Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 3 cups Wheat Chex cereal (or use Corn Chex for gluten-free)
- 3 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 2 cups mixed nuts (peanuts, cashews, pecans, or almonds)
- 2 cups small pretzel twists
- 1½ cups bagel chips, broken into bite-sized pieces
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). This low temperature is crucial for even toasting without burning. Line a large roasting pan or two 9×13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper (optional, but makes cleanup easier).
- Combine dry ingredients: In your largest mixing bowl, combine all three varieties of Chex cereal, mixed nuts, pretzels, and broken bagel chips. Gently toss everything together to distribute evenly. Make sure pieces are fairly uniform in size for even coating and toasting.
- Make the seasoned butter: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter completely. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Whisk until smooth and well combined—the mixture should be thin and pourable.
- Coat the mix: Pour the seasoned butter mixture evenly over the cereal mixture in the bowl. Using a large spoon or your hands, gently toss and stir until every piece is coated with the buttery seasoning. Take your time with this step—even coating is key to great flavor. You want to see a light sheen on everything.
- Spread for baking: Transfer the coated mix to your prepared roasting pan (or divide between two baking sheets). Spread it out in an even layer—don’t pile it up or the pieces won’t toast evenly. The more surface area exposed, the crispier your mix will be.
- Bake with stirring: Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour total, stirring every 15 minutes. Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to toss the mix, bringing pieces from the edges to the center and bottom to top. This ensures even toasting and prevents burning. The mix should gradually become more golden and crispy.
- Cool completely: Remove the pan from the oven. Spread the hot Chex Mix onto parchment paper or clean baking sheets to cool completely—this takes about 30 minutes. The mix will crisp up even more as it cools. Don’t taste it immediately (I know it’s tempting!)—it’s extremely hot and won’t have the right texture yet.
- Store: Once completely cooled, transfer to airtight containers or zip-top bags. Store at room temperature for up to 3-4 weeks. Make sure it’s completely cool before storing or condensation will make it soggy.
Notes
- Low and slow is key: The 250°F temperature and 1-hour baking time allows the mix to toast evenly without burning. Don’t increase the temperature to speed things up!
- Stir religiously: Those every-15-minute stirs are non-negotiable. Skipping them results in burnt edges and pale centers.
- Completely cool before storing: Hot Chex Mix will steam in containers and lose its crispiness. Be patient!
- Customize your mix: Feel free to adjust the cereal-to-add-ins ratio. Some prefer more nuts, others more pretzels.
- Gluten-free version: Use Rice Chex and Corn Chex only, gluten-free pretzels, and gluten-free bagel chips or crackers.
- Nut-free version: Omit nuts and increase pretzels, bagel chips, or add roasted chickpeas for crunch.
- Make it spicy: Add extra cayenne, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to the butter mixture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 8mg