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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Great recipe, I would not change amounts or stick as close to the ratio of seasoning to snacks as possible, I added cheese balls and toffee covered peanuts. I also added about a tsp of cayenne.
Why does the cook time say 15 minutes when the instructions say to bake at 250 for an hour and a half stirring every 30 minutes?
Hi Marc, That’s a major error — so sorry! Going to change it now…
Glad I found your recipe. I haven’t made Chex mix in eons and was looking for the basic recipe. I actually laughed out loud at the “that crap is for amateurs” and nodded along about more butter, etc. That’s how I always used to make it. Never thought to add thyme, that was a good choice. Of course you can add all sorts of nibbles. Mine usually has Goldfish crackers and bagel chips (and no Cheerios).
For New Year’s 2024 I made your/Barb’s Chex Mix with a couple tweaks–used half the amount of seasoned salt due to doctor’s orders and also substituted a couple cans of lightly salted mixed nuts. Super delicious! Thanks for bringing back this oldie but goodie.
This Chex Mix is Fabulous! We have made gallons of it to give to co-workers, friends and family during the holidays. We customize the add ins (Bugles, Goldfish, BBQ chips, Mini Doritos, etc) to suit everyone’s tastes, keeping the base ratio intact for the cereals, pretzels and nuts. It reminds me of the “Doo Dads” that my great aunts would buy in the ’70s. Great snack for any time of year!
Making this today, thanks
My family is from Texas & Louisiana, so our old school Party Mix sauce has butter, bacon grease, garlic powder, Worchestershire sauce, paprika & a medium bottle (the whole bottle) of Tabasco. Because several members of my family have high blood pressure, we substituted paprika for the seasoned salt & garlic powder for garlic salt. Plus we use Fritos & Cheez-Its. Those & the pretzel sticks have enough salt.
Our gas company used to distribute recipes on cards – this was in my Grandmother’s (born 1885) box and I’ve used it for years as it’s the best; your friend’s comment on the “new” versions is right on! Old school snacks are the best! As for fat and calories; it’s a snack not a staple!! Thanks for making our lives better!!!
Omit the nuts and replace with Honey Nut Chex for a sweet and savory snack.
I’m 72 years old and like Barb the recipes I find (on box and online) for Chex Mix is nothing like what I had in my youth. THANK YOU for posting this recipe and THANK Barb for me. You both have made my day!!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!!
😊😊