Patriotic Red, White, and Blue Puppy Chow
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This patriotic puppy chow, also called red white and blue muddy buddies, is an easy no bake treat for the 4th of July, Memorial Day or any summer party. Made with red and blue candy coated Chex, powdered sugar and red, white and blue M&Ms, it’s sweet, crunchy and fun to grab by the handful.
Yummy Red, White and Blue Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies)
My teens love puppy chow, so this red, white and blue puppy chow is such a fun holiday twist on a classic snack mix. It has the same sweet, crunchy bite as my Crispix puppy chow, but this version skips the peanut butter and uses red and blue candy melts for bright patriotic color.
Finished with powdered sugar and red, white and blue M&Ms, it’s the kind of festive snack bowl that disappears fast between cookout burgers, fireworks and backyard games. It’s colorful, kid-friendly and made for grabbing by the handful!
If you love 4th of July themed treats, try my patriotic sugar cookies and 4th of July cheesecake cups, too.
Ingredient Notes
Find the full recipe with printable directions.
- Chex cereal: Rice Chex gives this patriotic puppy chow its light, crisp crunch.
- Red and blue candy melts: These create the festive color and replace the peanut butter and chocolate you would normally find in classic muddy buddies.
- Powdered sugar: This gives the coated cereal that classic puppy chow finish and keeps the pieces from sticking together.
- Red, white and blue M&Ms: Candy coated pieces add a fun crunch and make this patriotic mix look extra festive.
How to Make Patriotic Puppy Chow
Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper so the coated cereal has a place to dry. Add half of the Chex cereal to a mixing bowl, then melt the red candy melts slowly in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.
Pour the melted red candy over the cereal and gently stir until the pieces are coated. Be patient here, since stirring too quickly can break the cereal.
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While the coating is still wet, toss with powdered sugar until the pieces are coated and no longer sticky, then spread them on one side of the baking sheet.
Repeat the same process with the remaining Chex and blue candy melts, then spread the blue muddy buddies on the other side of the pan.
Let both colors dry for about 10 minutes so they stay crisp and do not clump together.
Once the red and blue puppy chow has set, add it to a serving bowl and gently toss with the red, white and blue M&Ms. Adding the candy at the end keeps the colors bright and prevents the M&Ms from melting into the warm coating.
Tips and Variations to Try
- Let the colors dry separately: Keep the red and blue puppy chow on opposite sides of the baking sheet while it sets. This helps the colors stay bright instead of smearing together.
- Add a white batch: For even more red, white and blue color, coat a portion of the cereal in white candy melts, then toss with powdered sugar just like the red and blue batches.
- Make part of it classic muddy buddies: For a peanut butter version, coat a portion of the Chex with melted white chocolate, peanut butter and a little butter, then toss with powdered sugar. This gives you some true muddy buddies flavor alongside the colorful candy melt pieces.
- Use gloves or a bag: Rubber gloves make it easy to gently toss the coated cereal with powdered sugar, but a large zip-top bag works too. Just shake gently so the cereal does not break.
- Add the M&Ms last: Wait until the coated cereal has cooled and dried before stirring in the M&Ms. This keeps the candy from melting and helps the colors stay crisp and festive.
Patriotic Red White and Blue Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 4 cups Rice Chex cereal , divided
- 1 cup red candy melts
- 1 cup blue candy melts
- 1 cup powdered sugar , divided
- 2/3 cup red, white and blue M&Ms
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place 2 cups of the Chex in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, place the red candy melts. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir the candy melts so they don’t burn.
- Once the candy melts are smooth when stirred, without lumps, drizzle them over the top of the Chex cereal and gently mix until the cereal is fully coated. Be patient or you’ll break all your cereal.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup powdered sugar over the red coated cereal while it’s still wet, and using rubber gloves, gently toss the cereal before adding another ¼ cup powdered sugar and tossing again so they’re nice and coated.
- Place the red muddy buddies on one side of the prepared baking sheet and roughly spread them to dry (this doesn’t have to be flat or perfect).
- Place remaining 2 cups of the Chex in another medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, place the blue candy melts. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir the candy melts so they don’t burn.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup powdered sugar over the blue coated cereal while it’s still wet, and using rubber gloves, gently toss the cereal before adding another ¼ cup powdered sugar and tossing again so they’re nice and coated.
- Place the blue muddy buddies on the other side of the prepared baking sheet and roughly spread them to dry. Rest for another 10 minutes.
- Place the muddy buddies in a serving bowl and toss in the M&M’s. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, for up to 1 week. Do not freeze or store in the fridge as moisture will ruin them.
- If you would like to skip the rubber gloves, you can mix it all in a large ziplock bag, but I found this method more cumbersome.
- If using the rubber gloves, dusting them with a bit of powdered sugar before diving in will make it much easier.
