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Valentine's Day Muddy Buddies

Morgan Baker
Cook Time:
5 mins
Prep Time:
30 mins
Yields:
about 10 cups
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Chef notes

Whether you call them Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow, this chocolate and peanut butter snack mix is an irresistible treat. It’s also one of the easiest desserts to make, especially for a holiday. I love to stir in heaps of candy corn for Halloween or crushed candy canes and green and red-colored candies for Christmas. With Valentine’s Day coming up, it only makes sense to add some pink and red colors into the mix.

Instead of the usual dark chocolate, melt white chocolate chips with peanut butter, unsalted butter and a pinch of salt. That mixture is used to coat the crispy rice or corn cereal. For a love struck treat, we like that the white chocolate will blend in seamlessly with a heavy dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Once the chocolate-peanut butter mixture has settled and the confectioners’ sugar has coated every piece of cereal, stir in pastel pink chocolate-covered candies like M&Ms, a big bright red handful of crushed freeze-dried raspberries and another generous helping of white chocolate chips. The pink candies add another layer of chocolate while the freeze-dried fruit offers a new level of texture and tart flavor. Plus, the colors make for an iconic Valentine’s Day treat.

Technique Tip: You can melt the chocolate and peanut butter mixture in the microwave instead of on the stovetop. Microwave on high power in 30-second increments, giving the mixture a good stir every time.

Swap Option: The white chocolate allows the pink and red colors of the M&Ms and freeze-dried raspberries to stand out, but if white chocolate isn’t your jam, use regular semisweet chocolate chips.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) box rice or corn cereal, such as Chex or Crispix
  • cups white chocolate chips, divided
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • cups pink M&Ms
  • 3/4 cup freeze-dried raspberries, crushed
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Preparation

1.

Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

2.

Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine 1 cup white chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter and salt and place over the saucepan (the bottom of the bowl should be near but not touching the water). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the cereal and toss gently with a spatula until everything is evenly coated. Add 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and toss until well coated. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is no longer sticky. 

3.

Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar over the cereal and toss again to coat. Stir in the M&Ms, freeze-dried raspberries and the remaining ¾ cup white chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.