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Prepare yourself for the best fall treat around- delicious pumpkin spice combined with one of the easiest treats on the planet – muddy buddies! The crunchy Chex Mix, chocolate, powdered sugar, and added cranberry and fall spices will make you want to finish the whole bowl.

Muddy buddies are one of my all-time favorite party snacks. They’re just SO GOOD and beyond easy to make! Everybody loves them, and there are so many different variations! Try these cookies and cream muddy buddies, Twix muddy buddies, or peppermint buddies next!

Pumpkin spice muddy buddies inside of a pumpkin-shaped jar.

Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies

I seriously think I just found the BEST fall snack ever invented. I’m obsessed with classic muddy buddies (puppy chow), but adding pumpkin spice takes these treats to a whole other level. I mean, pumpkin spice is the best part of fall, so why not add it to all of your favorite treats and desserts? You’ve got to make these pumpkin spice muddy buddies and join me in my new addiction. You won’t regret it!

They are SO easy to make but so yummy! It’s the perfect last-minute addition to any fall party. The flavors of Cinnamon Chex Mix, white chocolate, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice are going to have everyone coming back for more. A bowl of pumpkin spice buddies never lasts long. Once you try it for yourself, you’ll see why!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Easily the best part of pumpkin spice buddies is the fact that it only needs a handful of ingredients to whip up. Muddy buddies are also great for mixing other candies and treats into. I’ve listed some ideas below to get you started!

  • Chex® Cereal: I used cinnamon Chex cereal for a little extra warm spice.
  • White Chocolate Chips: I LOVE the pairing of white chocolate and pumpkin pie spice, but feel free to switch these out for milk or dark chocolate chips!
  • Dried Cranberries: I love the texture that dried cranberries add to this treat. They’re also a great addition because they have a tasty, tart flavor!
  • Pumpkin Seeds: I used roasted and salted! I love the extra crunch they add.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can use premade pumpkin pie spice or make your own blend using a few pantry staples! You can find my full recipe here.
  • Powdered Sugar: Dusted on top for a little extra sweetness!

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Buddies

You can make a batch of these in 15 minutes from start to finish! A delicious, chocolatey fall treat in a pinch? Yes, please! These are great for a quick treat for the kids or a flavorful addition to Halloween parties!

  1. Add Ingredients to Bowl: In a large bowl combine Cinnamon Chex Cereal, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.
  2. Melt Chocolate: In a double broiler or microwave carefully melt the white chocolate. Add the pumpkin pie spice until fully incorporated.
  3. Pour Over Cereal: Pour the white chocolate mix over the Chex cereal and fold it into the cereal, fruit, and seeds mixture until covered evenly.
  4. Top With Powdered Sugar: Divide the powdered sugar between 2 large bags. Add half of the cereal to each bag. Shake until the powdered sugar fully coats the cereal.
  5. Dry and Store: Lay on a baking sheet to dry. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
4-photo collage of Chex Mix, chocolate, pumpkin spice, nuts, cranberries, and powdered sugar being tossed together in a Ziploc bag.

Tasty Additions

Muddy buddies are great because you can add in so many different mix-ins! Here are a few of my favorites.

  • More Mix-Ins: A few more delicious additions to these pumpkin spice buddies are chopped pecans, walnuts, shredded coconut, pumpkin puree, M&Ms, and caramel sauce. Feel free to mix and match!

How Long Do Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies Last?

The great thing about pumpkin spice buddies is you can keep them at room temperatures and snack on them throughout the week!

Closeup of pumpkin spice buddies in a pumpkin-shaped jar.

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Pumpkin Spice Buddies

By: Alyssa Rivers
Prepare yourself for the best fall treat around- delicious pumpkin spice combined with one of the easiest treats on the planet – muddy buddies! The crunchy Chex Mix, chocolate, powdered sugar, and added cranberry and fall spices will make you want to finish the whole bowl.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients 

  • 1 box 13.5 oz Cinnamon Chex® Cereal
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
  • 1 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar divided

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl combine Cinnamon Chex Cereal, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.
  • In a double broiler or microvave carefully melt the white choocolate. Add the pumpkin pie spice until fully incorporated.
  • Pour the white chocolate mix over the chex cereal and fold it into the cereal, fruit, and seeds until all are covered evenly.
  • Divide the powdered sugar between 2 large bags. Add half of the cereal to each bag. Shake until the powdered sugar fully coats the cereal.
  • Lay on a baking sheet to dry. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 33mgPotassium: 167mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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31 Comments

  1. This recipe did not work for me. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’ve made it 2 times in the past 2 days. I tried adding alittle butter to the chips to make them a bit more smooth. I did it in the microwave and then in a double broiler. HELP

    1. Is the chocolate clumping?? It means it is cooking the chocolate too long and at too high of a temperature.

      1. White chocolate chips don’t melt the same as regular ones. It helps to add a little fat to them. Vegetable oil works best for me – usually about a tablespoon per bag. Hope this helps.

    2. I was having the same problem when I was making them. What I did was over the stove top, I added some whole milk as needed. It turned out great! I also had to add some extra white chocolate chips because it wasn’t enough to cover the cereal.

    1. I added one just for you! 😀 Sorry since switching over to WordPress I have to update all of my old recipes with a print option. 🙂

  2. I love muddy buddies, I am sure these will be dangerous in my house! Thank you so much for linking up to Sunday’s Sweet Confessions over at mommy’s sweet confessions! Have a great day!