Forget bland, boring snacks – this Chex Mix recipe is a bold, flavorful explosion in every bite, with a crunchy-salty flavor and texture. Grab a bowl, and get ready to rediscover the joy of a snack that's both classic and crazy-good. It'll keep you coming back for seconds (and thirds). This is a huge, delicious batch with lots to share!
Whatever you call it, the Bits & Bites, Nuts & Bolts or Chex mix, or whatever name you use, it's so good! It is so good! The the beautiful thing about this recipe is that it's versatile. You can adapt it. You season it for your family. I'll give you the ingredients and variations I have used. This is a big batch. It gets better as it ages for a couple of days. I love the big batch because I always give some away. And the bits & bites (aka Chex Mix or Nuts an Bolts) are always appreciated!
If you love these snacks, look at my easy seasoned pretzel recipe. The pretzels are seasoned with garlic and ranch mix! Yum. If you are looking for a sweet snack, try this delicious puppy chow!
Table of contents
Why I love this recipe
I love the flavor and the texture of this snack mix. It's deliciously salty and crunchy! Somehow, this recipe became a holiday tradition in my family about 20 years ago when my kids were little.
It seems to get better over time! Let it sit for a couple of days if you can, and then the flavor will be even better!
This recipe is good enough for gift-giving. I have given it to friends, neighbors, teachers and hosts over the years. It has always been enjoyed and appreciated by others!
Ingredients
The cereal mixture
- Two boxes of Chex mix - one wheat and one corn. I have substituted Crispex cereal and that worked well too! It had one side corn and the other side wheat.
- A large box of Cheerios. For this recipe I use the regular brand name Cheerios. Use the brand that your family regularly eats.
- A pound of cocktail peanuts. The salty ones!
- Pretzels - a pound of either the small traditional ones or the small sticks.
Other items you can add or substitute into this mixture would be cheese puffs, cheese crackers, rye chips, goldfish crackers, bagel chips, and/or whole wheat Chex cereal.
The seasoning mixture
- One cup of butter (2 sticks)
- light-tasting vegetable or canola oil (not olive oil)
- Celery Salt (Onion salt can be substituted)
- Garlic Salt
- Seasoned salt (I like Lawry's)
- Worcester sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250º Fahrenheit.
Step 1
Get the biggest roasting pan you own. Or two of them. Or buy a couple of foil roasting pans. As I mentioned earlier, this makes LOTS!
Mix all the cereal, peanuts, and pretzels together. These Chex mix Bits and Bites are meant to be shared! It makes lots but stores well.
Step 2
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Easy on the heat; you don't want to scorch it. Add the oil.
Add all your seasonings and Worcester sauce to the oil mixture. Keep the heat low and keep stirring for about 5 minutes. The seasonings won't all dissolve. You are doing this so the butter/oil mixture will become flavored with the seasonings.
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Slowly melt butter and add oil. You want to be careful to just melt the butter, do not scorch it.
Step 4
Take off the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Then, take a large serving spoon, stir your mixture of goodness, and make sure you grab some of the seasonings at the bottom of the oil & seasoning mixture.
Step 4
Drizzle over the top of the cereal mixture. Continue until you have used about ⅓ of your oil mixture. Mix well. Add another ⅓ of the oil mixture, then mix well again. Repeat once more
Step 6
Place it into your preheated oven. After 15 minutes, stir the mixture well. After an hour in the oven at 250ºF, turn the oven off and leave the mixture in the oven. Leave it for at least 2 hours or overnight. Give it a good stir every few hours unless you are leaving it overnight.
Storage
1. Use that big metal popcorn container you kept from last year.
2. Any large food container.
3. Gallon sized closable plastic bags (like Ziplock)
I put mine in batches into gallon-sized closable plastic bags. Even if you put your bits and bites in a large container, I recommend plastic zip-type bags. It just helps keep the flavors in and prevents staleness. If you keep them sealed, they will last about a week. If you can store your snacks in a cooler area, I have kept mine for up to 2 weeks.
FAQs
Sure, you can do that! I just don't like the partial boxes of cereal left over.
Yes, you can. Just make sure to heat once more once everything is mixed and let it sit for a few minutes to cool, prior to drizzling onto the cereal mixture.
I never have and I wouldn't make this recipe without it.
Delicious treats
Homemade Chex Mix Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Roasting pan that will hold 3 boxes worth of cereal.
Ingredients
Cereal and Snack Mix
- 1 box Chex cereal - wheat
- 1 box Chex cereal - corn
- 1 box Cheerios Large box
- 1 lb cocktail peanuts
- 1 lb pretzels the smaller twist ones or the sticks
The Seasoning Mix
- ½ lb butter two sticks
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon celery salt can substitute onion salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tbsp seasoned salt I like Lawry's
- 5 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250℉
- I use a large roasting pan to mix and heat. Or, foil pans are also an option.
- Mix all ingredients under the label of Cereal and Snack Mixture.
- In a saucepan, melt butter. Add oil. Then add all the ingredients under Seasonings. Heat on low for 5 minutes, stirring often.Not all of the seasonings will dissolve into the butter and oil mixture.
- Cool for 5 minutes then using a large spoon, drizzle oil and seasoned mixture over cereal mixture. I usually do ⅓ of the oil and seasoning mixture, mix well into the cereal mixture and repeat two more times.
- Place in the 250℉ oven for 1 hour, mixing every 15 minutes.Turn off oven and leave mixture in oven for 2 or so hours, stirring occasionally. I leave it in the oven overnight to cool!
- Once cooled to room temperature, package in gallon-sized zip-closing bags. Or, if you have large food storage containers that close, that works too!
Notes
2. Any large food container.
3. Gallon sized closable plastic bags (like Ziplock) I put mine in batches into gallon-sized closable plastic bags. Even if you put your bits and bites in a large container, I recommend plastic zip-type bags. It just helps keep the flavors in and prevents staleness. If you keep them sealed, they will last about a week. If you can store your snacks in a cooler area, I have kept mine for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)
Originally published Dec. 13, 2014 - yes, a long time ago!
Anonymous
I freeze them so i can do them ahead of Christmas time and use for different get together's. i fine they still taste great.
momcrieff
Freezing them is a great idea! My recipe makes a huge batch.
Judy
I love your post. I am going to make your Bits and Bites! They look so yummy.
momcrieff
Thanks! I make these every year and my teen boys just love them!