Holiday Muddy Buddies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Puppy Chow Base

01 - 8 cups Chex cereal (rice variety works best)
02 - 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
03 - 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
04 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups confectioners' sugar

→ Festive Add-Ins

07 - 1 cup red and green M&M's candies
08 - 2 cups mini pretzels dipped in chocolate
09 - 1 cup miniature peanut butter cups
10 - 1 cup butterscotch or salted caramel baking chips

# Instructions:

01 - Grab a medium saucepan and combine your chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter over low heat. Stir constantly as everything melts together into a smooth, glossy mixture. You want it silky and completely blended.
02 - While that's melting, measure out your Chex cereal into a large mixing bowl. Make sure the bowl is big enough to toss everything around without making a mess.
03 - Once your chocolate mixture is perfectly melted, pour about half of it over the cereal. Gently fold and stir until most pieces are coated, then add the remaining chocolate mixture. Keep stirring until every piece of cereal is completely covered in that chocolatey goodness.
04 - Transfer all your chocolate-coated cereal into a large ziplock bag filled with the powdered sugar. Seal it up tight and shake vigorously until each piece is covered in a snowy white coating. If you want an extra thick sugar layer, save about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and give it a second shake.
05 - Spread everything out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let it sit for about half an hour so the coating can firm up nicely.
06 - While you're waiting, make your chocolate-covered pretzels. Melt about 2 ounces of white chocolate and drizzle it over 15 to 20 mini pretzels. Add some festive sprinkles on top and let them set for 30 minutes.
07 - Once everything is set, toss in all your festive mix-ins - the colorful M&M's, those chocolate pretzels you made, peanut butter cups, and butterscotch chips. Stir everything together until you have a beautiful, colorful holiday snack mix.

# Notes:

01 - Store any leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
02 - For a dairy-free version, swap in plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life brand.
03 - Need it gluten-free? Just use gluten-free Chex cereal and check that your powdered sugar is also gluten-free certified.
04 - For a lower sugar option, try using Swerve or Lakanto powdered sweetener and sugar-free chocolate, and skip the candy mix-ins.
05 - If you have nut allergies in the house, replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter for a safe alternative.
06 - Short on time? You can melt everything in the microwave instead. Just heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each one until smooth.
07 - Want colorful muddy buddies? Use red and green candy melts instead of regular chocolate chips for a more festive look.

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