Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies are the ultimate holiday snack mix! They’re rich, chocolatey, and loaded with bits of chopped peppermint bark candies.
Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies
To me, nothing beats snuggling up in a cozy blanket, watching a cheesy Hallmark movie, and enjoying a festive snack like this Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies or Hot Chocolate Snack Mix.
This version of Muddy Buddies is based on my favorite holiday treat—peppermint bark! Made with Chex® cereal and real peppermint bark pieces, it’s a tasty mix of chocolate and peppermint in a fun snack.
Ingredients
- Chex cereal: Use Rice Chex or Chocolate Chex cereal.
- Peppermint Bark Candies: Make your own or grab some at the store.
- Candy Canes: Crush into a fine powder for even coating.
- Milk Chocolate Chips: Melt chocolate slowly in short bursts to avoid burning.
- Coconut Oil: Thins the chocolate, making it easier to coat the cereal evenly.
- Peppermint Extract: Use peppermint extract (not mint) and adjust to taste.
- Powdered Sugar: Shake in a large bag to cover all the cereal with it.
[quickip]Candy canes or hard peppermint candies are great for this recipe. For quick, even crushing, use a mini food processor or a small blender.[/quicktip]
How To Make Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies
- Ingredients: Measure cereal, crush candy canes, and chop peppermint bark.
- Melt Chocolate: Heat chocolate with oil and mix in peppermint flavoring.
- Cover Cereal: Pour chocolate over cereal and mix with crushed candy canes.
- Add Sugar: Put cereal in a bag with powdered sugar and shake until coated.
- Mix & Serve: Add peppermint bark, mix, and enjoy!
Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies Tips
- Use good chocolate chips for smoother melting and better flavor.
- Melt chocolate slowly in sturdy microwave-safe bowls.
- For less sweetness, use semi-sweet or dark chocolate. For richer flavor, swap Rice Chex for Chocolate Chex.
- Add holiday fun with M&Ms, sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips. Pack in cute tins or boxes for a great gift!
Storage
Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies Storage
- You can easily double this recipe or make a smaller batch if needed.
- Keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, but it’s best in 3–4 days.
- To freeze: Put leftovers in an airtight bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temp before eating.
More Peppermint Treats
- No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake with a cookie crust
- Peppermint Brownies topped with chocolate
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies with pecans
- Soft Peppermint Sugar Cookies with cream cheese frosting
- Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies made with a brownie mix
Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies
Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies are the ultimate holiday snack—crunchy, chocolatey, and loaded with bits of peppermint bark. Perfectly festive and totally irresistible!
Equipment
- Small blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Chex cereal or Chocolate Chex
- 1-1/2 cups peppermint bark candies coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup candy canes finely crushed, 7 candy canes
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract see note 1
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Measure out the cereal into a very large bowl and set aside. Unwrap and coarsely chop the peppermint bark candies.
- Unwrap candy canes and add to a powerful small blender or food processor. Pulse or chop until candy is very finely crushed into a powder. Set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the milk chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring between each burst for 15 seconds, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Once melted, stir in peppermint extract. Pour melted chocolate over the cereal. Add crushed peppermint on top. Gently stir to coat the cereal.
- Pour powdered sugar into a large (2-gallon) freezer bag. Pour the chocolate-coated cereal into the bag on top of the powdered sugar. Seal the bag (do not squeeze air out of the bag) and shake to coat the cereal in the sugar. Once the cereal is well coated, pour into a large bowl. Mix in the coarsely chopped peppermint bark candies.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Make sure to use peppermint extract, not mint. Mint extract will make this snack mix taste like toothpaste. The actual strength of the peppermint extract will also depend on the brand (some are more potent than others). I use 1/2 teaspoon of McCormick® peppermint extract, which I find to be the perfect amount. Increase to personal preference if you’d like mintier muddy buddies.
Nutrition Note: Nutritional information is for approximately 1-cup servings.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week; it’s best enjoyed within 3–4 days. You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 838kcal | Carbohydrates: 189g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1275mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 2629IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 525mg | Iron: 47mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you make this ahead? How many
days?
Totally! Just make it, let it fully cool then pop it in an airtight container/bag and freeze until the day before using!
Could i use peppermint oil instead of peppermint extract?
I’ve actually never tried peppermint oil! I’m not sure how it compares to extract, sorry!
Where do you find the peppermint bark?
These were really good! I tried these and your sugar cookie snack mix as gifts for Christmas. I must say I can’t rate them exactly as you made them cuz I didn’t have any peppermint extract or peppermint candies XD I just put in mint M&Ms instead of the peppermint. They tasted really good, but I didn’t coat with powdered sugar well enough and some clumped together. Oh well, it was good enough that I will likely make again for Christmas 2021!!! <3