This homemade Chex Mix recipe is the perfect salty snack mix. Based on the original recipe we all grew up with, this baked version is perfect for gifting during the holidays or bringing to your next potluck.
This Homemade Chex Mix recipe is perfect for potlucks, parties, or gifting to friends and family. It's made with simple ingredients, and can be customized with mix-ins to get loads of different flavors.
When it comes to Mom's recipes, this is one that I absolutely adore and love to have tucked away in my recipe box at all times.
I've updated the classic Chex Mix recipe to be extra buttery, and have also added the added step of baking (optional) for a toasty, nutty flavor that makes for the perfect party snack.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Crowd favorite. There's a good reason this snack mix is a popular option for parties and potlucks - it's so delicious! Just fill a big bowl and watch it disappear.
- Better than store-bought. Sure, you can buy classic Chex Mix at the store in bags, but this baked version is SO much better, and has a deliciously buttery flavor.
- Different cooking methods. Feel free to leave your mix as is, bake it, OR make it in the slow cooker - the choice is yours.
- Simple recipe. You need just a few popular snack foods to form the base of this original Chex Mix recipe, plus some butter and a few simple seasonings.
Ingredients
- Chex cereal: For the best results I recommend using at least two different types of cereal. I used rice chex and corn chex, but wheat chex is also available for purchase.
- Pretzels: The salty pretzels are one of the best parts of Chex mix! Use your favorite type - I like the mini twists, but pretzel sticks or small pieces work well too.
- Mix-ins: Traditionally bagel chips or rye chips have been used, but this is one area where you can get creative. I used Cheez-it crackers, but have also used Goldfish crackers, cheerios, and sweet options (like M&M's, candy corn, etc).
- Nuts: You can use whatever combination of nuts you like best. I use the deluxe mixed nuts from Costco.
- Butter: This can be either salted or unsalted, depending on how salty you like your snack mix to be!
- Worcestershire sauce: This is a key ingredient, and not one to be skipped!
- Seasonings: You will need seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Equipment
- Baking sheets: You'll either need two rimmed baking sheets, or a very large roasting pan (about the size of your oven rack). If you only have one baking sheet you could do a half recipe, or work in batches.
Instructions (Oven Method)
Step one: Add the Chex cereals, nuts, pretzels, and the mix-ins of your choice to a very large bowl. Stir to combine.
Note: If your mix-ins of choice are sweet or meltable, leave those out until after baking and cooling your snack mix.
Step two: Melt butter in a saucepan over low-medium heat (OR in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave).
Once the butter is melted add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well.
Mixing Everything Together
Step three: Pour the melted butter and seasonings over the cereal mixture.
Step four: Stir everything together so that the butter coats the dry ingredients evenly.
Note: If you want to stop at this point, you can just cool the mix and store for up to 1 week. For longer storage and more complex flavors, proceed with baking the snack mix (or make it in a slow cooker).
Baking and Cooling
Step five: Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 275ºF (135ºC) for 25-35 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp.
Tip: Stir the mixture every 10-15 minutes during baking to promote even browning.
Step six: Allow the Chex mix to cool to room temperature, then either add to a large bowl for serving or transfer into an airtight container.
Slow Cooker Method
Yes, you can make Chex mix in a Crock Pot! Here's how:
- Add the Chex cereal, nuts, pretzels, and the mix-ins of your choice (unless they are sweet and meltable) to a large crock pot insert. Stir well.
- Melt the butter, then add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture and stir well until everything is well coated.
- Cook on "low" for 3 hours, stirring every 1 hour to prevent burning.
- Turn off the heat, remove the crock from the base, and remove the lid.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before serving or storing.
Air Fryer
If you want to make a really quick and easy batch, Air Fryer Chex Mix is the method for you!
- Add the Chex cereal, nuts, pretzels, and the mix-ins of your choice (unless they are sweet and meltable) to a large crock pot insert. Stir well.
- Melt the butter, then add the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.
- Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture and stir well until everything is well coated.
- Cook at 300ºF (149ºC) for 6-8 minutes, shaking the basket 1-2 times.
- Remove the basket once there are lots of lightly browned pieces.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before serving or storing.
Storing Chex Mix
Leftover Chex Mix can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
Top tip: For the best results, make sure that the snack mix is completely cooled before adding it to a container, as a warm mix will cause condensation in the jar, which accelerates spoilage.
For gifting: Add individual servings of your own Chex mix to pint or quart-sized jars, and add a pretty ribbon and custom label. Cellophane bags also work well.
Ideas for Mix-Ins
- Bagel chips (or rye chips)
- Cheerios
- Cheese sticks
- Cheese crackers (Cheez-its, goldfish, etc)
- Candies
- M&m's
- Reese's Pieces
- Extra nuts or pretzels
Substitutions
Worcestershire sauce: If you don't have this on hand but still want to make homemade Chex mix, try using soy sauce, tamari, coconut aminos, malt vinegar, or ketchup in its place.
Without Chex: Crispix or Life cereals make a good substitute for Chex. If you live in Canada or the UK, Shreddies is a good option as well.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free varieties of Chex cereal (rice and corn), gluten-free pretzels (I like Snyder's gluten-free mini twists), and a gluten-free mix-in option (or more nuts).
Dairy-free: Use your favorite plant-based spread in place of the butter in this recipe.
Variations
- Sweet and Salty. Use a sweet type of Chex cereal like cinnamon or honey nut, and add about ¼ cup of brown sugar to the melted butter mixture.
- Fall. Add in your favorite fall-colored treats like Reese's Pieces, peanut butter cups, candy corn, etc.
- Halloween. This can overlap with some of the "Fall" inspired ingredients, but you could also include Halloween candies, mellow creme pumpkins, etc.
- Christmas. Use holiday M&M's, Hershey's Kisses, candy canes, etc, for your mix-ins.
- Spring/Easter. Use Spring-colored M&M's, Spring Hershey's kisses, and/or Spring themed sprinkles or candies.
- Game day. This favorite snack works perfectly as-is for a viewing party or Super Bowl party. Feel free to serve it with your favorite sides and appetizers (like my Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip).
Recipe FAQ's
While Chex offers a variety of gluten-free cereals, both store-bought Chex Mix and homemade Chex mix contain gluten. That being said, it is very easy to make a gluten-free version by using gluten-free pretzels and mix-ins, as well as gluten-free Chex varieties (rice and corn).
It may cost a little bit more to buy the ingredients upfront, but it is definitely cheaper per serving when you make your own. You can easily make a large batch, which is perfect for parties or gifting, and lowers your price per serving significantly.
Homemade Chex Mix is made with a mixture of melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
If you loved this recipe for homemade Chex Mix, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Chex Mix
Equipment
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
- 9 cups Chex cereal a mix of your choice (I used rice and corn)
- 1 cup mixed nuts
- 2 cup pretzels
- 2 cups mix-ins of your choice cheese crackers, bagel chips, goldfish, cheerios, M&M's, etc
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275ºF (135ºC) and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Add the Chex cereals, mixed nuts, pretzels, and the mix-ins of your choice into a very large bowl. (Note: if your mixins are chocolate and can melt, hold off on adding those in until the very end).
- In a separate microwave-safe bowl, add the stick of butter. Heat in 30-second intervals until completely melted. Alternatively, you can melt it over low-medium heat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the melted butter and stir well to combine.
- Pour half of the melted butter mixture over the cereal and mixins, and toss well to coat. Add the remaining half of the butter mixture, and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the prepared Chex mix evenly over each sheet (don't include any meltable mix-ins like chocolate or M&M's - add those in after the mix has cooled).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- After the snack mix has cooled to room temperature you can add any mix-ins that weren't added earlier (like M&M's or chocolate), and serve.
- Transfer to a bowl with a tight lid or an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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