Holiday Gift Series: Chocolate Cereal Snack Mix

One of my favorite traditions of the Christmas season is giving gifts to our neighbors and friends. As a child, I was always excited when the doorbell rang in December because there was a chance that it was someone bringing a homemade goody for our family. Now, I love planning what our little family will take around to our friends and neighbors.

Homemade treats are a great way to show your friends how much you appreciate them, and delivering sweets around your neighborhood is a great way to meet neighbors. No one can resist dessert!

This is the first in a three-part series of treats you can make and share that use only food storage (non-perishable) items.


Today we are making a chocolate cereal snack mix, commonly known as "Chex Muddy Buddies." Although I'm using "Chex" cereal, I actually used the recipe on the back of the "Crispix" box, because it didn't include butter or shortening. You could use any larger rice or corn cereal.



Ingredients: Rice cereal, powdered sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter



I followed the instructions for making the mix in the microwave, although you can make it on the stove instead. First, put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish.



Stick in the microwave for a minute. I would show you a picture, but that would invovle cleaning out my microwave, which I am unwilling to do.



After a minutes, pull the bowl out of the microwave.


And stir it around. Return it to the microwave for another thirty seconds.



When the timer goes off, pull it out and stir it around until all the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.



Add the peanut butter, you could add nuts here too, if you wanted.



Stir it until smooth


Add the cereal, it was at this point when I wished I had choosen a bigger bowl. Stir this mixture around until the chocolate coats most of the cereal.



Get out a gallon size ziplock bag and add the powdered sugar.



Add the chocolate covered cereal mixture to the bag with the powdered sugar.

Close the bag tightly, and shake it all up until the powdered sugar covers and sticks to the chocolate covered cereal.



You're done! Make sure you store it in an airtight container. And remember, this doesn't have any butter in it, so you can eat as much as you want. Really. Red and green M & Ms would be very fun in here too. Add them at this step so the color isn't changed by the powdered sugar as much.




To give as a gift, put the mix in a plastic bag and tie the top. I use thread because I have a lot of it in my home, but a ribbon, string, or even a colored twist tie would work fine. Attach a tag and deliver!




Or, use some of your baby's empty formula containers in NieNie style and make holiday tins to hold your goodies.


Chocolate Cereal Snack Mix
from "Crispix Mix Sweet Minglers"

6 cups cereal (I used Rice Chex)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Melt chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl for one minute. Remove and stir. Return to the microwave for thirty seconds, stir until chocolate chips are all melted. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Add cereal and stir to coat. Add powdered sugar to a gallon size ziplock bag, add chocolate covered cereal. Seal and shake to cover. Store in an airtight container.