I feel like there are tons of recipes for Chex Mix out there, but I just have to toss out my Favorite Chex Mix since it’s the holiday season. There’s nothing better to mix up for a party, or maybe for a few little gifts. Hostess gifts, maybe.

Favorite Chex Mix

Also, there’s something so homey about a big bowl of Chex Mix (put out little cups to serve or premeasure into paper cones, homemade or store-bought, and pile in a bowl) on the end of a buffet table, for everyone to help themselves.

About Favorite Chex Mix:

This Chex Mix is full of so much more savory flavor with a lot more of the goodies than the Original Chex Mix Recipe. After all, cereal alone can make a snack, but not the best snack. So here you’ll find more nuts and more pretzels, along with Gardetto’s Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips instead of bagel chips, and more of them.

There’s something about the rye chips, so flavorful, crispy, and saturated with garlicky flavor that just sets the mix off to perfection – and I swear (it might be the Mandala effect) that the Chex Mixes I had during my childhood were made with the Garlicky Rye Chips. If they aren’t your thing, go with bagel chips.

I also have more flavorings, and more of them, than the original, along with just a touch of spice. The cayenne, in particular, gives a bit of zip. Leave it out if you worry about anyone who doesn’t like spice. And of course, mo’ butter is mo’ better!

This calls for all three Chex Mix flavors: wheat, corn, and rice. As long as you have about nine cups, feel free to mix and match. And of course, knock-off versions are fine. Wheat Chex is my fave, but it’s getting harder to find.

Favorite Chex Mix

Making Favorite Chex Mix:

I gotta say, there are microwave versions of Chex Mix. I’ve tried them in the past, and I feel toasting the mix in the oven is the way to go. The Chex Mix turns out so much better.

The butter, of course, can be mixed and microwaved to melt it: a plastic or glass bowl or a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup works well.

So figure about ten minutes to mix everything, in a big broasting pan or a large sheet tray or two, about an hour in the oven, stirring every 15 minutes, then a bit of time to cool to room temperature.

While I love this recipe, when making this or Chex Mix of any kind, feel free to experiment with the flavors and amounts to suit your taste. Wikipedia has a huge write-up about Chex Mix with a list of all the commercial flavors made over the years.

Favorite Chex Mix – make on two sheet pans or in a large broaster

Leftover Favorite Chex Mix:

Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for about a week. It may last longer if kept tightly closed and not opened over and over, so consider storing in more than one container.

This is an ideal recipe to make a bit ahead for a party or get together – if you can trust yourself around it! Well, it does make a lot, so no worries.

Other Fun Festive Snack Recipes You Might Like:

So these recipes, below, take things in a whole different direction from savory Chex Mix, but they’re all fabulous for the holiday season.

• Peppermint Bark Popcorn – this treat is a beautiful mix of popcorn, candy canes, and dark chocolate. (It’s just not the same made with other chocolates.)
• Best Puppy Chow – another classic cereal treat, peanut butter melted with chocolate coats Crispix cereal, then all is tossed in powdered sugar.
• Easy Peppermint Oreo Bark – if you’re wild about those pricey little squares of chocolate peppermint bark, this mixture will satisfy your cravings.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.

Chex Cereal:

Take advantage of the pre-Christmas sales; you’ll often find cereals, especially those famous for making treats with (like Chex, Rice Krispies, and Special K, among others), on sale. Off-brand is fine if available.

Condiments:

Even as I update this post in December of 2024, the condiment world is still highly competitive, especially as new brands (which are still exploding) enter the market. Discount stores carry versions of many condiments under their own brands.

• In general, buy the majority of your condiments before the Summer Holidays when the prices are at their lowest.
• You’ll find low pricing before the Super Bowl, too.

Butter: 

If you have a deep freeze (and you should if you can swing it), there’s no reason to buy butter at full price. It goes on sale often and keeps well.

• While on sale before any holiday, rock-bottom pricing is before the Winter Holidays, and often matched by sales before Easter. Count out the weeks between holidays and buy appropriately.
• Discount stores have great pricing on butter year-round (and sale prices before holidays).

Hello to you all; I hope you enjoy making and serving this Chex Mix, whether you make it for home, for a get-together, or make it as gifts. Chex Mix is such a classic, and although it’s been around forever, it can be easy to take it for granted – don’t do that – there’s a reason it’s a classic.  Happy Holidays,

XO Mollie XO

Favorite Chex Mix

Favorite Chex Mix

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• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: about 3 quarts 1x
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups wheat chex
• 3 cups corn chex
• 3 cups rice chex
• 3 cups mini pretzels
• 2 cups Gardetto’s Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips (sub garlic bagel chips)
• 1 10-ounce can mixed nuts (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 10 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder (same as 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the Chex cereals, pretzels, Gardettos, and nuts. Mix together.

In a smaller bowl or large measuring cup, melt the butter. Add the Worcestersshire, soy sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, optional cayenne, and the optional mustard powder. Mix well.

Pour over the cereal mixture and toss to coat well; this will take a few minutes for a good coating.

Place into a large broasting pan or divide into sheet pans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for one hour, stirring mixture every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. (May be placed on paper towels to absorb any excess butter.)

To store, add the room-temperatoure chex mix to a large container (or several) or Ziploc bags.