Pumpkin Spice Puppy Chow

Prep: 20 minutes plus standing • Serves: 30

1.Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper; place cereal in large bowl. In medium microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in microwave oven on high 2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds; pour over cereal and gently toss to coat.

2.In separate large bowl, whisk powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; transfer to 2 large zip-top plastic bags. Add 1/2 cereal mixture to each bag with powdered sugar mixture; seal bags. Shake bags to coat cereal mixture; transfer coated cereal mixture to prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Let puppy chow stand 30 minutes or until hardened.

3.In large bowl, toss pretzels, candy and puppy chow. Makes about 15 cups.

Approximate nutritional values per serving (1/2 cup):
282 Calories, 13g Fat (6g Saturated), 8mg Cholesterol, 167mg Sodium,
41g Carbohydrates, 2g Fiber, 27g Sugars, 27g Added Sugars, 4g Protein

Chef Tip:
Gift puppy chow in clear cellophane treat bags tied with a festive-colored ribbon.

Smart Swaps:
Dark chocolate makes a great swap, cutting sugar while adding antioxidants. Choosing whole-grain cereal also ups the fiber. For the best coating, toss the mixture in smaller batches to avoid clumps.