I adore making puppy chow and this Valentine Chex Mix recipe is so easy and fun, it’s seriously one of my favorite muddy buddy recipes on the planet.
A fun twist on the typical, this Valentine puppy chow Chex mix recipe with pretzels has a little salty-peanut buttery surprise. You weren’t expecting that in a Valentine snack mix, were you?!
Easy Homemade Valentines Desserts like this snack recipe are some of my favorites!
Want more surprisingly awesome snack mix ideas for parties? Check out these 12 easy Puppy Chow Chex Mix Recipes you’re just going to love.
But back to this fun Valentine’s Day snack mix. Similar to what you’d call reindeer chow, this is a Chex cereal-inspired sweet treat you can make in 20 minutes or less.
So, if you need a quick party treat, grab a large bowl and let’s do this!
Table of Contents
How to Make Valentines Chex Mix:
This is so easy, you’re going to love it.
Just drop your melting chocolate into a bowl, with all your other wet ingredients, then warm them up, stirring until it’s all melted and smooth.
Add the chocolate mixture to 1/2 of the cereal and stir until you’ve coated the cereal completely.
Mix that up with your 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a baggie to make sure it’s all coated, then spread that out to cool.
When it’s cool, mix with your other cereal portion and yummy bits and it’s done!
You can then pop a handful into individual snack baggies and attach a cute free printable cactus Valentine card, then let your kiddo pass those out at school during their Valentines party!
Specialty Ingredients:
The following ingredients are affiliate links on Amazon because they may be a bit hard to find in your normal store. I wanted you to be able to see exactly which things we are using.
Reminder, not all ingredients in theValentine Chex Mix Recipeare linked above, just the ones that may be a bit difficult to find or that you might be unsure of what to look for.
Must Have Resources:
When making Valentine Chex Mix at home, you really need to have the following Amazon affiliate tools on hand.
- Parchment Papertotal life-saver in so many situations. In this particular situation, you just need it to keep the counter clean.
- Medium Microwave Safe Bowla true staple.
- Gallon-Sized Zipper Baggybecause sometimes you need the best.
Make it a Meal:
Main Dish:BBQ Meatballs
Party Tray:Meat and Cheese Plate Ideas
Veggie:Asparagus Spirals
Refreshing Drink:S’mores Mocktail
Best Chex Mix Recipes:
Once you make this Valentines Chex Mix Recipe, you’re going to realize just how perfect for a party this little snack can be. It’s seriously the perfect party food. Buuuut…maybe you’re kind of reading this in June. Well, I’ve got that covered with some ideas for muddy buddies so good you won’t want to share!
- Unicorn Muddy Buddies
- 15+ Muddy Buddy Chex Mix Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix
What makes puppy chow dessert so popular to share?
Puppy chow dessert is an immensely popular snack and an increasingly frequent addition to social gatherings due to its ease of preparation, inexpensive ingredients, and nostalgic appeal.
A traditional puppy chow recipe combines Chex cereal, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar which can be quickly mixed or shared with a single large bowl. The sweet, nutty flavor profile and the cereal’s crunchy texture are highly appealing and create a familiar yet unique sensorial experience for many.
In addition, the process of making and eating puppy chow in a communal setting often evokes coziness reminiscent of childhood activities and deepening social ties through shared experiences.
All of these factors together make puppy chow dessert an easily accessible option for optimal desserts for both humble gatherings at home or larger events such as potlucks.
Can you make puppy chow without peanut butter?
Puppy chow is a popular snack food many love, particularly around the holiday season. While traditionally made with peanut butter, it can easily be made without.
Instead of peanut butter, other nut butter such as almond or cashew butter can be used, or even chocolate hazelnut spread if preferred.
Additionally, these can often be swapped out for an equal amount of tahini or sunflower seed butter to create a delicious and allergy-friendly version of puppy chow.
When preparing the mixture without peanut butter, ensure you thoroughly stir the ingredients together to evenly coat the cereal and add enough of the butter product so that all pieces are covered in a smooth layer.
Can I use other cereal besides Chex Mix to make puppy chow?
It is possible to use other cereals besides Chex Mix to make puppy chow. Many recipes for this traditional snack recommend combining corn and rice cereals, such as Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Crispix, and Special K.
Generally, using any cereal with ample surface area for the powdered sugar-peanut butter mixture will be suitable for crafting a tasty batch of puppy chow.
Experimentation through trial and error will ensure delicious results no matter what kind of cereal you decide upon!
Shop My Planning Printables:
The following planning printables of mine can be found on:
What other fun ingredients can be added to this festive snack mix?
The best part about making this sweet snack mix is that you can mix and match the simple ingredients! Adding things like mini marshmallows or white chocolate chips turns this delicious dish into a great treat.
This Valentine’s Day Chex mix proves that it’s not hard to make an easy party treat. If you’re scratching your head for a great recipe that you can whip up in an easy way, add this to the top of your list of yummy Valentine Snack mix recipes.
You can even make this for class parties or a Valentine’s Day party. Put the fun snack in little bags so that you can hand out this fun Valentine’s mix. Everyone will be so impressed with this Valentine sweetheart snack mix and it will surely be the best thing that they’ll eat all day!
Just follow the recipe card to whip up this sweet Chex mix! It’s literally the perfect treat and such an easy recipe!
If you make this ahead of time, be sure to store the cereal mixture in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible. You can also store it in plastic bags that are sealable or mason jars with a lid.
More Valentines Recipes:
Oh, you were just here for the whole Valentines “thing”. Well, I’m kind of there with you. We’re running pretty hard toward the big V-day, aren’t we?
So, I decided I’d help you out! Check out these awesome Valentines recipes:
- 17+ Valentines Day Cookies
- Romantic Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes
- The BEST Candy Bar Cupcakes
Valentine Chex Mix Recipe
Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
The peanut butter filled nuggets add just enough salt to this sweet Valentine Chex Mix Recipe to tone down the sweetness!
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1/3 cup powdered, confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 cup Valentine colored milk chocolate M & M s
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets
- 4.5 oz salted party peanuts
- 1 Tablespoon silver jimmies sprinkles
- 1 Tablespoon red & white heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Place cereal, pretzels, and 1/2 the peanuts into a large bowl.
- In a small microwaveable bowl, heat vanilla chips, peanut butter, and margarine uncovered on high for about 45 seconds. Stir well to remove all lumps. Pour mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
- Place 1/2 the cereal mixture in a 1-gallon Ziploc. Add powdered sugar, seal, and shake until the mixture is well coated. Spread on waxed paper and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Stir M&Ms and remaining peanuts into remaining cereal mixture. Spread onto waxed paper and allow to cool about 20 minutes.
- In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures and store in an airtight container.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12Serving Size: 12 Servings
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 270Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 250mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 5g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 2/11/2020
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