When you leave out Santa's cookies and milk, don't forget the reindeer chow! This snack mixes white chocolate muddy buddies with peppermint treats.
We are down to three days before Christmas, so I hope you're prepared! Our cookies are baked, our tree is decorated, and the gifts are wrapped.
But if you're still need of an easy snack for a last-minute party, daycare or school snack to share, or just something festive to munch on at home, try Reindeer Chow!
This is an easy, no-bake snack that kids of almost all ages can help to make! There's no baking or chopping involved. Older kids can microwave and stir the melted chocolate and butter, but make sure to warm them that the resulting mixture is hot! We don't want any burns, even mild ones, right before Christmas.
My 5-year-old son helped measure out the cereal, M&Ms, candy canes and peppermint bark. I even let him have a few whacks with the rolling pin to crush the candy canes. He loved helping to shake the bag of cereal to coat it with the chocolate and powdered sugar.
This is a fun snack for kids of all ages, and even adults. It's easy to scale the recipe down for a few people, or make a double batch for a big party. While it does keep for a few days after it's made, it's best eaten the day of.
Oh, and this snack mix is a known favorite of Santa's reindeer, so leave a bagful out alongside Santa's cookies, so he can take it with him back up the chimney to his team!
Reindeer Chow {Peppermint Muddy Buddies}
Ingredients
- 1 cup white chocolate chips, 6 oz
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 oz
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 9 cups Chex™ cereal (original, vanilla, or other flavor), 8.5 oz
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 6 oz
- 8 oz white chocolate peppermint M&Ms
- 8 oz crushed peppermint bark
- 8 oz crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Place the white chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir, and microwave an additional 30 seconds on high, if needed, then stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Measure the Chex cereal into a gallon-sized plastic zip-top bag. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the cereal, seal the bag and shake to coat.
- Unseal the bag, add the powdered sugar, seal again, and shake to coat.
- Pour into a large serving bowl, and add the M&Ms, peppermint bark and candy canes. Stir to distribute throughout the snack mix. Serve.
- Mix can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Adapted from Betty Crocker