Homemade Chex Mix Recipe
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Take it old-school with homemade Chex mix! This irresistibly savory, buttery, and crunchy snack, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is the perfect nibble to have on hand when you’ve got a full house.
Chex mix, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is a classic American snack that’s a staple during football games and holiday gatherings. It’s a savory mix of Chex cereal, nuts, and other bite-sized treats, all seasoned and baked to crispy perfection. My go-to Chex mix recipe comes from Barb Gyles, a longtime family friend who was like a second mom to me growing up. Barb was famous in the neighborhood for her Chex mix—she always kept a huge bin of it in her kitchen, ready to feed all the neighborhood kids (and parents!), no matter the occasion.
Curious about her recipe, I once asked if it was the same as the one on the cereal box. Barb’s candid response was, “No way. That stuff’s for amateurs.” Her recipe calls for extra butter, more spices, and, in her words, “more salt, if your heart works.” It’s easy to make and totally customizable—swap out the nuts or other ingredients to fit your taste—making it perfect for feeding a crowd.
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“Every year I’ve been making the recipe on the Chex box and it was always so disappointing. I knew it wasn’t the same as the recipe I grew up on (in the 50s and 60s) but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. The answer? Lots more butter! And lots more spices! Last Christmas I was making this two times a week…it’s sooo good!”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Chex Mix
- Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex: The crunchy backbone of the mix. You can use all three for variety or stick with just one or two, depending on what you have on hand.
- Cheerios: Adds a toasty, familiar crunch. If you want something heartier, swap them out for bagel chips—or even use a combo of both.
- Skinny bite-sized pretzels: For that salty, crispy contrast. Mini twists or sticks work just as well.
- Salted nuts: Adds richness and crunch. Feel free to mix things up—peanuts, almonds, cashews, or even pecans all work nicely. Or, skip them entirely if nuts aren’t your thing.
- Unsalted butter: Helps the seasoning stick and gives that irresistible buttery flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: For a savory, umami boost that ties everything together.
- Seasoned salt: Gives the mix that classic flavor kick.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: These pantry staples are key to building that bold, savory flavor.
- Dried thyme: Adds a subtle herbal note that rounds out the seasoning.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Ingredients
Combine all of the snack mix ingredients in a large disposable aluminum pan or roasting pan.
Next, make the butter seasoning: in a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and thyme.
Whisk to combine.
Slowly pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture, being careful to spread it evenly around.
Stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated.
Bake in a 250°F oven, stirring occasionally, for about 1½ hours. Let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you’d like to extend its shelf life, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
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Homemade Chex Mix
Take it old-school with homemade Chex mix! This irresistibly savory, buttery, and crunchy snack, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is the perfect nibble to have on hand when you’ve got a full house.
Ingredients
For the Snack Mix
- 4 cups Corn Chex
- 4 cups Wheat Chex
- 3 cups Rice Chex
- 2 cups Cheerios
- 3 cups skinny bite-sized pretzels
- 1½ cups salted nuts
For the Butter Seasoning
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 heaping teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Combine the Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, and nuts in a large disposable aluminum pan or roasting pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. Pour slowly over the snack mix, stirring as you go, to coat evenly. Continue stirring until snack mix is well coated with the seasoning. Bake for 1½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Let cool, then serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Note: You can omit any of the snack mix ingredients as long as you substitute something else. The idea is to keep the ratio of snack mix to butter seasoning the same.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The snack mix can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Cool completely before freezing.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (18 servings)
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 395
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 721 mg
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Probably the best I’ve ever had. I love the addition of the cheerios. Really makes the difference!
Made this with my daughter for Super Bowl. We had a great time making it, a better time eating it. I think it helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. Just sayin’.
This is great! Thank you. My family makes this recipe as well…mostly during the holidays…however, we call it “Trash”.
Great seasonings mixture one of our tradional favorites no matter the time of year. When California comes to Virginia it is an expected to be on hand Munch. Will definitely try Once Upon a Chef’s version!!
My mother made this every Christmas. After she was no longer able, I took up the tradition. I didn’t make it this year because my daughter has become Gluten intolerant. I need to figure out how to make substitutions. Any suggestions?
Hi Dale, Rice and corn chex are thankfully gluten free. Nuts are ok, so that leaves pretzels, which I think you can find gluten free. Good luck!
we made it with gluten free pretzels and increased corn and rice chex to leave out wheat and it is great and gluten free
My Mom use to make vats of nuts and bolts too. Only difference was adding shreddies and lot of peanuts. She also added a bit of curry powder. I must make some this weekend. She doesn’t make em any more. Thanks so much for sharing.
I will definitely be trying this one out…the pics are great! If that were today you guys would be covered head to toe in padding and helmets. 😉
totally!
What a great post about wonderful childhood memories! And great photos — so sweet! We were just talking to our kids about playing outside on Big Wheels the other day. Can’t wait to make this stuff. Thank you for another yummy & family friendly recipe!
What sweet memories, and loved your great photos.
I remember making a version of this to sell for the high school music boosters and calling it “deluxe” snack mix – ’cause I used twice the amount of nuts called for in the recipe. ;-))
No matter the exact ingredients, it is delicious for munching. Thanks for bringing it to the front of the recipe file once more.
I love this – my aunts always make chex mix like this for Christmas and it’s the best. I think they add celery salt as well. YUM!