Made with M&Ms, Chex cereal, popcorn, and pretzels, our Reindeer Chow is a favorite with both kids and adults. And probably reindeer, if Santa actually allowed them to eat it. My recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate melted with peanut butter to coat the cereal and popcorn. It’s so good! This Christmas snack mix takes about 10 minutes to throw together and makes a great gift or treat to keep around during the holidays.
Y’all know I have a sweet tooth, so I’ll be honest, I cannot keep this Christmas snack mix in my house. I will eat the whole batch all by myself! But I do like to make it when the kids are coming over because they love it, and the little ones like to sprinkle some outside on Christmas Eve for the reindeer to eat.
Testing results for reindeer chow
- We’ve tested the reindeer chow without the peanut butter, but it doesn’t turn out as well. We like the texture and creaminess that the peanut butter provides.
- Different cereals will work, but we always come back to plain old Chex. Some people use Cheerios, and that works well too.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Christmas M&Ms: You can change up this recipe to suit any holiday. Just switch out your M&Ms for the colors that you want.
Chex cereal: Use plain Chex, not flavored.
Popcorn: I find that stove-popped corn or machine-popped works better in this recipe than microwave popcorn.
Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter, not crunchy.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can use white chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, depending on your flavor preference.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make reindeer chow
- Melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, then stir in the cereal and popcorn.
- Sprinkle in powdered sugar and stir to coat.
- Add pretzels and M&Ms. Done!
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Reindeer Chow Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups Chex cereal
- 4 cups popcorn
- 1 12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4 cups mini pretzels
- 1 10-ounce bag Christmas M&Ms
Instructions
- In a large bowl add 5 cups Chex cereal and 4 cups popcorn. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add 1 12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter.
- Melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted.
- Add chocolate mixture to chex and popcorn and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar to the chex chocolate mix and toss to coat.
- Add 4 cups mini pretzels and 1 10-ounce bag Christmas M&Ms.
- Spread mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet to dry fully.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Store the reindeer chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can also store in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate from melting or getting soft.
Yes, you can. Instead of M&Ms you could use mini Reese’s cups or Reese’s pieces. You can also throw in some peanuts or chopped pecans.
