themselves. Besides, I call it Reindeer Chow.
also for anyone reading this they also cant have onions, avocado, or macadamia nut!
it looks yummy but puppy chow is a really bad name for it… chocolate is deadly if dogs eat it [including rasins, grapes, sugar free anything] people could be misloead with that name and feed it to their doggies
even a small amount of semi-sweet could kill a tiny dog
im just saying becuase i am a dog lover myself [ i have 3!!] so i dont want other dog owners to harm their pups
Hi ME – They are great. I can hardly keep myself away from the bowl. Glad you liked it.
I made these last week and they were GREAT !!
Thanks puglyfeet! I enjoy taking pics almost as much as I do eating the subject matter.
By the way, I love your pictures.
Yummy — great for reindeer, kids and adults alike.