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I found this mint chocolate muddy buddy mix by chance when my sister needed something green for her work's St. Patrick's Day party. Between you and me, I was getting tired of making the usual green cupcakes with those shamrock decorations on top. This turned out AMAZING - once the Chex gets that chocolate-mint coating, folks just can't keep their hands off it.
When I tested this recipe, my boy had his video game friends over. Those hungry teens wiped out the WHOLE BATCH in about 15 minutes flat. One of them even followed me to the kitchen asking if I made more. When teenage boys love your food that much, you know you've hit gold.
Basic Ingredients
- Chex cereal - Both rice and corn versions work fine, though I lean toward rice for this treat
- Chocolate chips - Semi-sweet is my go-to but feel free to use milk chocolate if you prefer
- Green candy melts - Look for these in craft shops or your grocery's baking section - they're colored chocolate discs
- Powdered sugar - This creates that classic muddy buddy outer layer, so it's a must-have
- Mix-ins - Adding Andes mints and mint M&Ms brings extra mint flavor and festive colors
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Making Your Muddy Mix
- Chocolate Melting
- Take your time when melting chocolate! I ruined a whole batch once by rushing and ended up with a grainy disaster. I always microwave in short bursts as the directions say, and I stir constantly even when nothing seems melted yet. My grandma taught me to add a tiny bit of shortening to the chips before heating. It helps them coat the cereal much more smoothly. Some folks use coconut oil instead, but I sometimes notice its taste in the finished snack.
- Candy Melt Handling
- Those green melts can be tricky to work with. Your bowl must be completely dry before starting - just a tiny water droplet will turn them into a gritty mess. I learned this the hard way when I accidentally splashed water and had to throw everything out. These melts typically end up thicker than regular chocolate, so I usually mix in some shortening here too. The bright green looks fantastic against the brown chocolate when it's all mixed up.
- Coating Strategy
- I've tried coating in both a bowl and a bag, and trust me - bags work way better. Something about shaking gets every piece perfectly covered without breaking the cereal. Just don't stuff too much in your bag! I did that once and ended up with powdered sugar all over my kitchen. For a full batch, split it between two bags as suggested. And double-check those bag seals before shaking!
- Mix-in Distribution
- I chop the Andes mints into smaller pieces first because whole ones tend to sink to the bottom. The M&Ms spread out pretty well on their own. I noticed that adding candies while everything's still slightly warm helps them stick to the cereal pieces instead of collecting at the bottom. My kids always try to pick out all the M&Ms if I don't do this, and it bugs me so much.
- Cooling Process
- That quick chill in the fridge really matters - it helps everything set properly. But don't forget it's in there or it'll get too hard. I once left mine for about an hour and the texture was completely off. After the 10 minutes of cooling, I spread it on waxed paper briefly before storing it. This stops any moisture from making it soggy.
- Storage Solutions
- This snack stays fresh in an airtight container, though it rarely lasts more than a day or two at my house. My husband grabs handfuls whenever he walks by the kitchen. For my sister's work event, I put portions in clear treat bags tied with green ribbons, and her coworkers thought they looked fancy. If it starts getting sticky after storage, just add another spoonful of powdered sugar and give it another shake.
My husband always claims he "doesn't care for sweets," yet I caught him eating this straight from the container while standing in front of our open fridge at midnight. He had powdered sugar all around his mouth. There's just something about mint and chocolate together that nobody can resist.
Tasty Companions
We often have this during our family movie nights, sometimes thrown in with popcorn which sounds strange but tastes fantastic. When friends come over, I serve it alongside coffee or hot cocoa, and it vanishes quickly. Last Christmas I filled small jars with it as gifts for neighbors, and the lady next door messaged me late that night saying they'd finished the entire jar in one sitting and wanted to know how to make it.
Fun Twists
You can easily swap out the candy melts for different colors depending on what you're celebrating - try orange for Halloween or red for Valentine's Day. I've also used seasonal M&Ms to match various holidays. Once I tossed in some broken pretzels for a sweet-salty combo, and that worked really well. My sister adds a bit of peppermint extract to her chocolate for stronger mint flavor, but I find the Andes and M&Ms give plenty of mintiness already.
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I've brought this mint muddy buddy mix to classroom events, board game nights, and holiday get-togethers, and it's always the first treat to run out. There's just something about that mix of crunchiness with chocolate and mint that keeps everyone coming back for more. After our class party, my daughter's teacher asked me for my recipe and told me it was the tastiest muddy buddy variation she'd ever had. I'm not gonna fib - that comment made me feel pretty proud for several days afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I try this with other cereals?
- Totally! Chex is the usual pick (Rice or Corn Chex work best), but you can get creative with Crispy Hexagons, Cheerios, or Crispix. Just make sure it’s a cereal that holds toppings well!
- → What if I can’t find green candy melts?
- White chocolate chips with green food coloring do the job (oil-based colors work better for chocolate). Or go for Andes mint chocolate chips and skip the green color.
- → How long does this stay good?
- If you keep it airtight at room temperature, it’ll stay tasty for 1-2 weeks. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or pop it in the freezer for 3 months. Cold pieces straight from the freezer are surprisingly amazing!
- → Can I adjust this for other holidays?
- Definitely! Switch up the candy melts and decorations. Think red and green for Christmas, pink or red for Valentine’s, or pastels for Easter. There’s a mix for every occasion!
- → Why’s my chocolate going stiff when I melt it?
- That usually happens if it gets overheated or touches water. Keep your gear dry and melt in short 15-second bursts in the microwave, stirring each time. If it seizes, stir in a teaspoon of vegetable oil to help smooth it back out.