For a sweet treat that is festive & easy to make, shake up a batch of Halloween Muddy Buddies. The classic Chex cereal party mix is sweet, fun, colorful, & ready in just 15 minutes. How is that for a trick that's also a treat?
We love muddy buddies, aka monkey munch, puppy chow, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag, in our house. I try to make different ones for different holidays. This one is a combination of all our favorite Halloween candy flavors - chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, candy corn, and sour gummies!
So go ahead and throw a costume party of Halloween monster bash. Serve this homemade Halloween muddy buddies with Hocus Pocus punch & the kids will be on a sugar rush - haha!
Jump to:
Ingredients for Halloween Muddy Buddies
Like classic muddy buddies, Chex cereal is drenched in peanut butter & chocolate and then dusted with powdered sugar. These same ingredients are the star of this Halloween version.
Throw in a ton of Halloween candies and this sweet, salty, crunchy, & chewy party mix is ready to munch on. Also a great snack or dessert for Thanksgiving.
- Chex Cereal - the traditional cereal for puppy chow/muddy buddy recipes (use any grain; wheat, corn, rice, or a combo)
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - rich chocolate flavor to melt & cover the cereal
- Peanut Butter - for the creamy mixture that coats the Chex & nutty taste
- Salted Butter - to help melt the peanut butter & chocolate chips
- Vanilla Extract - delicious paring to the peanut butter and chocolate
- Powdered Sugar - for that sweet sugar dusting that muddy buddies are known for (also known as confectioner's sugar)
- Salted Peanuts - crunchy salty
- Gummy Pumpkins (we used sour! yeah) - something chewy & festive
- Candy Corn and/or Autumn Mix - a Halloween candy classic
- Kraft Caramel Candies - unwrap and cut into quarters
- Reese's Pieces - the orange, yellow, & brown colors are perfect for Fall & Halloween
- any Halloween candy favorites!
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Muddy Buddies for Halloween
This quick no-bake recipe is great for last-minute parties, dessert, or snack fun. The kids love to help pick out candies & shake the bag of puppy chow to coat. So grab the family and make a batch of muddy buddies.
Here are the steps for making muddy buddies for Halloween.
- Melt the coating for the cereal.
- Shake the Chex
- Add the Halloween candies
1 - Melt the Coating for the Cereal
The mixing of the Chex & the peanut butter chocolate coating requires a large mixing bowl. It needs to be big enough so that all the cereal can be folded into the hot mixture.
Combine chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. My batch took 3 rounds of 30 seconds each to get a smooth fully melted mixture.
To the bowl of chocolate PB sauce, add the vanilla and stir. Next, add the Chex cereal and fold gently. Make sure to cover all the cereal completely.
2 - Shake the Chex
In a gallon-sized Ziploc, add the powdered sugar. Pour chocolate-covered cereal into the Ziploc with powdered sugar.
Seal the Ziploc and shake. Continue shaking and flipping the bag around to ensure all the cereal pieces are covered in powdered sugar.
3 - Add the Halloween Candies
Pour into a serving bowl and add the remaining ingredients - all the yummy candies & nuts. Stir gently to combine. Enjoy!
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some great recipe variations & ingredient substitutions that can be made. Add, omit, or use one of these alternatives for other delicious recipe ideas for muddy buddies. These may help you enjoy this recipe even with dietary, health, or personal nutritional preferences.
Substitutions
- Chex Cereal - use rice or corn Chex for a gluten-free recipe
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - use milk or dark chocolate if that is your preference
Variations
- Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the chocolate when melting - great for a Mexican hot chocolate flavor for Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
- Extra Nutty - add almonds, chopped pecans, or any of your favorite nuts.
For a nut-free puppy chow recipe, try Snickerdoodle Muddy Buddies.
Equipment
The right ingredients, supplies, & equipment help recipes taste amazing & turn out well. Here are recommendations for products that are needed for making this recipe. Shop this recipe & buy these top-rated items today.
The Short Order Cook participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you!
Storing Muddy Buddies
Store in a container with an airtight lid. I love this inexpensive & top-rated set of containers by OXO. It will remain fresh for up to 3 days if stored in a cool dry place. Warning: This lasts less than 24 hours in our house!
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the post. But these are so good and important they are worth mentioning again so you don't miss them.
- Make sure the mixing bowl is large.
- Fold the cereal carefully to keep it intact.
- Cut larger candies, like the Kraft caramels.
- Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 days.
FAQ
The cereal snack mix with sweet flavors can be called either Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow. Both typically involve coated Chex cereal with other fun mixins such as candy, nuts, etc.
If you want to make muddy buddies but someone has a peanut allergy, no worries. You can swap out the peanut butter for almond butter in equal amounts. Simply use candies that are also safe & are without peanuts.
More Halloween Recipes
Looking for other recipes to celebrate Halloween? Try these sweets, treats, & cocktails:
Halloween Muddy Buddies (puppy chow)
Equipment
- Large Ziploc Bag
- large microwave-safe mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 6 cups Corn Chex cereal other Chex varieties work too
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup salted peanuts
- ¼ cup gummy pumpkins sweet or sour
- ½ cup candy corn
- ½ cup Kraft caramel candies unwrapped & cut in half
- ** use any combination of Halloween candies, nuts, and/or dried fruits you like that equal 1 ½ cups total
Instructions
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. It is ready when everything is smooth & fully melted. (My batch took 3 rounds of 30 seconds each)
- To the bowl of chocolate PB sauce, add the vanilla and stir. Next, add the Chex cereal and stir to cover completely.
- In a gallon-sized Ziploc, add the powdered sugar. Pour chocolate-covered cereal into the Ziploc with powdered sugar. Seal the Ziploc and shake. Continue shaking and flipping the bag around to ensure all the cereal pieces are covered in powdered sugar.
- Pour into a serving bowl and add the remaining ingredients; peanuts, caramels, candy corn, & gummy candies. Stir gently to combine.
Leave a Reply