I made a gluten free Valentine Party Mix with real white chocolate (not candy melts!), dusted in pink powdered sugar and tossed with M&M candies, and it hides an unexpected twist you’ll want to know about.

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I never set out to make a Valentine showstopper, just wanted a quick, silly snack. I melt real white chocolate and let it get glossy, then picture it dusted in blushing pink and dotted with Valentine M&Ms so every handful feels like a little party.

It’s the kind of sweet and salty surprise people pass around at sleepovers and bake sales, and somehow it always becomes the hit on Valentines Day Party Treats tables or shows up on Class Valentine Party Snacks lists. Go on, try a bite; you’ll swear you made it on purpose.

Ingredients

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Rice cereal: crunchy carb base, little protein, sometimes fortifed with iron and fiber
White chocolate: creamy, ultra sweet, mostly sugar and cocoa butter, not real chocolate
Peanut butter: provides protein and healthy fats, salty-sweet, but calorie dense
Unsalted butter: adds richness and helps mixture coat cereal evenly
Vanilla extract: small splash of warm flavor, makes sweets taste rounder, and homey
Powdered sugar with pink gel: pure sweet coating and festive color, no nutrition though
M&Ms: candy-coated chocolate bits add crunch, color and more sugary sweetness
Sea salt: tiny pinch balances sweetness, makes flavors pop, dont overdo it

Ingredient Quantities

9 cups gluten free rice cereal, like Rice Chex (about one 12 oz box)

12 oz real white chocolate, chips or chopped, not candy melts

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temp

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) for coating

a few drops pink gel food coloring, to tint the powdered sugar

1 to 1 1/2 cups Valentine M&Ms (or plain M&Ms)

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional but helps balance the sweet

How to Make this

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1. Put 9 cups gluten free rice cereal into a very large bowl and set aside, you dont want to crowd it later.

2. In a microwave safe bowl combine 12 oz real white chocolate, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (room temp) and 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat 30 seconds, stir, then heat 15 to 20 second bursts stirring each time until silky smooth. If you prefer use a double boiler and dont let steam or water touch the chocolate.

3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the optional 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, taste and adjust, be careful not to overheat the white chocolate or it will seize.

4. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently fold with a spatula until most pieces are evenly coated, work quick so the coating doesnt set into big clumps.

5. Put 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar into a large zip top bag or big bowl, add a few drops of pink gel food coloring and mix until the sugar is evenly tinted (use a fork or shake the bag), repeat with remaining powdered sugar if you want a brighter pink.

6. Working in batches add coated cereal to the bag, seal and shake until well coated, or toss in the bowl with a spoon, then dump onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Break up any big clumps with your fingers while the coating is still slightly soft.

7. Let the mix cool and set at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes, or pop the tray in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm, but dont let it get too cold or the candy coating may crack.

8. Once set, gently fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups Valentine M&Ms so they dont melt from residual heat, try to add them after the mix is mostly cooled.

9. Taste and if you want more contrast sprinkle a little extra powdered sugar or a pinch more sea salt and toss.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, keep away from heat and humidity, this also makes a cute gift in cellophane bags.

Equipment Needed

1. Very large mixing bowl (big enough for 9 cups cereal)
2. Microwave-safe bowl or heatproof bowl for a double boiler to melt the chocolate
3. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping
4. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
5. Large zip-top bags (gallon) or another big bowl for tossing in powdered sugar
6. Parchment-lined baking sheet or cookie sheet for dumping and cooling the mix
7. Wooden or heatproof spoon for stirring the chocolate and peanut butter
8. Small bowl and fork or whisk to tint powdered sugar with gel color
9. Oven mitts or a kitchen towel and a fridge or cool spot to chill briefly if needed

FAQ

Q: Can I use candy melts instead of real white chocolate? A: You can, but candy melts taste waxier and you wont get the same creamy texture. Real white chocolate (chips or chopped) melts smoother and sets nicer, if you only have melts the recipe will still work it's just not as good.

Q: How do I stop the pink from staining or the M&M colors from running? A: Wait until the chocolate coating is fully cool and mostly set before adding M&Ms, that way they wont melt. Use gel food coloring in the powdered sugar not liquid food coloring, gel dyes color without adding moisture so less bleeding.

Q: Is this mix really gluten free? A: Use a certified gluten free rice cereal like Rice Chex and check the box for cross contact warnings. The rest of the ingredients (white chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar, M&Ms) must be labeled gluten free too if you need it strict.

Q: Best way to melt the white chocolate so it doesnt seize? A: Microwave in short 20 to 30 second bursts at 50 percent power, stirring well between bursts. Or use a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in the peanut butter and butter while warm, that helps keep it silky.

Q: How do I get an even pink powdered sugar coating without huge clumps? A: Put the powdered sugar and a few drops of gel color in a large zip bag, knead till evenly tinted, add the coated cereal in small batches and shake well. If clumps form break them up on a baking sheet while they're still a little tacky, then toss again.

Q: How should I store it and how long will it last? A: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for about 3 to 5 days, in a cool place up to 2 weeks. If your kitchen is warm pop it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks though it may firm the chocolate. You can freeze in a sealed bag up to 2 months, thaw at room temp before serving.

Pink Valentine Puppy Chow Mix Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Gluten free rice cereal: Swap for Corn Chex or plain gluten free corn flakes, or use puffed rice cereal — use the same volume (about 9 cups) though puffed rice will be lighter and fluffier.
Real white chocolate: Use chopped white baking chocolate or high quality white chocolate chips, or a vegan white chocolate (cocoa butter based) if you need dairy free, just melt gently so it doesn’t seize.
Creamy peanut butter: Substitute almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut free option; texture and saltiness may vary so taste and adjust.
Pink powdered sugar tint: Mix powdered sugar with a pinch of beet powder or freeze dried strawberry powder for natural pink color, or use a few drops of red liquid food coloring instead of gel if thats what you have.

Pro Tips

– Heat the white chocolate slowly and stop heating just before it looks fully smooth, then stir off heat until silky. White chocolate hates high heat or any tiny bit of water, so go gentle. If it starts to look grainy or seizes, try stirring in a teaspoon or two of room temp peanut butter or melted butter to bring it back instead of blasting it with more heat.

– Work in smaller batches when coating and coat gently. Too much stirring or dumping everything in at once makes big clumps and crushed cereal. Use a wide shallow bowl or a big zip bag and fold or shake just until mostly coated, then break clumps while the coating is still tacky.

– Don’t add M&Ms while the mix is hot. Let the chocolate-coated cereal cool to warm but still a bit sticky, then fold the candies in. If you add them too soon they’ll melt, and if you chill the mix too hard they can crack.

– For best texture and shelf life, store in an airtight container at room temp with a small piece of bread or a silica packet to keep things from getting stale or soft from humidity. Right before serving, a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt brightens the flavors much more than you’d expect, so add it last.

Pink Valentine Puppy Chow Mix Recipe

Recipe by Dave Simpson

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

245

kcal

Equipment: 1. Very large mixing bowl (big enough for 9 cups cereal)
2. Microwave-safe bowl or heatproof bowl for a double boiler to melt the chocolate
3. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping
4. Measuring cups and spoons (1/2 cup, tbsp, tsp)
5. Large zip-top bags (gallon) or another big bowl for tossing in powdered sugar
6. Parchment-lined baking sheet or cookie sheet for dumping and cooling the mix
7. Wooden or heatproof spoon for stirring the chocolate and peanut butter
8. Small bowl and fork or whisk to tint powdered sugar with gel color
9. Oven mitts or a kitchen towel and a fridge or cool spot to chill briefly if needed

Ingredients

9 cups gluten free rice cereal, like Rice Chex (about one 12 oz box)
12 oz real white chocolate, chips or chopped, not candy melts
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temp
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) for coating
a few drops pink gel food coloring, to tint the powdered sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cups Valentine M&Ms (or plain M&Ms)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional but helps balance the sweet

Directions

Put 9 cups gluten free rice cereal into a very large bowl and set aside, you dont want to crowd it later.
In a microwave safe bowl combine 12 oz real white chocolate, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (room temp) and 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat 30 seconds, stir, then heat 15 to 20 second bursts stirring each time until silky smooth. If you prefer use a double boiler and dont let steam or water touch the chocolate.
Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the optional 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, taste and adjust, be careful not to overheat the white chocolate or it will seize.
Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently fold with a spatula until most pieces are evenly coated, work quick so the coating doesnt set into big clumps.
Put 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar into a large zip top bag or big bowl, add a few drops of pink gel food coloring and mix until the sugar is evenly tinted (use a fork or shake the bag), repeat with remaining powdered sugar if you want a brighter pink.
Working in batches add coated cereal to the bag, seal and shake until well coated, or toss in the bowl with a spoon, then dump onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Break up any big clumps with your fingers while the coating is still slightly soft.
Let the mix cool and set at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes, or pop the tray in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm, but dont let it get too cold or the candy coating may crack.
Once set, gently fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups Valentine M&Ms so they dont melt from residual heat, try to add them after the mix is mostly cooled.
Taste and if you want more contrast sprinkle a little extra powdered sugar or a pinch more sea salt and toss.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week, keep away from heat and humidity, this also makes a cute gift in cellophane bags.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.