Reindeer Food Recipe (Christmas Puppy Chow)

If you’re anything like me during the holidays—juggling shopping lists, school events, office parties, and the occasional “Mom, I need 30 treats for class… tomorrow!”—then this Reindeer Food is about to become your new Christmas lifesaver. Not only is it festive and ridiculously delicious, but it’s also the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a holiday hero with minimal effort.

And yes, it includes chocolate. And peanut butter. And powdered sugar. And crunchy bits of joy. Truly a Christmas miracle.

Let’s dive into this cozy, crowd-pleasing Reindeer Food Recipe (Christmas Puppy Chow) — the treat that makes kids squeal and adults sneak back for seconds… and thirds. No judgment here. It is the holidays.

Why You’ll Love This Reindeer Food

If you’ve never made Reindeer Food before, imagine this: a bowl full of crunchy cereal coated in melty chocolate and peanut butter, dusted in snowy powdered sugar, and dotted with charming Christmas candies. It’s the holiday snack mix that practically decorates itself.

This recipe is perfect for:

• Busy moms who need a fast, festive treat
• Holiday hostesses wanting a no-stress snack
• Gift-giving (this stuff disappears faster than wrapping paper on Christmas morning)
• Anyone craving nostalgic Christmas Puppy Chow with an extra sprinkle of magic

And best of all? You need zero baking skills and about 15 minutes of hands-on time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what makes this Reindeer Food Recipe the glowing star on your snack table:

• Semisweet chocolate – Melts beautifully and balances the sweetness. Dark works too!
• Creamy peanut butter – Or almond, cashew, sunflower seed butter—go wild.
• Rice Chex cereal – The classic for Christmas puppy chow.
• Mini pretzels – Adds that salty crunch we all crave.
• Powdered sugar – The snowy finishing touch.
• Holiday candy – Red and green M&Ms + peanut butter cups = festive perfection.

Refer to the recipe card below for precise ingredient measurements.

How to Make This Reindeer Food (Christmas Puppy Chow)

Grab your biggest bowl—trust me, you’ll need it—and let’s bring the holiday cheer to life.

1. Start with the Crunchy Base

In a large bowl, combine your Rice Chex cereal and broken mini pretzels. Don’t skip breaking the pretzels! Smaller pieces mean salty crunch in every single bite.

This step is simple, quick, and oddly therapeutic. Smash with grace.

2. Melt the Chocolate + Peanut Butter

Combine semisweet chocolate and creamy peanut butter. You can melt it:

• on the stove (low and slow), or
• in the microwave (30-second bursts)

Stir until smooth, glossy, and dreamy. At this point, your kitchen will start smelling like Santa’s snack workshop.

3. Pour and Coat

Pour that warm chocolate-peanut butter magic over your cereal/pretzel mixture. Gently stir until everything is coated and shimmering with holiday goodness.

4. Chill for Better Texture (Don’t Skip!)

Stick the bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes, just until it’s starting to firm up but still stirrable.

This trick keeps your Reindeer Food from soaking up too much powdered sugar and getting overly sweet. A chilled base = perfectly dusted puppy chow.

This may be the most important step in the entire recipe.

5. Snowstorm Time

In a clean large bowl, sprinkle some powdered sugar.
Add half your chilled chocolate mixture.
Sprinkle more powdered sugar.
Add the remaining mixture.

Gently toss until everything is coated like a fresh snowfall.
If you feel like Elsa shaking her hands in the air, you’re doing it right.

6. Chill Again

Pop it back in the fridge for 30–60 minutes, or until everything is fully set.

This step makes the mix delightfully crunchy and keeps it from clumping.

7. Final Powdered Sugar Coat

If needed, add more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time until it looks wonderfully snowy.

8. Add the Festive Candy

Finally, stir in your Christmas M&Ms and peanut butter cups.
This is where it goes from tasty to adorable.

Reserve a few candies for decoration if you’re serving this at a party or gifting it.

Chef Aneta’s Helpful Tips

Straight from the Chicken Magic kitchen:

• Use semisweet chocolate
  Milk chocolate can make this too sweet (and trust me, it’s already pretty indulgent!).
• Chill the mixture before adding powdered sugar
  It helps you get that perfect coating without drowning your Reindeer Food in sweetness.
• Don’t over-stir
  Be gentle—Chex breaks easily, and nobody wants sad cereal crumbs.
• Holiday candy freedom!
  M&Ms and peanut butter cups are classics, but you can add peppermint bark bits, mini marshmallows, or even sprinkles if your heart says “go festive or go home.”

A Little Story From My Kitchen

I still remember the first year I made this mix for my daughter’s school Christmas party. I dropped it off thinking, “Oh good, one less thing on my list.” When I came back, the bowl was literally scraped clean. One of the teachers whispered, “Do you have more of that stuff?” And that was the moment this Reindeer Food Recipe became a yearly tradition in my house.

Now it’s the treat I bring to neighbor gatherings, my husband’s office party, and sometimes—even though I shouldn’t admit this—I make a batch just for us. No shame.

FAQs About Reindeer Food Recipe

Final Love Note to This Reindeer Food Recipe

Every holiday season needs that one recipe you can make in your sleep—quick, comforting, and guaranteed to disappear faster than the kids’ interest in cleaning their rooms. This Reindeer Food checks every box. It’s festive, crave-worthy, and easy enough to whip together even on those “I cannot make one more decision today” kind of evenings.

So go ahead—make a big batch, share it with friends or family, or sneak a handful while wrapping gifts. Your holidays are about to get a little sweeter, brighter, and more magical… one crunchy, chocolatey bite at a time.

Enjoy every snowy, chocolate-dusted moment.

More Festive Treats You’ll Love

If you’re already whipping up a batch of this magical Reindeer Food, you might as well keep the holiday sweetness going! Here are some of my most-loved Christmas treats that pair beautifully with this recipe—perfect for dessert boards, gift tins, or late-night snacking while wrapping presents.

• Dive into a batch of Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies—soft, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth good.
• Treat yourself to Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies, packed with all the fun mix-ins your holiday heart could ever want.
• Keep the sweet-and-salty magic going with this irresistible Christmas Crack Recipe—a must-try holiday classic.
• And for something playful and downright adorable, try these Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Truffles—they’re guaranteed to disappear fast!

Feel free to paste this section right after your recipe to give readers even more festive goodness to enjoy!

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