This Valentines puppy chow is a deliciously sweet pink snack mix to make for Valentine’s Day! With Chex cereal, melting chocolate, and festive mix-ins, this puppy chow mix is sure to satisfy your love’s sweet tooth!

Okay, I feel obligated to start off this post with a disclaimer… This pretty pink puppy chow is totally addictive! And it should come with a warning label that reads something like “May cause those skinny jeans to fit a little tighter”.
In fact, when we were recipe testing this Valentine puppy chow, I immediately had to bring bags full of the sweet chocolate covered Chex mix snack to my neighbors just to physically remove it from my kitchen. And then, of course, I ended up making another batch because my daughters requested it for their “Galentine’s Party” – along with some of these Valentine’s Day cookies!
With the festive pink color and the mini conversation hearts (my favorite seasonal candy for the month of February!), this puppy chow is the perfect Valentine treat for your kids, friends, neighbors, teachers, or just to share with your sweetheart while you’re cuddled up in the bed for movie night.
Ingredients for Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow
There are so many different mix-ins that you can add to your Cupid’s Puppy Chow snack mix, but I recommend keeping with the red, white, and pink color theme. Here are the ingredients we used for our Valentine’s Day snack mix and some suggestions for other yummy treats to mix in:
- rice Chex cereal – This is the most common cereal choice for making chocolate-covered, powder sugar-dusted puppy chow. I’ve made puppy chow with all of the Chex cereal varieties, and I definitely recommend the rice Chex for this recipe.
- white and pink melting chocolate wafers – The melting wafers work much better for sweet treats like this versus chocolate chips, because they melt smoothly and are less likely to clump up. You can find the colored melting wafers at most craft stores and big box stores like Walmart.
- powdered sugar
- mini conversation hearts – These are a festive Valentine candy to add to the mix.
- M&M’s – Look for the special edition Valentine’s Day M&M’s that include red, pink, and white candies to go with the pink puppy chow theme.
- Valentine’s Day sprinkles
- other pink or red mix-ins – Feel free to add in other candies or cereal that fit with the red and pink theme. Ideas include Red Hots, mini pretzels, Cheerios, mini marshmallows, etc.
How to Make Pink Puppy Chow for Valentine’s Day
This festive pink puppy chow recipe is super easy to make for Valentine’s Day – even my youngest daughter loves helping to whip up this fun treat with me! The full instructions are included in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1: Melt the candy melts – Add the pink and white candy melts to separate microwave-safe bowls and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth and melted.
Step 2: Add the melted chocolate to the Rice Chex – Add the melted pink chocolate to a bowl with half of the Rice Chex, and mix well so that each piece of cereal is covered. Repeat for the white chocolate and the remaining Rice Chex.
Step 3: Add powdered sugar – Add the powdered sugar to each bowl with the chocolate-coated cereal. Mix until all of the cereal pieces are covered.
Step 4: Add the mix-ins – Spread the puppy chow out in an even layer on a sheet tray. Add the Valentine’s candy like M&M’s, conversation hearts, or Red Hots on top. Then sprinkle with the Valentine’s Day sprinkles.
Step 5: Allow the candy melts to set – Let the candy coating set for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Then transfer the puppy chow to Valentine’s treat tags or a large zip top bag for storage.
Recipe Tips:
- Make sure your Rice Chex cereal is fresh and not stale. Stale cereal can become soggy when coated and won’t have the same crunch.
- If the candy melts feel too thick or sticky when coating the cereal, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the melted candy to thin it out. This helps the candy melts coat the cereal more easily and evenly.
- While the recipe includes M&M’s, sprinkles, and candy hearts, feel free to add more fun mix-ins such as mini marshmallows, heart shaped candies, or nuts for added texture and flavor.
- Store leftover Puppy Chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. This will help keep it fresh and crunchy. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
I hope you enjoyed this easy Valentine’s Day dessert idea! And be sure to PIN this post to Pinterest to save for later. This is a GREAT way to support us!
Valentine’s Day Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Chex cereal divided
- ¾ cup white candy melts (I used Wilton)
- ¾ cup pink candy melts (I used Wilton)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar divided
- 1 cup Valentine’s M&M’s
- 2 tablespoons Valentine’s sprinkles
- 2 tablespoons candy hearts using white, pink and purple
Instructions
- Microwave white and pink candy melts in separate microwave safe bowls in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth and fully melted.
- Divide 3 cups of cereal into two medium sized bowls. Pour the melted white candy over one bowl and the melted pink candy over the other bowl. Gently stir each bowl to coat all of the pieces.
- Add the powdered sugar to the coated cereal in the bowls and gently toss with a spatula or spoon until all pieces are evenly coated. Alternatively, you can transfer the coated cereal to a large resealable plastic bag, add the powdered sugar, seal it tightly, and shake vigorously until evenly coated.
- After the cereal is coated, spread it out onto a large baking sheet or a clean surface lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the Valentine's M&M's, sprinkles, and candy hearts on top of the Puppy Chow.
- Let the mix rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature to allow the candy coating to set and harden. Once fully set, serve in bowls or snack bags.
Notes
- Fresh Cereal: Make sure your Rice Chex cereal is fresh and not stale. Stale cereal can become soggy when coated and won’t have the same crunch.
- Fun Mix-Ins: While the recipe includes M&M’s, sprinkles, and candy hearts, feel free to add more fun mix-ins such as mini marshmallows, heart shaped candies, or nuts for added texture and flavor.
- Storage: Store leftover Puppy Chow in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. This will help keep it fresh and crunchy. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
- Gift Ideas: For a more festive touch, serve the Puppy Chow in decorative bowls or treat bags. It makes a great gift for Valentine’s Day or a fun snack for a party!
- Working with Candy Melts: If the candy melts feel too thick or sticky when coating the cereal, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the melted candy to thin it out. This helps the candy melts coat the cereal more easily and evenly.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Different online calculators may calculate nutritional information differently. Also, the addition of optional ingredients and varying brands and products may change the information. For the most accurate data, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients that you use.
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