Homemade Chex Mix Recipe
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Take it old-school with homemade Chex mix! This irresistibly savory, buttery, and crunchy snack 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 the holiday season. It’s a savory mix of Chex cereal, nuts, and other bite-sized goodies, seasoned and baked to crispy perfection. My go-to Chex mix recipe comes from Barb Gyles, who was like a second mom to me growing up. Barb always kept a huge bin of Chex mix in her kitchen, ready to feed all the neighborhood gang, no matter the occasion.
When I once asked if she used the recipe from the box, she laughed and said, “No way. That’s for amateurs.” Barb’s Chex mix has extra butter, more spice, and—her words—“more salt, if your heart works.” Easy to make and endlessly customizable, it’s the kind of snack that disappears fast.
“This Chex Mix is Fabulous! We have made gallons of it to give to co-workers, friends and family during the holidays.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Chex Mix
- Corn, Wheat, and Rice Chex: The crunchy backbone of the mix. Use all three for variety or stick with one or two, depending on what you have.
- Cheerios (or bagel chips): Adds a toasty, familiar crunch. Use Cheerios for lightness, bagel chips for heft—or a combo of both.
- Pretzels: Skinny bite-sized pretzels, mini twists, or sticks all add salty, crispy contrast.
- Nuts: Salted peanuts, almonds, cashews, or pecans bring richness and crunch. Skip if you prefer a nut-free version.
- Butter + Worcestershire sauce: The buttery base that makes the seasoning stick, with Worcestershire adding that savory, umami punch.
- Seasoned salt + garlic powder + onion powder + dried thyme: The flavor builders that give the mix its bold, crave-worthy taste.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Ingredients
Step 1: Combine all of the snack mix ingredients. Combine the cereals, pretzels, and nuts (if using) in a large disposable aluminum pan or roasting pan. I like using a disposable pan because it makes cleanup a breeze.
Step 2: Make the buttery seasoning. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme.
Step 3: Mix it up. Slowly pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture, spreading it evenly around. Then stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated with the flavoring.
Step 4: Into the oven. Bake at 250°F for about 1½ hours, giving it a good stir every so often so everything toasts evenly. Let it cool completely, then stash it in an airtight container— it’ll keep on the counter for up to 2 weeks. If you want to keep it longer, pop it in the freezer and it’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months.
Variations
One of the best things about this homemade Chex mix recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. Beyond the classic mix-ins, here are some popular extras people love to toss in (just keep the overall ratios the same—if you add one, leave something else out so the mix bakes evenly):
- Corn nuts: Extra-crunchy and boldly flavored.
- Rye chips: Give the mix that classic deli-style crunch (like Gardetto’s).
- Sesame sticks: Nutty and crisp, a nice change of texture.
- Goldfish crackers: Fun for kids and adds a mild cheesy flavor.
- Cheddar crackers: Cheez-Its, Cheese Nips, or your favorite brand work great for a bold cheesy kick.
- Honey mustard pretzels: Salty, tangy, and a little sweet—these disappear fast.
More Homemade Snack Recipes You May Like
Homemade Chex Mix
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 (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 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.
Notes
- 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
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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I agree with Jenn’s friend Barb… the chex box recipe is for amateurs… A pro calls this recipe nuts and bolts and a amateur calls it chex mix….,
My family also has a 50 year tradition of making nuts and bolts for the holidays. All the kids expect their large bag full at Christmas.. and it’s a cherished treat anytime we get together for any kind of family reunion.
We do almost exactly this recipe, except one other really good addition. We use an equal amount of Bacon fat to butter. We also use celery salt as well as the other spices mentioned.
This would be fabulous as is I am sure, and it was cool to see others enjoy nuts and bolts as well as my family.
I have made a different version of this in the past. I used to make a few batches at a time it freezes well in an airtight container
This is my first review on any food item….and I use the internet a lot while planning meals. That’s how much I love this snack. It has become our staple for the game table at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perfect amount of spices/herbs. I always add Cheez-Its instead of Cherrios (personal preference) but all else stays the same. Great recipe!
This is almost the exact recipe to a T my grandmother made while we were growing up. I was panicking searching for my written copy in her handwriting and looked around on the Internet for a dupe until I found it. Every other recipe is basically the Chex party mix. Big difference. Yours as close as I have found to it. I found my recipe she gave me finally soon after finding yours and compared the two. Zero difference except she adds nuts which are definitely optional. This is the old fashioned good stuff. People have no clue what they are missing until they’ve tried this recipe! Thanks for posting! I’m bookmarking yours in case I ever lose my handwritten one!
Ha I’m so blind and silly. Yours has nuts! So yep no difference! 🙂
I was searching for ideas for foods to serve at a Christmas Open House… what a joy to come upon your post and read about your neighborhood get-togethers. It makes me want to search through my old photos as I’m sure ours are similar. 🙂
My mom and older sisters used to make Nuts & Bolts. I had forgotten about it. I can’t wait to taste it again. Thanks!
Thank you! My mom made this exact same recipe at Christmas for our family in the 70’s, and continued each year for the grandkids! My mom has since passed away, (miss her so much!) and I wanted to make this when we go visit our 25 year old daughter for Thanksgiving, and couldn’t find my mom’s recipe. Thanks to you & and the internet, both me & our daughter will have a little bit of our childhood memories brought back this year! Thank you!!!
I made this today for our Football Saturday party. My hubby could hardly wait until it was out of the oven to begin nibbling because it smelled so good! It’s always good to have several munch mix recipes, and this one is a good addition. Thanks, Jenn….and Barb!
I think I may have found my new addiction! YUM. For my fellow Australian cooks, Chex cereal is hard to find – I used Kellogg’s Crispix and Nutri-Grain, and they turned out great! Woolworths Select brand also do the pretzel sticks. I didn’t know what seasoned salt was, so I used chicken salt. My Dad is going to LOVE this, thank you!
Traditional “Nuts n Bolts” has the nuts (cheerios) and the bolts (pretzel sticks). It does not have chex mix
Please don’t insult the author of this recipe. If you don’t like it (or don’t like the name), scroll on. Allow the rest of her fans to enjoy it.
This was a great version of Chex Mix – I really liked the addition of thyme. It made for a nice fragrant home as it was baking as well (I love the story as well)!