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Sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies are a delicious and addicting mix of Chex covered in white chocolate and strawberry-flavored cake mix. Mix in some chocolate candies and it’s the perfect red and pink treat for Valentine’s Day!
I am a huge fan of snack desserts. The kind where you take a little handful or slice and keep coming back for more. By the time you are done snacking, you’ve eaten WAY more than you meant to, but that’s the best part! I love making a treat that is that craveable that it has everyone sneaking back for seconds and thirds. If you love snack desserts too, you’ve got to try this Ooey Gooey Chex Mix, this super tasty Chocolate Covered Pretzels, and this amazing Homemade Caramel Corn.
Sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies
Such a fun way to celebrate a sweet and simple holiday in February! We love Valentine’s Day and showing extra love to our friends and family. This is the perfect recipe to make with kids, and it’s a great one to share at school parties. It is a spin on the original muddy buddies and I think you might even like it more! It is coated in white chocolate and has a strawberry flavor from the cake mix. They are a sweet and perfectly themed treat.
This is the ultimate snack food for Valentine’s day! It’s a really simple homemade treat, and would look great in a bowl on your valentines charcuterie board or chocolate board. While you are at it, you can buy two boxes of strawberry cake mix and make these strawberry cake mix cookies! They are perfect for Valentine’s, and nothing says I love you like homemade sweets. These sweetheart Valentine’s buddies are a great quick and easy recipe to celebrate the holiday.
Ingredients
These sweetheart Valentine’s buddies are super simple to make! It’s pretty much the same ingredients as muddy buddies, but you use white chocolate instead so you get a really nice white and red color scheme. Aside from being totally adorable, they are also completely addicting! I have to give almost all of it away so I don’t end up eating it all myself! You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
- White Chocolate: You could use white almond bark instead.
- Red Candy Melts: I found them at Michael’s craft store.
- Shortening: This will help everything stick together just enough.
- Chex Cereal: Either the corn or rice Chex mix is best.
- Strawberry Cake Mix: Any brand works for this cake mix. It is so fun to add this pop of flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Adds some extra sweetness.
- Valentine’s Chocolate M&M’s: They are the perfect color and add really nice texture and flavor.
Sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies Recipe
These sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies are so simple to make! The main difference between the original recipe is you will divide your Chex into two bowls so you can color some red. This makes the mix more colorful and festive. I like to melt my chocolate in the microwave because it is quick and easy. You could also do it in a double boiler if you wanted to.
- Divide the Chex Mix: Start by dividing the chex mix into two bowls. (2 1/2 cup in each)
- Microwave Candy: In microwave safe dish, melt the 5 ounces white almond bark or white chocolate chips. Then add 1/2 teaspoon shortening so that the almond bark will spread evenly. Microwave 30 seconds at a time and be careful not to burn the almond bark. Then dump this in the first bowl of chex and mix evenly to coat all of the chex cereal.
- Pour Melted Chocolate Over Chex: Melt the red candy melts next also checking and stirring the candy melts 30 seconds at a time. Once this is melted, pour this over the second bowl of divided chex and mix until coated.
- Coat With Powder Sugar: In two gallon size ziplock bags, put 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in each bag. Dump each bowl of chex mix in each bag and shake until coated with the powdered sugar and strawberry powdered cake mix.
Tips for Making Sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies
This sweetheart Valentine’s buddies can be made in so many different ways. You definitely don’t have to stick to my recipe, you can switch things up! here are some ways to make it your own.
- Candy: Chocolate chips, white, dark and milk are fun to throw into the mix. Even flavored M&M’s or filled ones add a great crunchy texture. Change out the candy with holiday special treats or add in more fun candy to make this a real hit.
- Nuts: Peanuts are a great salty addition. Almonds would be delicious too!
- Chex Mix: Rice and corn are always a popular choice in picking your Chex cereal out. Try vanilla or even chocolate Chex mix cereal for another variety.
- Candy Melts: Make this special snack throughout the year for various holidays by changing the candy melt colors according to your holiday you are celebrating.
Storing Leftovers
Sweetheart Valentine’s buddies are seriously the best treat to make for the holiday because it stores really well! You can make this well ahead of time and package them in cute little bags for any party. Here is how to store leftovers.
- On the Counter: Store your candy in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- In the Refrigerator: To keep them extra crisp and fresh, you can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a month.
- In the Freezer: Freeze your treat in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.
More Valentine's Desserts
When love is in the air, I want desserts in my tummy! Homemade treats are a must around Valentine’s day in my house, everyone knows it’s the best way to make me happy. I love all things Valentine’s and these recipes are tried and true. You are going to love them all!
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Sweetheart Valentine’s Buddies
Ingredients
- 5 ounces white almond bark or white chocolate chocolate chips
- 5 ounces red candy melts I found them at Michael’s craft store
- 1 teaspoon shortening
- 5 cups Chex cereal, divided
- 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1/2 package valentines chocolate M&M’s
Instructions
- Start by dividing the chex mix into two bowls. (2 1/2 cup in each)
- In microwave safe dish, melt the 5 ounces white almond bark or white chocolate chips. Add 1/2 teaspoon shortening so that the almond bark will spread evenly. Microwave 30 seconds at a time and be careful not to burn the almond bark. Dump this in the first bowl of chex and mix evenly to coat all of the chex cereal.
- Melt the red candy melts next also checking and stirring the candy melts 30 seconds at a time. Once this is melted, pour this over the second bowl of divided chex and mix until coated.
- In two gallon size ziplock bags, put 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in each bag. Dump each bowl of chex mix in each bag and shake until coated with the powdered sugar and strawberry powdered cake mix.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello dear! Question. The list of ingredients says 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix, divided but the instructions say to add 1/2 cup cake mix. So…. Did you mean 1/4 cup along with the powdered sugar? Thanks sweetie!
This is absolutely an amazing recipe. I made one batch for a couple family members to try and next thing I knew I was making it non stop and couldn’t keep up with all the people asking for more and more lol. Thank you so much for the wonderful idea.
Thank you for the recipe! I brought this to a “Galentine’s” Day party for me and my girls. I loved the idea of mixing it in strawberry cake mix. I never would have thought of that!
I made a few modifications: I used regular chocolate on half of the Chex mix instead of the white chocolate. On other half of the Chex mix I used a few drops of red food coloring with white chocolate instead of the red candy melts. It produced a pretty pink color. It still turned out pretty and yummy with these modifications.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I like the style of your website. Being able to see lots of different food ideas without clicking lots of times is great.
These Valentine Chex Buddies and the variations look great.
Thanks
Do I need to use shortening with all of the candy? Or just the almond bark if I go with that?
Yes, it is needed and used in the almond bark but it does not hurt to add to other candy melts as well.
I have not made these yet (or ever for that matter) and need some guidance, please. I live in the desert where things like chips and cereals stay crisp. I would like to make these for my granddaughter who lives in Portland. I’m afraid they will get soggy after arriving in that damp climate. Do you think they will stay crisp if I vacuum seal them in small sized bags so that only small portions would be opened? Or, are they naturally soft with the bark component and would just get worse after arriving in Portland? If anyone has a suggestion, please help. Thanks so much!
It should stay crisp as long as it stays in a sealed, air-tight container.