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This salty & savory homemade original chex mix recipe is a best-loved snack. It’s perfect for storing and enjoying at home or on the go!

This original chex mix recipe is a delicious savory snack perfect for parties. Try White Chocolate, Snickerdoodle, or S’mores puppy chow for something on the sweeter side.

White bowl filled with original Chex Mix recipe.

classic Chex Party Mix – Homemade!

If you crave a salty and savory snack, this is perfect for you! I often make Muddy Buddies and Puppy Chow using Chex cereal, but sometimes we need something more on the savory side.

This original Chex Mix recipe is popping with flavor!! It bakes low and slow for crispy perfection and tastes even better than the original Chex Mix recipe you pick up from the store.

The best part – it’s perfect for storing! Divide into smaller baggies, or store together in a larger container with a pour spout. Send this with your kids when they need a snack. It’s perfectly customizable for your likes, so have fun with it!

Chex mix cereal pieces in a white bowl.

Ingredient Tips

For this homemade Chex mix, we use only a handful of simple ingredients!

Chex. Three kinds – corn, rice, and wheat!

Nuts. We used mixed nuts, but if you have a specific preference, you could just include one kind.

Pretzels. Bite-sized pretzels are what we used, but any shape works great.

Butter. Salted or unsalted!

Worcestershire Sauce

Seasonings. Salt, garlic salt, and onion powder.

A white bowl filled with pretzel pieces.

Variations

Mix up this recipe for Chex Mix by switching out or adding any of these Chex Mix ingredients:

  • Crackers/chips. Cheezits, Goldfish or other cheese cracker. Use plain or garlic flavored bagel chips or pretzel sticks.
  • Nuts. Add pistachios, pecans, walnuts, or extra peanuts or almonds.
  • Cereal. Replace some of the Chex Mix with plain Cheerios. Use Life Whole Grain Cereal or Crispix.
  • Add heat with red pepper flakes, chipotle flakes, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Handful of a variety of nuts.

how to Make Chex Mix

This savory Chex Mix recipe is simple to make, and perfect for sharing!

PREP. Preheat the oven to 250ยฐF.

MIX. In a large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, and pretzels. Set aside.

MELT. In a small glass bowl, microwave butter until melted (about 30 seconds). Stir in seasonings and drizzle over cereal mixture. Toss until evenly coated.

BAKE. Spread onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

COOL + STORE. Spread on paper towels to cool. And then store in an airtight container.

Alternate Cooking Methods

Traditional Chex Mix is best when baked in the oven, however there are a couple of other methods that you can try. 

  • In the microwave. Once you have evenly coated the Chex mix, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on HIGH heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes. Spread out on paper towels to cool.
  • In a crock pot. Pour the coated mixture into a Crockpot. Cook on LOW heat for 3 hours. Stir the mixture every 30-45 minutes. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Once the mixture is done cooking, spread it in an even layer on the baking sheet to cool.
Chex mix spread on a baking pan.

recipe tips + Storage

Even with super simple recipes like this recipe for homemade Chex Mix, it’s always nice to have a few little tips so every batch comes out great.

  • It is really important to stir the mixture every 15 minutes otherwise it will cook unevenly and burn.
  • The mixture may be finished around 45 minutes so keep an eye on it during the last 15 minutes of bake time.
  • Use UNsalted butter
  • To help get an even coat, pour half of the butter mixture onto the Chex mix. Toss and then pour the rest of the butter on and toss again.

STORE. Keep the cooled original chex mix recipe in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. Store at room temperature.

FREEZE. For longer storage, you can freeze the mix in freezer Ziplocs for 4-6 months.

Toasted original chex mix recipe served in a white bowl.

Recipe FAQ

Can you half the chex mix recipe for a smaller batch?

This recipe makes about 12 cups of chex mix, for a smaller amount simply cut the ingredient amounts in half. All of the other instructions are the same including the baking instructions. Though with a smaller amount it may bake a little more quickly so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Why isnโ€™t my chex mix crunchy?

There are a few factors that can cause the snack to stay soft including; adding too much liquid, not cooking long enough, and overcrowding the mixture during the cooking/cooling process.

Is this chex mix snack gluten-free?

This recipe uses Wheat Chex as which is one type that is not gluten-free. To make this snack gluten-free you can replace the Wheat Chex with a gluten-free Chex option as well as use gluten-free pretzels.

For More Snack Mixes, Try:

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5 from 7 votes

Original Chex Mix Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
This salty & savory homemade original chex mix recipe is a best-loved snack. It's perfect for storing and enjoying at home or on the go!
Servings: 24
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3โ…“ cups Corn Chexโ„ข cereal
  • 3โ…“ cups Rice Chexโ„ข cereal
  • 3โ…“ cups Wheat Chexโ„ข cereal
  • 1 cup mixed nuts
  • 1 cup bite-sized pretzels
  • 6 tablespoons butterย 
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1ยฝ teaspoons seasoned salt
  • ยพ teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 250ยฐF.
  • In a large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, and pretzels. Set aside.
  • In a small glass bowl, microwave butter until melted (about 30 seconds). Stir in seasonings and drizzle over cereal mixture. Toss until evenly coated.
  • Spread onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
  • Spread on paper towels to cool. And then store in an airtight container.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 430mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 412IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 7mg

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

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

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5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. jess says:

    5 stars
    this was such a game changer! I have regular game nights and this recipe has saved me plenty of money buying the brand name mix every other week! thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  2. Allyson Zea says:

    5 stars
    My kids BEG for this recipe! thank you!

  3. Liv says:

    5 stars
    The perfect snack! It has everything I love in it and is great for any occasion!

  4. Sue says:

    5 stars
    I love this snack mix it was easy to make and the flavor was a hit. I like to add cheese its into the mix as well.

  5. Joy says:

    5 stars
    Anytime we road trip or hike, this is our go-to snack! The whole family loves it & it takes minutes to put together!

  6. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    The best ever easiest snack that your family will love!