Red Velvet Puppy Chow
Classic puppy chow gets a makeover with decadent red velvet and colorful M&M’s. This red velvet puppy chow is perfect for everyday snacking or a festive gift.
This post contains affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy.
Table of Contents
- About Red Velvet Puppy Chow
- But wait, what is puppy chow?
- What are the other names for puppy chow?
- What can you add to puppy chow?
- Do you need to bake the red velvet cake mix?
- Can you use out of date Cake Mix?
- Notes & tips for this red velvet cake batter puppy chow
- More great puppy chow recipes
- Other lovely red velvet recipes
- How to make red velvet puppy chow
- Recipe Details
About Red Velvet Puppy Chow
Oh, puppy chow. You never fail to cure a sweet craving, and you come in so many festive flavors.
For the regulars of this little food blog, you’ll know that this red velvet puppy chow is the fifth muddy buddy recipe I’ve shared, and between you and me, this flavor is easily in my top two.
Because, red velvet. And chocolate. And M&M’s.
Need I say more?
If you’re a fan of red velvet or puppy chow, I highly encourage you to give this delicious variation a shot for your next movie night or for a delicious gift!
But wait, what is puppy chow?
Despite the funny-sounding name, this recipe isn’t for the dogs – it’s for anyone who loves a sweet and crunchy treat with the slightest hint of salt.
Ultimately, “puppy chow” refers to any recipe made with Chex cereal that’s been coated in various sweet candies and sugars. It has roots in the central US and gets its name for resembling puppy chow – just for humans.
And no matter what flavor of puppy chow you’re making, you’ll ultimately have three types of ingredients:
- Chex cereal
- Something that’s tacky, like melted chocolate.
- Something that’s powdery, like sugar or dry cake mix.
And as far as instructions, you’ll usually follow the same three steps:
- Coat the Chex cereal with the tacky ingredients.
- Toss the coated Chex cereal in the dry ingredients.
- Let finished puppy chow cool and harden.
What are the other names for puppy chow?
Depending on where you’re from, you might have learned to call this sweet-and-crunchy treat by another name. Here are some of the most popular:
- Monkey Munch
- Muddy Buddies
- Muddy Munch
- Reindeer Chow
What can you add to puppy chow?
Puppy chow is always good by itself, but sometimes it’s fun to jazz it up with some other candy. Here are a few of my favorites:
- M&M’s, any flavor
- Whoopers
- Hershey bars, chopped up
- Reese’s Pieces
- Sprinkles, any type
Do you need to bake the red velvet cake mix?
Although it’s rare to become ill from consuming flour, it is considered a raw ingredient, so for proper food safety, the red velvet cake mix should be cooked before consumption because it includes flour.
To bake the red velvet cake mix: Spread the cake mix out on a baking sheet and bake it for five minutes at 350 degrees F.
Can you use out of date Cake Mix?
If you’re anything like me, recipes like this strike you on days when you don’t want to leave the house and you’re raiding your cabinets for options. And, inevitably, you’re going to run across something that looks fine but has a date that’s long since passed.
So, when it comes to expired cake mix, what do you do? Can you use it or not?
First off, make sure that the cake mix has been properly stored. This means that it’s been in a cool, dry place, and that either the seal is still intact or that it’s been stored in a sealed container since it was opened.
Once you confirm the storage, check the date printed on the package. Cake mix is typically good four to five months beyond the “best by” date.
If you have a product that’s older than this, I would not recommend using it for something like puppy chow. If you’d like to read more about the concerns of expired cake mix, check out this article.
Notes & tips for this red velvet cake batter puppy chow
- When making this recipe, you’ll need a big mixing bowl so you have enough room to maneuver and stir. I own a 13 quart mixing bowl for this very reason.
- Many recipes for puppy chow call for vanilla extract, but I didn’t feel it was needed in this case; the red velvet and cream cheese hold the flavor up pretty well. That being said, if you’d still like to add vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon should be plenty.
- This recipe uses a combination of white and semi-sweet chocolate. However, you could substitute an equal portion of either all white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate if you’d like.
More great puppy chow recipes
Other lovely red velvet recipes
How to make red velvet puppy chow
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate per package instructions, then mix until smooth.
Step 2 – Add the cream cheese and milk, then mix well.
Step 3 – In a 13 quart mixing bowl, pour the melted chocolate over the Chex cereal. Use a spatula to gently toss to coat the cereal in chocolate.
Step 4 – In a ZipLoc bag, add the red velvet cake mix and powdered sugar, then gently shake the bag to mix them together.
Step 5 – Working in batches, scoop in a portion of the coated Chex cereal, seal the bag, then shake to coat the cereal in red velvet mixture. Repeat this step until all the puppy chow is coated.
Step 6 – Spread the puppy chow out on a flat surface (like a baking sheet) and allow it to cool, dry, and set. If desired, add festive candies or sprinkles.
Step 7 – Serve and enjoy!
Red Velvet Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon milk
- candy or sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Food Safety Step: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread red velvet cake mix out on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Allow cake mix to cool completely before using.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue to heat in the microwave for 30-second intervals until chocolate is soft. Using a whisk or a fork, stir chocolates together until smooth.
- Add cream cheese and milk to chocolate, then whisk thoroughly, making sure that cream cheese is completely incorporated into the chocolate.
- Add Chex cereal to a 13 quart mixing bowl. Pour chocolate mixture on top and gently stir with a spatula until all Chex cereal is coated. Set bowl aside.
- Set a baking sheet nearby and cover with parchment paper.
- Add dry red velvet cake mix and powdered sugar to a Ziploc bag (gallon sized), then shake bag to combine the sugar and cake mix together.
- Working in batches (about 2-4 cups at a time), add the coated Chex cereal to the bag with the red velvet cake mixture, seal or twist the top of the bag closed, and then shake the bag until the Chex cereal is coated with the red velvet cake mixture. Remove finished red velvet puppy chow and spread out on prepared baking sheet. Repeat step until all the puppy chow is made. When finished, discard plastic bag and any dry red velvet cake mixture that remains inside.
- Let red velvet puppy chow cool completely before eating. If desired, add candy or sprinkles to puppy chow to make it more festive. Once cooled, transfer to a sealed container and store for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
