Halloween Puppy Chow (Simple No Bake Treat)
This Halloween Puppy Chow is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with chocolate, peanut butter, and festive Halloween candies. Every piece of Chex cereal is coated in a rich chocolate peanut butter mixture, tossed in powdered sugar, and finished with Reese's Pieces, sprinkles, spooky eyeballs, and any other Halloween favorites you have on hand.
This is one of those recipes we make every Halloween because it's quick, fun, and easy to customize. Whether you're filling treat bags, setting out snacks for a Halloween party, or looking for a festive movie-night treat, this sweet snack mix always disappears fast.
If you love easy no-bake recipes, be sure to try our Monster Popcorn and Halloween Snack Mix.
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Ingredients
With just a quick trip to the grocery store, you will be ready to make this simple recipe.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Chocolate Chips: I love using dark chocolate, but milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips work just as well.
- Peanut Butter: Natural or regular peanut butter both work. If using natural peanut butter, give it a good stir first.
- Butter: Helps create a smooth coating for the cereal; salted or unsalted works great.
- Rice Chex Cereal: The classic choice for puppy chow because it stays crisp and holds the chocolate mixture well. Bonus is that it is naturally gluten free!
- Icing/ Powdered Sugar: Coats every piece and gives puppy chow its signature finish.
- Halloween Sprinkles: Completely optional, but they add a fun pop of color.
- Reese's Pieces: One of our favorite additions, but almost any Halloween candy works.
Grab a large mixing bowl, spatula, a resealable bag and a baking sheet for this simple no bake treat.
Variations
- More Candy: I often add candy eyeballs, candy corn, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, caramel corn, mini chocolate bars and fun Halloween gummy worms.
- Different Chocolate: Try white chocolate or a combination of milk and dark chocolate.
- Nut-Free: Substitute sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter. Or you can use Biscoff Cookie Spread, I do this in my Christmas Puppy Chow recipe!
- Holiday Version: Change the sprinkles and candies to match Christmas, Easter, or Valentine's Day.
How to Make Halloween Puppy Chow
Everything comes together in just a few minutes, making this one of the easiest Halloween treats to prepare ahead of time.
Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe bowl, using 30 second increments, stirring well in between. You can do this in the bowl that you will mix everything into (make sure it is large enough) or a smaller bowl and pour it onto the Chex.
Add the Chex (and sprinkles if using) to the chocolate peanut butter mixture and stir carefully to not crush the cereal pieces but ensure you get all of it as covered as you can.
Transfer to a large sealable bag and add in icing sugar. I like to start with 1 cup and add more as I go. Toss it all around gently to coat, then spread and evenly layer on a sheet pan with parchment paper and allow it to set.
Move it to a serving bowl and add Reese's pieces, and any other fun candies you might want to use.
Hint: Stir very carefully so the cereal stays whole.
Recipe Tips
- Start with Less Powdered Sugar: You can always add more until you reach your preferred coating or sweetness level.
- Let It Cool Completely: This helps the chocolate set before adding the candy.
- Add Candy Last: Mixing candy in after the puppy chow has cooled keeps it looking fresh.
- Make It Your Own: One of our favorite things about puppy chow is that no two batches have to be exactly the same.
- Sprinkle Tip: If you want to see the sprinkles, add them in at the end or the chocolate will cover them.
If you're building a spooky holiday dessert table, our Leftover Candy Cookies make great addition.
More Halloween Recipes
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, out of direct sunlight.
- Freezer: Place in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months.
- Serving: Give it a quick toss before serving if any powdered sugar has settled; or add a sprinkle more!
Serving Suggestions
- Fill Your Holiday Table With: Spider Cookies, Mummy Rice Krispie Treats, Candy Corn Bark, Graveyard Dirt Cups and Mummy Brownies.
Halloween Puppy Chow Recipe FAQs
Despite the name, it's a sweet snack made for people-not dogs! The name comes from the fact that it resemblance dry dog food. People also call these muddy buddies as well.
Rice Chex gives the best texture, in my opinion, but Corn Chex works well too. If you want to experiment I would suggest something that is a pillowy type cereal, similar to this. Just keep in mind the Rice Chex are naturally gluten free.
Yes. It's actually one of our favorite make-ahead Halloween treats because it stores so well.
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Halloween Puppy Chow
Equipment
- Microwave Safe Bowl
- Resealable Bag 1 Gallon
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips I used dark
- ½ cup peanut butter I used all natural
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 8 cups Chex Rice Cereal
- 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cup icing sugar
- ¼ - ½ cup sprinkles if desired *see notes*
- ½ - 1 cup Reese's pieces
Instructions
- Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe bowl, using 30 second increments, stirring well in between. You can do this in the bowl that you will mix everything into (make sure it is large enough) or a smaller bowl and pour it onto the Chex.
- Add the Chex (and sprinkles if using) to the chocolate peanut butter mixture and stir carefully to not crush the cereal pieces but ensure you get all of it as covered as you can.
- Transfer to a large sealable bag and add in icing sugar. I like to start with 1 cup and add more as I go. Toss it all around gently to coat, then spread and evenly layer on a sheet pan with parchment paper and allow it to set.
- Move it to a serving bowl and add Reese's pieces, and any other fun candies you might want to use. I often add candy corn, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, caramel corn, and fun Halloween gummies.
Notes
- Start with Less Powdered Sugar: You can always add more until you reach your preferred coating or sweetness level.
- Let It Cool Completely: This helps the chocolate set before adding the candy.
- Add Candy Last: Mixing candy in after the puppy chow has cooled keeps it looking fresh.
- Make It Your Own: One of our favorite things about puppy chow is that no two batches have to be exactly the same.
- Sprinkle Tip: If you want to see the sprinkles, add them in at the end or the chocolate will cover them.
- Stir Slowly: Stir very carefully so the cereal stays whole.
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, out of direct sunlight.
- Freezer: Place in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months.
- Serving: Give it a quick toss before serving if any powdered sugar has settled; or add a sprinkle more!
Nutrition
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