Peppermint Candy Cane Puppy Chow

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This candy cane puppy chow is a sweet and crunchy holiday snack mix made with crisp rice cereal, creamy white chocolate, and minty candy cane pieces. This easy recipe comes together in under 10 minutes and is a great addition to holiday cookie trays and dessert spreads.

A mug full of peppermint candy cane puppy chow with festive sprinkles and Christmas decor around it.

PUPPY CHOW: NOT FOR DOGS

Before we get to the recipe itself, I need to clear the air that this is not dog food… It is people food. I grew up calling the Chex cereal mix “Muddy Buddies,” but since that is a trademarked name by Chex themselves, somewhere someone decided to call it puppy chow. It also goes by other names like monkey munch, muddy munch, and reindeer chow.

A white mug with "joy" written on it in red script with candy cane puppy chow in it with festive decor around it.

For the purposes of understanding what exactly puppy chow is, just know that it is a version of the original Muddy Buddies recipe that is made with peanut butter and chocolate. It is for people. Please do not give this to your dogs. 

Got it?

YOU WILL LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS PUPPY CHOW RECIPE

Back in 2015, I published my first cookbook, which was dedicated entirely to variations the traditional puppy chow recipe. It’s called The Chow Down, has 20+ different puppy chow recipes in it (like cake batter puppy chow, chai spiced puppy chow, and lemonade puppy chow!), and you can find it in my shop!

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That same year, I created this peppermint puppy chow recipe to publish exclusively on my site, and it has been a staple at all of our holiday parties since. In fact, after seeing how quickly this stuff disappears at our holiday gatherings, I’m certain it will be a hit with you and your family/friends, too!

A mug full of peppermint candy cane puppy chow with festive sprinkles and Christmas decor around it.

It’s the perfect recipe when you need “just one more thing,” a last minute hostess gift, or a filler for spots on a Christmas cookie tray or dessert tin.


SIMPLE INGREDIENTS FOR PEPPERMINT CRUNCH PUPPY CHOW​

While the ingredients for this delicious treat are simple, you will want to be sure you’re choosing the right varieties of each!

Aerial photo of ingredients for peppermint candy cane puppy chow with text overlay.

RICE CEREAL: while I always use Chex brand, I have had success with other brands of rice cereal. Just be sure you’re picking rice cereal and not corn, bran, or wheat. Those tastes are a bit too strong for this delicious snack.

WHITE CHOCOLATE: while you can certainly use white melting candies, vanilla melting wafers, or almond bark, steer clear of white chocolate chips. Chips contain stabilizers that make it difficult to get into the super smooth melted white chocolate mixture you’ll need for this candy cane peppermint puppy chow.

CANDY CANES: you can use large or small candy canes or any hard peppermint candy (like starlight mints). Do not use mint chocolate baking pieces made from chocolate. You’ll need peppermint candy for this recipe.

FESTIVE SPRINKLES: these are totally optional but make a fun addition visually and texturally. I like to use holly quins

POWDERED SUGAR: this will “seal” the bits of candy cane and sprinkles (if using) onto the cereal. 

HOW TO MAKE PEPPERMINT PUPPY CHOW

The process for making puppy chow is so simple. My kids love helping me make this stuff! You’ll know in the instructions when it’s time for them to come in.

STEP #1

Pour the cereal into a large bowl and set it aside.

STEP #2

Melt the white chocolate. I prefer doing this in the microwave, but you can use a stovetop or double boiler if you prefer.

STEP #3

Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal and stir gently with a large spatula until all of the cereal is completely coated.

STEP #4

Pour the warm chocolate-coated cereal into a large zip top bag or container with a tight-fitting lid, then add the crushed candy canes and sprinkles (if using), seal, and gently shake to disperse all of the candy pieces evenly.

STEP #5

Add the powdered sugar to the bag then shake until everything is coated, then spread onto baking sheet lined with foil or parchment and allow to cool.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CRUSH CANDY CANES?

Crushing candy canes can be really messy and sticky, but the best way to get the job done is to use a zip top bag and a large spoon or rolling pin.

Place unwrapped candy canes in the bag, squeeze out all of the air, close the bag, then use the spoon or rolling pin to smash the candy canes.

A bowl of crushed candy canes.

I usually put a kitchen towel between the bag and my crushing device to prevent them from puncturing the bag too much, though it definitely still happens. As long as you’re not moving too quickly, you should be able to contain most of the mess. 

And don’t be shy about putting any candy cane powder that makes its way out of the inevitable holes in the bag. We want all the candy cane flavor and crunch we can get!

Someone is grabbing a piece of peppermint candy cane puppy chow from a bowl.

This candy cane puppy chow is perfect for the entire holiday season, whether you’re hosting a cookie exchange and want to serve something other than cookies, are heading to some Christmas parties and don’t want to show up empty-handed, or just want the perfect holiday treat that can last longer than a couple days, this is it.

It’s the perfect treat for a crowd as it can be doubled or even tripled easily and is naturally gluten-free!

Ready for more recipes with candy canes in them? Step right up to these goodies: peppermint bark, peppermint bark cookies, no bake peppermint pie, and chocolate peppermint blossoms.

A mug full of peppermint candy cane puppy chow with festive sprinkles and Christmas decor around it.
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Peppermint Candy Cane Puppy Chow Recipe

This candy cane puppy chow is a sweet and crunchy holiday snack mix made with crisp rice cereal, creamy white chocolate, and minty candy cane pieces. This easy recipe comes together in under 10 minutes and is a great addition to holiday cookie trays and dessert spreads.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Recipe Author Lynn April
Servings: 5 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 and ½ cups (135g) Rice Chex® cereal or other crisp rice cereal
  • 8 ounces (227g) quality white chocolate coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup crushed candy canes approximately 10 large candy canes
  • 3 to 4 Tablespoons festive sprinkles1 optional
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Pour the cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan over low heat or in the microwave2 in a medium size bowl, melt the white chocolate, stirring frequently until completely melted. Remove from heat.
  • Pour the melted white chocolate over cereal and stir gently with a large spatula until all of the cereal is completely coated.
  • Pour the warm chocolate-coated cereal into a large zip top bag or container with a tight-fitting lid, then add the crushed candy canes and sprinkles (if using), seal, and gently shake to disperse all of the candy pieces evenly.
  • Add the powdered sugar to the bag then shake until everything is coated. Spread onto baking sheet lined with foil or parchment and allow to cool. Discard any excess powder. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to two weeks.

Notes

  1. Sprinkles: I used holly quins.
  2. Melting chocolate: do this for 20 seconds on HIGH, stirring after every heating. 
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 8mg

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11 Comments

  1. Soooo how do I get to be a FAF taste tester? Because I would be allllll about Christmas coming early in the form of this deliciousness, even if early was in July 😉 YUM! This will definitely be a staple in the Monica household this Christmas!!!!

    1. Haha, you’re a goofball. You know where we live now– you’re welcome any time!! I hope you try it! It is so freaking good!

  2. Your taste testers are lucky people indeed 🙂
    Chris’s workmates loved the cake batter puppy chow so I know this one will be a festive hit indeed! I love how easy it is to make for a crowd, and just how delighted everyone is when they take a bite! On the list for this Christmas season! I need to buy my first box of candy canes now 🙂

    1. It was a HUGE hit among my taste testers! I have no doubt Chris’s coworkers will enjoy this flavor too– if it makes it out of the Chatbert house!!

  3. What is the best way to crush the candy canes? I tried hitting them with a metal spoon and they didn’t get fine enough. Then I put them in the blender and they got too fine and all stuck together in a clump.

    1. Hey, Ellen! I like to put mine in a zip top bag and hammer away at it all with a large spoon or the handle of a rolling pin. That method always works for me.

  4. Is there an issue with using a food processor to crush the candy canes? I did this for a different recipe and just pulsed it til I had a mixture of small pieces and powder.

    1. Hi, Shannon– not necessarily! I just don’t like to use that because then I have to clean it! Also, the little bits get all up in everything. But yes, it totally works just fine!