Great Grandma's Chex Mix Recipe (2024)

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By:Ashley

Sharing my family’s old recipe (from my great grandma Mildred!) for homemade chex mix! It’s a family tradition to make this around the holidays and everyone gets a container to take home.

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I’m sure everyone and their grandma (literally) has a recipe for homemade chex mix, but what’s one more?!

I had a craving for my family’s chex mix recipe and I thought, why not share the recipe here for you to enjoy as well?

My great grandma passed when I was still fairly young, but I have fond memories of her. From playing with her wrinkly hands (yes, this is one of my memories) to camping in Canada, and her holiday tins filled with her famous family chex mix recipe.

Drew’s mom made me a scrapbook cookbook one year for my birthday, and in it she included my great grandma’s recipe for her chex mix.

The Best Homemade Chex Mix Recipe

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This never lasts long at holiday gatherings! My aunt has taken over making the family recipe but this was my first time having a go.

Not sure why I waited so long because this stuff is SO GOOD. I was literally salivating while I was stirring the mixture together.

Ingredients needed for homemade chex mix

  • mixed nuts – you can also opt for one nut variety, go for peanuts, or a blend. Whatever your heart desires.
  • mini pretzels – a classic addition.
  • cereal –Corn and rice Chex, Crispix, Cheerios. My family alway used Crispix but you can use the whole wheat Chex in place of!
  • butter –you can use a plant based butter to keep this recipe dairy free, or conventional butter if that works for you.
  • worcestershire sauce –you can’t really make homemade chex mix without it! If you know of a vegetarian sub, go for it.
  • seasoning salt – another classic ingredient that you can’t go without.
  • onion and garlic powder – this was my addition that great grandma’s recipe didn’t call for but you know me 🙂
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I actually got much more specific for you compared to what Grandma wrote down.

i.e. “a can of nuts” – Okay, what size can? What kind of nuts? Well, I opted for a 12 ounce can (about 1 1/2 cups) and chose a blend with cashews because who doesn’t love those? meaning: I will be picking all of the cashew out first.

Or how about “12 cups cereal- cheerios, corn chex, rice chex, crispix”. We’ll make that one easy and do 3 cups each. If you can’t find crispix (I actually had to go to two different stores to find! Target saved me) you can use wheat chex.

Recipes were most certainly made from memory and by “feel” back then. I’m sure to get someone in that time to actually write down a recipe with decent directions was a grand accomplishment.

How to Make a Homemade Chex Mix Recipe

Step 1 –melt the butter

Grandma says “melt butter in roasting pan in 250º oven.” Which makes this an easy one pan recipe! Add the stick of butter to the pan and you can let it melt while the oven preheats. This should take about 5 minutes or so.

Step 2 – add Worcestershire sauce & seasoning

Next stir in the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.

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Step 3 – add cereal and nuts

Now it’s time to add in the cereal, pretzels and nuts. Make sure to really stir this well and get all the butter in the corners of the pan. Use a large wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula.

Step 4 – bake

Time to bake! You’ll bake the chex mix for one hour total, stirring every 15 minutes.

Step 5 –cool

To speed up the cooling process, I spread out the chex mix on baking sheets, so the mixture is cooling in one layer.

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Also! If you’re adding chocolate candies to the mix, make sure the mixture is *completely* cooled so the chocolate doesn’t melt once you go to store it.

How to Store Homemade Chex mix

Store in a closed container, such as holiday tins, glass containers, or jars to give as gifts!

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If you make this recipe, don’t forget to comment and review below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn about the recipe too! Xx Ashley

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Homemade Chex Mix Recipe

Great Grandma's Chex Mix Recipe (7)

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5 from 3 reviews

Great Grandma’s homemade chex mix recipe! An easy recipe that can be made in one pan. Makes a large batch perfect for parties, gift giving, anything!

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 16 cups 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 stick + 2 TBSP unsalted butter (10 TBSP)
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 3 cups Corn Chex
  • 3 cups Rice Chex
  • 3 cups Crispix Cereal (or Wheat Chex)
  • 3 cups Cheerios (or O cereal)
  • 2 cups mini pretzels
  • 12 ounces mixed nuts (about 1 3/4 cups)

Instructions

  1. Place butter in bottom of roasting pan in preheating oven, set to 250ºF. Allow butter to melt completely, about 5 minutes or so.
  2. Once butter has melted, remove pan from oven and add Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, stir to combine. Add in cereal, pretzels and nuts stirring really well until sauce has coated mixture. Stir really well using spatula, getting in all of the corners of the pan.
  3. Bake chex mix for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow chex mix to cool completely before storing. TIP: Spread out chex mix in large baking sheets so it’s in one layer to speed up cooling process.

Notes

If adding chocolate candies, be sure to let the chex mix cool entirely before adding in and storing.

You can easily make this gluten-free by using certified gluten-free cereals and pretzels. Make sure you get gluten-free Worcestershire sauce as well.

Recipe can be made vegan friendly by using plant-based butter, and a vegan friendly Worcestershire sauce.

Prep time includes cooling time.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 4
  • Sodium: 297
  • Fat: 18
  • Saturated Fat: 6
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 27
  • Fiber: 3
  • Protein: 6
  • Cholesterol: 19

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Great Grandma's Chex Mix Recipe (8)

About Ashley

"Ashley Walterhouse is the founder of Fit Mitten Kitchen, based in the Greater Lansing Area of Michigan, AKA “the Mitten.” Ashley grew up as a picky eater but later discovered that eating healthy was actually easy and fun. She started FMK in 2015 as a way to share her newfound love of developing healthier recipes for all to enjoy."

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Reader Interactions

Rate this Recipe

  1. Molly Gurski says

    This is our family’s go-to recipe for a weekly snack; especially during quarantine and the holidays! We substitute a whole bag of cashews instead of mixed nuts and get rid of the pretzels and replace those with garlic rye chips! Yum.

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Cashews are my favorite so I am totally down with that! So glad you guys are liking, Molly! Thank you for your comment!

      Reply

  2. Dianne G says

    My Mom makes this. Delish!

    Reply

  3. Haley says

    Great! Can adjust the spices or mix ingredients as you like! I think I added a little extra garlic powder. Like that this is on the milder side for Chex mix and the low and slow method makes it!

    Reply

  4. Janie Adkison says

    I forgot my nuts. Can I add them after it has cooked??

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Yes that’s fine! They just won’t have as much of the savory flavor but that’s okay. Or you could sauté them in some butter and spices, let cool and add.

      Reply

Great Grandma's Chex Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to buy Chex Mix or make your own? ›

Homemade Chex Mix is cheaper AND better tasting than anything you can buy at the store. Does homemade Chex Mix need to be refrigerated? You can store homemade Chex Mix at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Why is my homemade Chex Mix soggy? ›

Using too much liquid. Don't go over the recipe's suggested liquid amounts; that is a sure way to get soggy mix (which, again, nobody wants). Follow this tip: If you need to make a change in liquid ingredients, just keep the amount the same.

Is Chex Mix healthy or unhealthy? ›

Who doesn't love traditional Chex Mix? It's salty, crunchy, and everyone has a favorite item– the perfect party snack! But sadly, what makes it taste so good also makes Chex Mix not the healthiest option. It's full of refined grains, sugar, and tons of sodium.

What is the least favorite Chex Mix piece? ›

Other than the rye chip, nothing brought more people together than pretzels — combined, 38% marked the circle and square pretzels as the worst pieces.

How long does homemade chex mix keep? ›

Slow cooker: Transfer the mixture to slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 hours, stirring ever 45 minutes. Make Ahead Instructions: Chex mix tastes freshest when served within 2-3 days of making it, but it will last stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

What is the chex mix seasoning made of? ›

Chex Mix Seasoning:

It's a super simple mix of melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Make sure that you use SEASONED salt and not regular table salt! I use Lawry's brand because that's what is easiest for me to find.

What are the circle brown things in Chex Mix? ›

What Is This Brown Thing In My Chex Mix??? The question of the day is: what are these round, brown disks in my Chex Mix? Answer: Melba toasts. And they are clearly the best part of the whole thing.

Why is Chex Mix called Chex? ›

The name "Chex" reflects the square checkerboard logo of Ralston Purina.

What is each thing in Chex Mix called? ›

Though contents vary, the mixes generally include an assortment of Chex cereals, chips, hard breadsticks, pretzels, nuts or bagel bites.

Is chex mix addictive? ›

Call it Texas Trash, Nuts n' Bolts or Party Mix, this savory snack is one of the hallmarks of the holidays. When it's made fresh, it's one of the most addictive snacks around.

Is Cheez its junk food? ›

The Gist: Cheez-It baked snack crackers have been a hit for over a century. Though they're "made with real cheese," ingredients like food preservative TBHQ, high levels of sodium, and enriched flour make them fairly unhealthy. A 2021 study found that TBHQ can harm the immune system, specifically immune cell proteins.

Which chex is healthiest? ›

Unlike other Chex varieties, Wheat Chex are made from 100% whole-grain wheat. One serving contains only 130 calories but boasts 7 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. While it is on the higher end for sugars, the overall nutrient profile of this cereal is still noteworthy.

Is it cheaper to make or buy Chex Mix? ›

Generally speaking, it is cheaper to make your own Chex mix, especially if you can score your cereal boxes on sale. You will get a much larger quantity making it yourself compared to a bag that you might buy at the store.

What is the fancy name for Chex Mix? ›

First off this recipe can be found under many names besides Party Mix such as Chex Mix, Nuts and Bolts, TV Mix, or Snack Mix.

What is the best thing in chex mix? ›

Corn Chex

Corn Chex are indisputably the best part of a bag of Chex Mix. If you've ever tasted Corn Chex on their own, you know they don't need to be doused in seasoning to be enjoyable—you could easily eat them plain.

Is it more expensive to make your own trail mix? ›

So, the pre-made trail mix is actually cheaper than making your own. Who knew?? Of course, there are ways that you could make this mix more cheaply.

How many cups of Chex mix are in a bag? ›

Chex Mix Snack Mix, Traditional, Savory Snack Bag, 8.75 oz

A: There is probably about 3 cups.

How much Chex is in a box? ›

One standard-size (12-ounce) box of Rice Chex cereal contains about 11 cups of cereal. Save yourself the hassle of measuring out 9 cups and dump the entire box into your largest bowl. It's easier, it feeds more people, and you don't have an awkward amount of cereal left over.

How many cups of Chex are in a family size box? ›

A family size (18 ounces) box of Chex has a little bit over 17 cups of Chex (enough for 2 batches of Muddy Buddies!), and a regular, 13.8-ounce box of Chex yields 8 cups (perfect for 1 batch of Muddy Buddies!).

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