• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Family Food on the Table
  • Recipe Index
  • Main Dishes
  • Baby Food
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Main Dishes
  • Baby Food
  • Subscribe
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Snacks

Homemade Chex Mix

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 11, 2025 | Published: Nov 11, 2021
This post may contain affiliate links. See my 
disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe
Pin

Homemade Chex mix is a salty, savory snack that’s easy to make and addictive! The cereals, pretzels and peanuts, plus a buttery sauce to coat it, makes for a great snack on game day, for parties and at the holidays.

A spatula resting in a rectangular baking pan full of a chex mix mixture.


 

Tomorrow we get to bring home our new puppy, a chocolate lab we've named Sadie, and I can hardly wait!

She has the sweetest little face and is such a good snuggler. (We've gotten to visit her twice since her litter was born.)

The kiddos are ecstatic, the house is as prepped as it can be, and our 12-year-old current dog has no idea what's coming for her.

I imagine these first few weeks will be a little, um, intense, as we work on potty training and crate training and getting her acclimated. It's been a long time since I've had a puppy - or even a child - I had to watch like a hawk or possibly wake up with in the middle of the night, so that will be an adjustment.

But those puppy kisses and little butt wiggles when they are so excited to see you, oh, those are the best!

OK, on to the food so I can distract myself from all the excitement!

Today’s recipe for homemade Chex mix is a holiday classic in my family.

It’s something we’ve made every year since I was little, and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without some of this snack mix on hand. (It's always part of my mom and I's baking day tradition.)

Close up of homemade chex mix snack mix in a baking pan.

In fact, it’s one of those holiday classics for us that always gets stored in the same container. Does your family have those?

There was always a certain holiday tin for my grandmother’s chocolate chip brownies, another one for my family’s classic chocolate chip cookies, a different one for our sugar cookies, etc.

And this Chex mix had its own - very large - plastic container with a lid. I can even picture my Dad sneaking in to the corner of the kitchen to pop open the lid and grab a handful. I did the same thing.

This homemade Chex mix is addictive! It’s the perfect combination of salty and crunchy and savory and delicious.

And I’m definitely one of those who likes to hand pick my bites so I get the perfect amount of Chex cereal, pretzels, Cheerios and peanuts in each bite.

Nom, nom, nom. You can’t beat this combo!

Close up of homemade chex mix in a dark baking pan.

Plus, I think it’s really nice to have something salty and savory to go along with all the cookies and sweets around the holidays. Sugar overload is fun and all, but a little balance is good, too, right?

(If you want to straddle the middle, check out these sweet and spicy roasted pecans. Another holiday fave! Or go all sweet with this reindeer chow that's so irresistible!)

But of course, this Chex mix recipe is great to make any time of year. Whether it’s for game day or sleepovers or backyard parties, everyone will be happily digging in!

OK, let’s get cooking so you can get your snack on.

Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make Chex mix. I also answer a few FAQs. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredients laid out in separate bowls for making homemade chex mix.
Melted butter with seasonings in a deep baking pan.
Chex mix ingredients arranged in a baking pan before being mixed all together.
Homemade chex mix in a baking pan before being cooked.

What do I need to make homemade Chex mix?

Here are the ingredients you’ll need: butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, Crispix cereal or rice and corn Chex, wheat Chex, Cheerios, pretzels and peanuts.

So that’s what goes into it. Let’s talk about making it.

You basically make the buttery spice mixture in the pan - so easy, no extra clean-up - then just add in all the mix-ins and stir it really, really well.

You want to get everything well coated and well mixed.

Then it’s ready for the oven!

How long do you cook Chex mix?

You’ll need to bake your mix for 1 hour at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to remove it every 15 minutes and give it a good stir so everything cooks evenly.

OK, let’s get to some substitutions and other tips.

Homemade chex mix in a baking pan after being baked in the oven.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Crispix: My mom discovered years ago that she could buy a single box of Crispix cereal, which is half corn and half rice, instead of buying boxes of both corn Chex and rice Chex. This is our go-to now, but feel free to go either way.
  • Wheat Chex: This adds a bit more heartiness and is traditional in Chex mix. If you really dislike it, you could just substitute more Crispix or more corn or rice Chex in its place.
  • Pretzels: We like the short, thin pretzel sticks for our Chex mix. You could also substitute some small pretzel twists if you prefer.
  • Peanuts: Peanuts are a must in my family. However, if you have a peanut allergy, you could substitute a different nut, like cashews. Or leave them out all together if you need this to be nut free.

So those are the different variations of the classic recipe.

But you can also swap in some other mix-ins if you’d like.

One year, we added some cheesy crackers - I think it was just Cheeze-Its - and that was a fun twist. I think Goldfish would work here, too.

I personally don’t love the cheese element with the other flavors here, but the kiddos did and it can be fun to mix it up.

I’m sure there are plenty of other swaps and cereals you could use here. Just try to keep the total quantity of mix-ins about the same so that you have enough of the buttery mixture to coat everything.

A spatula lifting a scoop of chex mix out of a baking pan.

So, this makes a lot. That’s kind-of the point and I promise, it will go fast.

But in the meantime, here’s a few tips on storing the Chex mix.

Storage Tips:

Once cooled, store the Chex Mix in a covered container for up to 10-14 days. A really large Tupperware container works well, and you can also use plastic storage bags to store it.

Make sure it stays sealed so the Chex Mix doesn’t get stale.

You can also gift this savory snack around the holidays. It can be a great addition to a cookie or dessert tray for teachers, neighbors or friends. Place it in a colorful bag or bowl or container and bam, good to go!

I hope you add this to your holiday mix this year. It’s been a long-time favorite in our house, and I think it will be in yours, too.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

XO,

Kathryn

Close up of a spatula resting in a rectangular baking pan full of a chex mix mixture.
PRINT PIN SaveSaved!
4.84 from 6 votes

Homemade Chex Mix

Homemade Chex mix is a salty, savory snack that’s easy to make and so addictive!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Yield: 12 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cups Crispix cereal (see notes)
  • 2 cups wheat Chex
  • 2 cups Cheerios
  • 2 cups pretzel sticks
  • 1.5 cups peanuts (or 1 small can)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place the butter in a large roasting pan with tall sides and place in oven to let the butter melt.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and garlic powder to the melted butter and mix well.
  • Add the Crispix and wheat Chex, the Cheerios, pretzel sticks and peanuts to the pan and toss very well to coat in the buttery mixture.
  • Bake for 1 hour, removing the pan every 15 minutes to stir the Chex mix.
  • Let cool on paper towels then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10-14 days.

Notes

Crispix: My mom discovered years ago that she could buy a single box of Crispix cereal, which is half corn and half rice, instead of buying boxes of both corn Chex and rice Chex. This is our go-to now, but feel free to go either way.
Wheat Chex: This adds a bit more heartiness and is traditional in Chex mix. If you really dislike it, you could just substitute more Crispix or more corn or rice Chex in its place.
Pretzels: We like the short, thin pretzel sticks for our Chex mix. You could also substitute some small pretzel twists if you prefer.
Peanuts: Peanuts are a must in my family. However, if you have a peanut allergy, you could substitute a different nut, like cashews. Or leave them out all together if you need this to be nut free.
Storing: Once cooled, store the Chex Mix in a covered container for up to 10 days. A really large Tupperware container works well, and you can also use plastic storage bags to store it. Make sure it stays sealed so the Chex Mix doesn’t get stale.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 303mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
Pin

More Appetizers & Snacks

  • Close up of a cheese ball appetizer on a cutting board with Christmas decorations in the background.
    Christmas Cheese Ball
  • Close up of puff pastry brie bites with pecans, bacon and other toppings and sprigs of fresh herbs for garnish.
    Mini Baked Brie Bites
  • An assortment of healthy snacks arranged on a counter, including nuts, fruit, rice cakes and graham crackers.
    Best Beach Snacks
  • Close up of a chip scooping up some guacamole from a serving bowl.
    Easy Guacamole Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Audrey Falck

    September 28, 2024 at 1:42 pm

    My mother in law cooks this in the microwave. I can't remember exactly, but she does 2-3 minutes, stir well, and repeat 3 times or so.

    Reply
  2. Sallie Price

    December 20, 2024 at 6:45 pm

    My fav Cheerios are the best I for got and was looking again! TYTY

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      December 23, 2024 at 7:50 am

      Yay! I made this yesterday with my mom! Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
4.84 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

More about me →

Popular Recipes

  • A cream cheese chicken and mushroom mixture in a large pan with a wooden spoon resting in it.
    Easy Cream Cheese Chicken
  • Close up of honey garlic chicken served in a blue and white bowl with sliced green onions on top.
    Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
  • Close up of a whole roasted chicken on a large white serving platter with veggies and fresh parsley to the side.
    Easy Whole Roasted Chicken
  • Close up of a fork resting in a bowl of rice and curried ground turkey with peas.
    Curry Ground Turkey with Rice and Peas
  • Close up of a wooden spoon drizzling pan gravy over seared pork chops.
    Easy Skillet Pork Chops with Gravy
  • Close up of cooked cubes of chicken breasts in a honey garlic sauce with red pepper flakes.
    15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

Footer

↑back to top

About

  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Newsletter

  • Sign up for emails!

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Accessibility

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Family Food on the Table

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.