Thanksgiving is over, so I am now in full-fledged Christmas mode! Put up the tree, bring out the lights, turn on a Hallmark movie, and sit a giant bowl of this Gingerbread Puppy Chow on my lap because I am fulling *nesting* for the holiday.And let’s face it, with our world still in partial lock-down mode, powdered sugar coated fingers are about the only thing keeping us off our phones for more than 5 minutes at a time… so consider this treat a public service to your social skills 😉
Gingerbread Puppy Chow is the sweet and salty snack mix I didn’t know I would be so obsessed with. Have you had the gingerbread Oreos yet?! Per usual, I was strolling the aisles of Target when they first caught my eye, and my life has been changed forever…they are EVERYTHING! At first bite, I immediately thought of cookie butter- which is basically what the cookie tastes like, with an incredible layer of cream sandwiched in between. Then my dessert-obsessed wheels started turning, and seeing as my Cookies and Cream Puppy Chow is an all-time crowd favorite, I wanted to remake it using this seasonal cookie as well!
As always, I love adding pretzels to my puppy chow, because they add the perfect bite of saltiness to the sweet chocolate and sugar coatings. I also love the raisins in this mix, as a nice change in texture, but feel free to swap with craisins for a festive pop of color or omit if you’re not a fan. And when it comes to candy additions, the possibilities are endless! I used some sugar cookie m&ms, but plain white chocolate chips would be great, or any red and green candy to add to the seasonal look. Perhaps the best part of puppy chow is that the ingredients don’t have to be measured exactly, so work with what you’ve got and make it your own! Any way you do it, this Gingerbread Puppy Chow is bound to be a crowd favorite this holiday season, making it the perfect snack to keep in the freezer and have ready whenever a sweet craving hits 😉
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Gingerbread Puppy Chow
No matter how old you are, you'll never outgrow puppy chow! The timeless treat gets a seasonal makeover with this Gingerbread Puppy Chow... guaranteed to be a fan-favorite this holiday season!
Ingredients
- 2 packages Gingerbread Oreos - I find mine at Target!
- 10-12 cups (~1 1/2 boxes) Cinnamon Chex
- 5 cups small pretzels - I love Synder's
- 2 cups raisins
- 4 cups white melting chocolate - I love Ghiradelli
- 1-14.1 ounce jar Cookie Butter - I use Trader Joe's brand
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- additional festive candies such as sugar cookie m&ms or white chocolate chips - as desired
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse an entire package of Gingerbread Oreos until crumb-like. Note: it can help if they're cold (refrigerated or frozen) so the cream doesn't "mush" the crumbs together too much- but it will work either way!Â
- Combine the Oreo crumbs with 3 cups of powdered sugar and set aside.
- Cut the remaining package of Oreos in to quarters or halves, and add to a large mixing bowl with the Chex, pretzels, and raisins.
- In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate and cookie butter together until melty and smooth. Note: I do mine in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring after each interval. The strength of your microwave and the type of chocolate you use will determine how many rounds you need to do.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mixture and very carefully (so you don't crush the cereal) stir to coat the cereal and pretzels. Quickly transfer to a large paper bag and add the crushed cookies and powdered sugar combo.
- Close the paper bag and shake to coat the cereal in the sugar and cookies.
- Pour the puppy chow out on to 2-parchment lined cookie sheets, spreading the mixture so it can "dry" in a flat layer. Sprinkle an additional cup of powdered sugar on top if needed to coat each piece of cereal. If adding more candy pieces, sprinkle on top now.
- Transfer to the freezer or the fridge to allow to cool completely. Once chilled, break up any large chunks and store in an airtight container or freezer zip-lock. I recommend storing in the freezer, as it tastes best cold! Enjoy!
