Hot Chocolate Snack Mix is made with Chex cereal, hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, and graham crackers! A fun variation on the traditional muddy buddies recipe.
Hot Chocolate Snack Mix is a recipe I found on the back of a bag of marshmallows years ago, and it has become one of our favorite treats year round! This snack mix is easy to make and it really does taste just like hot chocolate – it’s the perfect fall/winter (or anytime!) snack. The recipe makes a pretty large batch so it is fantastic to make for a party or to divide up and give to neighbors and friends around the holidays.
What is Hot Chocolate Snack Mix?
By now you’ve no doubt heard of puppy chow/Muddy Buddies or similar cereal mix recipes. This recipe is pretty similar to those in that it uses a chocolate mixture to combine Rice Chex Cereal and then has a dusting of powdered sugar at the end. The biggest difference is that these ingredients are meant to give you a crunchy snack mix that tastes exactly like your favorite cup of cocoa!
HOT CHOCOLATE SNACK MIX AS A GIFT
My favorite way to gift this delicious chex mix recipe is to put it in cellophane bags like these. These work great for teacher Christmas gifts too, who doesn’t love an edible gift? You can easily make 10-20 generously portioned gift bags out of just one batch. This recipe is super easy, ridiculously inexpensive and everyone loves this delightful snack mix.
Hot Chocolate Snack Mix Ingredients
Chex cereal: Rice Chex cereal or another variety will work, but plain flavored is best because it doesn’t cover up the flavors we’re adding to this recipe.
Marshmallows: We want mini marshmallows for this snack mix, after all- what’s hot chocolate without marshmallows?
Graham crackers: You can break up graham crackers into small pieces or switch them out for golden graham cereal depending on your preferences.
Hot chocolate mix: Yes, that instant packet of hot cocoa (the one where you just add milk or water). You can use any flavor you want if you want to change it up a little bit!
Hot water: Not much is needed, it’s mostly to help make a paste with the cocoa mix to help coat the cereal pieces.
Butter: Salted or unsalted is up to you, but this butter will help to make the snack mix taste deliciously rich and savory.
Semi sweet chocolate chips: Because we need multiple forms of chocolate in this recipe to really make it stand out and taste amazing.
Cinnamon: Adding a depth of comforting nutty flavor to the recipe.
Powdered sugar: This will coat the cereal in the end so it gives you an instant burst of sweetness when you go to eat it.
Baking cocoa: Mixed with the powdered sugar coating this is going to give it a chocolate flavor you can recognize right off of the bat plus it adds a nice brown color to the cereal snack mix.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Snack Mix
In a large bowl, combine the Rice Chex, marshmallows, and graham crackers and mix them together.
In a different microwave safe bowl combine 1 tablespoon of hot chocolate mix with water until the mix is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, butter and cinnamon.
Microwave for 1 minute and then stir. Continue microwaving in 20 seconds intervals, stirring well between each until smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir well to coat.
In a different bowl, combine the powdered sugar, remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa mix and the baking cocoa. Once well mixed, pour it over the wet cereal mixture and toss to coat well.
Lay the cereal out in a single layer on a piece of wax paper and then let the cereal cool.
Keep stored in an airtight container.
HOT CHOCOLATE SNACK MIX
Ingredients
- 8 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 16 ounce bag miniature marshmallows
- 2 cups mini graham crackers I just used Golden Grahams cereal, but you could probably break up graham crackers into small pieces instead
- 5 Tbsp instant hot chocolate mix divided
- 1 tsp hot water
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup baking cocoa
Instructions
- Combine Rice Chex, marshmallows and graham crackers/cereal in a large bowl and mix together.
- In a different microwave-safe bowl, stir 1 Tbsp of the hot chocolate mix with the water until the mix is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, butter and cinnamon.
- Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Continue microwaving in 20 second intervals until mixture is melted and smooth. Pour the mixture over the cereal and stir until well coated.
- In a different bowl, combine the powdered sugar, the remaining 4 Tbsp of hot cocoa mix and the baking cocoa. Once this has been well mixed, pour the dry ingredients over the chocolate-coated cereal and stir until the cereal is well coated.
- Spread in a single layer on waxed paper to cool and then store in an airtight container.
- Enjoy!
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Is Hot Chocolate Snack Mix Gluten Free?
This recipe as is can be made gluten free by choosing to use a gluten free graham cracker in the mix, or omitting that portion completely. Chex cereal makes several gluten free varieties, just keep an eye out for cross contamination or allergy warnings on other ingredients and you’ll be fine.
How Long is Hot Chocolate Snack Mix Good For?
This snack mix can be good for anywhere between 3-7 days depending on how well you keep it stored. Because the cereal gets wet, you can imagine that it ends up a little chewy and stale the older it becomes, but the flavors are still delicious.
Would Peppermint Candies be Good in This Snack Mix?
Adding crushed peppermint candies is a great idea to help get the full winter hot cocoa experience in the snack mix, but adding peppermint chips (found in the baking aisle) could be a better idea. They’re softer and will not be as big of a crunch in every bite so they blend in more smoothly with the current recipe results and taste like they belonged there from the beginning. You can also use a peppermint flavored hot cocoa mix if you’d like.
If you love this Hot Chocolate Snack Mix, you’ll also love these other fun holiday recipes!
- Homemade Peppermint Patties
- Chocolate Caramel Bars
- Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
- Easy Cracker Toffee
- Tiger Butter Fudge
- Holiday Cookie Salad
- Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Gooey Holiday Chex Mix
- M&M Christmas Cookie Bars
- Cranberry Cake
- Christmas Candy Puffcorn
- Peppermint Ice Cream Cake Roll
- Festive Vegetable Trays
- Christmas Bark
- Christmas Cream Sodas
Hot Chocolate Snack Mix is made with Chex cereal, hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, and graham crackers! A fun variation on the traditional muddy buddies recipe.
KAL DELLROY OH says
I have a commercial cappuccino machine that I can put the hot chocolate mix in and what I think I am going to try, is using the Hot Cocoa mix with this recipe. I am sure I'll have to tweek it so it doesn't turn out "sickly" sweet, but I bet it will be good. Will let you know how it turns out! Can't wait.
Angie Church says
what a delicious tasty treat, perfect for those cold nights by the fire pit<br />come see us at htttp://shopannies.blogspot.com
april kartchner says
This snack mix is sooooo good! I found myself going back and getting more way too many times. The cinnamon gives it a great flavor.
April Kartchner says
This is a holiday favorite! We make it every year. So delicious!
Alison says
Thanks April! It is one of our favorites for the holidays too!