Christmas Reindeer Chow
This reindeer chow is a must-make Christmas treat! The mixture of Rice Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, peanuts, and M&Ms is coated in white chocolate and chilled to set. Set out bowls as holiday snacks or package up individual bags for a special homemade gift. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare!
Years ago, my mom’s cousin brought a tin of this deliciousness over to my grandma’s when she made her Christmas visit, and everyone went nuts over it, which isn’t surprising, given that it’s sweet, salty, and covered in white chocolate.
My mom made sure to scribble down the recipe, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since (it was one of my grandpap’s favorite sweet holiday treats).
This is perfect to keep in your fridge for unexpected guests during the holidays, and would also be so cute packaged up in pretty bags to give away as gifts. Just make sure to save some for yourself, and I’m sure Santa would enjoy trying some, as well!
Recipe Ingredients
This reindeer chow recipe uses some similar ingredients to what you’d find in homemade chex mix, and there are tons of different ways to switch it up! Here’s what we use, as well as many different variations and ingredient swaps you could do:
- Rice Chex Cereal – Substitute another favorite, such as Corn Chex or Crispix.
- Cheerios – Any “o” type of cereal will work here, or throw in more rice or corn chex.
- Peanuts – You can substitute other types of nuts or omit them entirely. Feel free to add more of anything else!
- Pretzel Sticks – You can also use mini twist pretzels, or break up any of your favorite pretzels.
- Red and Green M&Ms – I love how festive these are! You can also use the miniM&M version, peanut or peanut butter M&Ms, or substitute your favorite chocolate candies – mini peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, mini Oreo cookies, Reese’s Pieces, etc.
- White Chocolate – This creates a delicious coating that holds all of the ingredients together into big chunks. You can also use white chocolate melts, candy melts. or almond bark.
- Vegetable Shortening – This helps to keep the melted white chocolate chips from getting clumpy; it thins out the melted chocolate so it can coat the ingredients evenly and easily. You can also use coconut oil. If you decide to use one of the melting products mentioned above, you do not need to use the vegetable shortening.
How to Make Reindeer Chow
This sweet snack mix only takes minutes to make and is a great holiday kitchen project to get the kids involved in! Here’s how we make it:
- Place the cereals, peanuts, pretzels, and M&Ms in a large bowl.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture and use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until all of the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until it’s set. Break it up into chunks and dig in!
The Muddy Buddy (or “Puppy Chow”) Variation
If you love muddy buddies, you can adapt this recipe to be coated in that traditional melted chocolate and powdered sugar covering. Some folks refer to this as the “Christmas puppy chow recipe”. Here’s how to do it:
- Place the cereals and nuts in a large bowl. Follow the directions for making my muddy buddies and melt together the chocolate and peanut butter.
- Pour the melted mixture over the cereals and nuts, and gently mix together.
- Layer powdered sugar and the cereal mixture in a large zip top bag, seal it, and shake it until all of the ingredients are evenly coated. Turn out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to set at room temperature. Once set, combine with the pretzels and M&Ms, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Storage Notes
This Christmas reindeer chow should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. You can pop it into the freezer for a super crunchy reindeer chow that tastes absolutely wonderful!
More Sweet Holiday Treats
- The BEST Muddy Buddies Recipe
- Saltine Toffee
- Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
- Peppermint Bark
- Buckeyes Recipe
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this reindeer chow recipe and love it, please stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Reindeer Chow Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (129 g) Rice Chex cereal
- 3 cups (84 g) Cheerios cereal
- 3 cups (426 g) peanuts
- 3 cups (126 g) pretzel pieces
- 3 cups (540 g) red & green M&Ms
- 20 ounces white chocolate
- 3½ tablespoons (40 g) solid vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside.
- In a very large bowl, mix together the Rice Chex, Cheerios, peanuts, pretzels and M&Ms.
- In a medium bowl, melt the white chocolate and shortening in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the dry ingredients and quickly toss together until everything is pretty evenly coated in the white chocolate. Spread the mixture out on the prepared pan and refrigerate until it’s set, about 20 minutes. Break up any chunks and store in tins or airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- Rice Chex Cereal – Substitute another favorite, such as Corn Chex or Crispix.
- Cheerios – Any “o” type of cereal will work here, or throw in more rice or corn chex.
- Peanuts – You can substitute other types of nuts or omit them entirely. Feel free to add more of anything else!
- Pretzel Sticks – You can also use mini twist pretzels, or break up any of your favorite pretzels.
- Red and Green M&Ms – I love how festive these are! You can also use the mini M&M version, peanut or peanut butter M&Ms, or substitute your favorite chocolate candies – mini peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, mini Oreo cookies, Reese’s Pieces, etc.
- White Chocolate – This creates a delicious coating that holds all of the ingredients together into big chunks. You can also use white chocolate melts, candy melts. or almond bark.
- Vegetable Shortening – This helps to keep the melted white chocolate chips from getting clumpy; it thins out the melted chocolate so it can coat the ingredients evenly and easily. You can also use coconut oil. If you decide to use one of the melting products mentioned above, you do not need to use the vegetable shortening.
- Storage Notes: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. You can pop it into the freezer for a super crunchy reindeer chow that tastes absolutely wonderful!
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published in December 2012.
Photography by Whitney Wright.
This stuff is so amazingly delicious and addictive we call it Christmas crack. I add some crushed peppermint candy canes to mine. I love peppermint and white cho.
If sealed tightly how long will it last?
Awesome recipe ! I ha e made this 2 or 3 years in a row ! Sooo good
My whole crowd (adults and kids) love Reindeer Chow and I used your wonderful recipe (which I have made before *as is*) as a great jumping off point – I added 3 cups of chinese fried (chow mien) noodles, and for peanuts use dry roasted, the extra salt just adds a little something. Because of the additional dry ingredients I had to up the amount of white chocolate and used white almond bark in addition to the white chocolate chips to make a total of about 24 or 25 ounces.
amazing! I made a batch and a half and got a lot of chow! definitely making it again
Can you freeze reindeer chow after you make it? Is there a need to freeze it? I made it today but dont plan on distributing it for another week. Thanks.
No need to freeze! I keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a month or so. Enjoy!
I don’t recommend using salted roasted peanuts from the bulk bins at the grocery. It doesn’t give it the right flavor! I am going to have to make it again with regular peanuts from the nut section! Hopefully it will turn out better!
I made this today, and it is AMAZING! So good, and so easy to make. But be warned…it is addictive!! :)
Reindeer chow is similar to one I make– I add whole pecans instead of peanuts, add some fruit loops for color ,add ghirardelli wafers instead of shorting and use seasonal m&m s if available. This never lasts very long!
Hi Michelle,
I love the awesome photos of your family and the stories that you share!
I was wondering, if I were to use coconut oil in place of the solid shortening
would it taste more like coconut? Is it possible to use butter in place of the shortening
or coconut oil?
Wishing you and your adorable family (puppies too) a wonderful holiday!
The shortening is only there to make the chocolate thinner so it will coat the ingredients better. I always use it in candy making
I substitute refined coconut oil and it works beautifully.
Made this for a club Christmas dinner as door prizes! Was very good!
This recipe was so easy and yummy!
Can reindeer chow be frozen? If so, how long?
Hi Sharon, I think you COULD but it’s probably not necessary. I’ve made it kept it in the refrigerator for up to a month and it stays perfectly fine!
Seems I am the only one that has a shortening question, do you mean like Crisco solid? Please. why would you need that? Would like to make for Christmas, Thank you
Hi Carolyn, Yes, solid Crisco shortening; it is necessary to keep the white chocolate smooth and from clumping up when it coats the ingredients. You can replace the white chocolate + shortening with the same amount of Candi Quik if you’d like.
What can be substituted for peanuts?
Hi Caren, You can use another nut you like (cashews would be good). If you’re dealing with a nut allergy, I would just omit the peanuts.
Just made this for the holidays! I think I’ll rename it as Reindeer Crack! Soooo good!
Made this with my 8 and 6 year old daughter’s and they loved it! They are not huge peanut fans so we did 1 cup peanuts, 1 cup cashews and 1 cup almonds and it was fantastic!
How long does this last in Tupperware container?
Hi Nicole, If you store it in the refrigerator, it will stay for up to a month.
Please clarify the type of peanuts?. Dry roasted, salted etc…
Salted :)
I just made this again for Valentine’s Day using the Valetine’s m&m mix (red, pink and white) and called it “Cupid Chow”. I can also see making this again on July 4th with the red, white and blue m&m’s and calling it “Patriot’s Chow”. Great recipe! Everyone loves it!
I just made this, and it is so YUMMY! And festive…and easy to make! Great recipe. Thanks!
If the kids want to put some outside for Santa’s Reindeer, add edible glitter, they’ll get a kick out of that!
I’ve been making this for years. Raisins are a great addition as well!!
Hello :) Any suggestions for replacing the peanuts with something that is peanut/tree nut free? Thank you!
Hi Julie, Maybe some soy nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, any other crunchy snack that you like!
Do you have more receipts like this one, for variety? Any popcorn items you have…please..Sharon
Ah….this is called Christmas Crack in our home…and at my workplace…and at my roomate’s workplace…and pretty much anywhere where we deal it out at Christmas. Only diff is that we don’t use the shortening and we do add in 3 cups of corn chex. You know, we made 4 batches and I ever even tried it this year, it went so fast! :)
Since I lent our reindeer to Santa I guess the humans in the house will have to suffer through this!!
Made it, loved it, posted it! Merry Christmas, y’all…
This is pretty much the most addicting thing I’ve ever made. Ever. It’s amazing. Ok, I’m going to make more.
I made this toniggt sans peanuts with ghiradelli white choc and coconut oil instead of shortening. Very good.
I made something similar this week except used popcorn instead of cereal! So addicting!
I’m going to make this for my daughter’s preschool class for their last day before xmas break tomorrow – only problem is, I forgot to pick up veg shortening!! Is there a quick substitute that I can use in place of it?
Hi Glory, You can use coconut oil in place of the shortening.