Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies

Name: Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 8 cups Chex Mix cereal; 1 cup mini chocolate chips; ½ cup peanut butter ((smooth)); 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1½ cups powdered sugar; 1 cup Candy Corn ((I love using the Autumn Mix – it has pumpkins in too)); 1 cup mini pretzels

Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies is filled with Chex cereal, peanut butter, and chocolate chips and coated in powdered sugar. Mix in colorful candy or your favorite sweet and salty treats.

Jump to Recipe

Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies, often called fall puppy chow Chex Mix, is a family favorite munchable, crunchable, sweet, and salty snack with a Fall twist.

This quick and easy no-bake recipe can be made in 15 minutes simply by coating Chex cereal with chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, and tossing in candy corn and your favorite Halloween treats.

Halloween Muddy Buddies

This Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies recipe makes a big batch of puppy chow snack mix; it’s perfect for Halloween parties or fall-themed festivities because it’s filled with autumn colors and plenty of holiday candy.

With the same crunchy texture as my Halloween Puppy Chow Chex Mix, Hot Chocolate Muddy Buddies, and Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix, this Halloween harvest Chex Mix is dangerously delicious and so hard to resist the next handful.

I love making muddy buddies recipes because each batch can be customized with your favorite sweet and savory snacks. Don’t care for candy corn? Take it out. Craving more chocolate? Mix it in! It couldn’t be any easier to make each mouthful your best munch.

Why We Love This Fall Puppy Chow Recipe

Quick and easy to prepare in 10 minutes.
Only uses a handful of base ingredients and then you can customize your mix to make it your own.
Make-ahead fall-themed treat that tastes sweet and salty with a satisfying crunch.
Fun activity to cook with kids and let them toss in their favorite treats.
Big batch recipe is great for potlucks, celebrations, and gift-giving.
Serve some at your Halloween and Thanksgiving parties and save the rest for lunch bags and late-night snacks.

Other Easy Fall Dessert Recipes

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe

Apple Pie Bites

Ingredients

Chex Mix cereal
Mini chocolate chips
Peanut butter: For best results, use smooth peanut butter for this recipe.
Butter
Vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Candy Corn: I love using the Autumn Mix because it has pumpkins in it too!
Mini pretzels

Substitutions and Additions

Choose Your Chex: Feel free to use Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Chocolate Chex, Cinnamon Chex, or even Crispix cereal in your mix.
Add-Ins: Make this autumn Chex Mix your own! You can add peanut butter chips, M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, crushed candy, cookie pieces, bugles, chopped nuts, sprinkles, or even Rolo’s.
Customize Your Crunch: If you are making these Muddy Buddies for the holidays, you can toss in some colored M&M’s or holiday-themed candy for an extra festive touch.
Gluten Free: You can easily make this recipe gluten-free. Make sure you do not use Wheat Chex in your Muddy Buddies and be sure to use gluten free pretzels.

Recommended Tools

Large mixing bowl
Spoon/spatula
Gallon ziplock bag
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

See Full Recipe Card Below

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies

Make The Chocolate Mixture: Microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in 20 second bursts, stirring until smooth. Once melted, add the vanilla extract.
Coat In Chocolate: Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the Chex Mix and stir to coat the cereal.
Cover In Sugar: Transfer the Chex Mix into a Ziplock bag, add the powdered sugar, and shake to coat the cereal. Cool on a baking sheet.
Make The Mix: Once cooled, mix in the candy corn and pretzels. Enjoy!

Tip From Our Recipe Developer

Muddy Buddies do not need to be refrigerated, although if you like your snack cold, feel free to keep it in the fridge.
Processed peanut butter, like Jiff or Skippy, works best in this recipe. All-natural nut butters may not set well at room temperature. If you have a peanut allergy, sunflower seed butter should work too.
If you can’t find the autumn candy mix, you can buy candy corn and pumpkins separately.

Storage

To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can This Recipe Be Doubled?

Yes, you can easily double this recipe. Just make sure you have a large enough bowl to mix the ingredients. You may also have to work in batches when coating the cereal.

Can I Make Muddy Buddies In Advance?

This is a great recipe to make ahead, especially during busy party prep! If stored properly, your snack mix will stay fresh for 5-7 days.

Is Puppy Chow The Same As Muddy Buddies?

Muddy Buddies are often called puppy chow because it looks very similar to dog food. Did you know that Chex was originally made by Ralston Purina, the maker of Purina dog food? According to Wikipedia, this sweet and savory treat has many names, like monkey munch, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag.

Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies in a white bowl

Other Easy Chex Mix Recipes

5 from 4 votes