Chex Mix

When it comes to crunchy packaged snacks, Chex Mix is the crème de la crème in my book. Unlike a plain old bag of chips, Chex Mix offers variety in every bite: the crisp cereal, the toasty pretzels, the crunchy bagel chips. I have long been convinced that it couldn’t be improved upon—until I came up with my homemade version.

Homemade Chex mix takes everything you love about the packaged version and makes it even better. There’s a delightful butteriness that can only be accomplished by making it from scratch. The seasoning is more evenly distributed. You can customize it however you like. But beyond all of the flavor benefits, it’s also incredibly easy to prepare. With only about 15 minutes of prep time, you can transform humble cereal into something spectacular.

How To Make Chex Mix

INGREDIENTS

• Chex: Chex puts the party in party mixes. I like a mix of corn and wheat Chex. It varies the flavor, looks nice, and keeps things interesting.
• Mini Pretzels: A classic Chex mix component, pretzels bring a unique toasty-bready quality as well as some serious crunch. With all the salty ingredients in play, I prefer to use unsalted pretzels. If salted are all you can find, just reduce the salt in the recipe to 1 1/2 tsp.
• Bagel Chips: A crunchy element with some real snap, bagel chips are also awesome at soaking up the seasoned butter, which turns them extra crisp and toasty in the oven.
• Goldfish: Included for color and fun—oh yeah, and still more crunch!
• Butter: Melted butter is the ideal vehicle for all the salty, savory seasonings I love to bake into my Chex mix. Stick with unsalted butter so you don’t go overboard on the salt.
• Worcestershire Sauce: This superhero ingredient lends a little tanginess, a bit of sweetness, and absolutely tons of umami.
• Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Bring major flavor with a one-two punch of allium savoriness.
• MSG: Feel free to omit it, but a mere teaspoon of this powerhouse powder dials all the flavors up to eleven.
• Paprika: Sweet paprika brings color, earthiness, and a bit of warmth to the mix.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by preheating your oven to 250°—yeah, slow and low is the way to go with Chex mix. Now pull out your largest bowl and add the crunchy stuff: Chex, pretzels, bagel chips, and Goldfish. This party mix makes enough for, well, a party, so you’ll want something with plenty of volume.

Now for the seasoned butter. Whisk together the melted butter, Worcestershire, and all the spices in a small bowl until combined.

Though it’s tempting to pour the seasoned butter over the Chex mixture in one go, I recommend taking a more measured approach to ensure better coverage and more even distribution. Start by drizzling about a third of the butter mixture over the Chex mix and then tossing gently to coat; I prefer to use my hands but a wooden spoon is a-okay. Repeat two more times with the remaining butter mixture. Divide the Chex mix between 2 large baking sheets and spread it out to form an even layer.

Bake the Chex Mix, tossing gently every 15 minutes, until crisp and a shade darker; expect about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving; it will continue to crisp as it cools.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What are the ingredients for making the best Chex mix? Other Chex mix recipes incorporate nuts, Cheez-Its, and even Cheerios. Not mine. I prefer to stay true to the OG so the Chex can really shine. I call for both Corn and Wheat Chex for a variety of taste and texture. Plus, I include plenty of bagel chips—either plain or rye work. And in place of the usual mini breadsticks, I use Goldfish—the original flavor, not the cheddar—as a near identical substitute.
• Why is MSG included in Chex mix? You might be scared off by the MSG in my recipe, but I strongly recommend you give it a try. Packaged Chex mix uses MSG-rich additives like autolyzed yeast and hydrolyzed soy protein to give the snack its signature savoriness. Powdered MSG is the best way to replicate that same magic at home. That said, the Worcestershire sauce in this recipe packs a lot of savory flavor on its own, so feel free to skip the MSG if you prefer.

Storage

I promise that this Chex Mix will be the star of your next party or game day. But in the unlikely event that you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.