Hot Cocoa Muddy Buddies

Cold weather calls for cozy treats, and these Hot Cocoa Muddy Buddies bring all the comfort of a steaming mug in snackable form.

The combination of crunchy cereal, rich chocolate, and fluffy marshmallow powder creates something that’s hard to stop eating. Each handful delivers that perfect sweet-and-salty balance that makes muddy buddies so addictive.

This recipe comes together in about 15 minutes with just a handful of ingredients. No baking required—just melt, toss, and coat.

The mini marshmallows scattered throughout add little pockets of chewy sweetness. They’re the kind of detail that makes people ask for the recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s incredibly easy. If you can melt chocolate and shake a bag, you can make this recipe. There’s no tricky technique or special equipment needed.

It feeds a crowd. This batch makes enough to fill a large bowl at your next gathering, or to package up as gifts during the holidays.

Kids can help. The shaking and mixing steps are perfect for little hands. It’s a fun weekend activity that results in something everyone actually wants to eat.

It stays fresh for days. Store it in an airtight container and you’ll have a ready-to-grab snack all week long.

The flavor is spot-on. It genuinely tastes like hot chocolate in crunchy form, not just chocolate-covered cereal.

Ingredients

• 6 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup powdered marshmallow drink mix (like hot cocoa mix with marshmallow bits, or marshmallow-flavored powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

Prepare your workspace. Pour the Chex cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate mixture. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and milk. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth (about 1-2 minutes total). Stir in the vanilla extract.

Coat the cereal. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the Chex cereal. Gently fold with a spatula until every piece is coated.

Mix the coating. In a large resealable plastic bag (gallon-size works best), combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, marshmallow powder, and salt. Shake to mix thoroughly.

Shake it up. Add the chocolate-coated cereal to the bag. Seal it tightly and shake vigorously until all pieces are completely covered in the powder mixture.

Add the marshmallows. Spread the coated cereal onto your prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then gently mix in the mini marshmallows.

Let it set. Allow the muddy buddies to cool completely before storing, about 15-20 minutes.

Store properly. Transfer to an airtight container. This will stay fresh at room temperature for up to one week.

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