Some holiday traditions are elaborate. Others are as simple as a big batch of homemade Chex Mix. My recipe is loosely based on the original, but honestly, I’ve tweaked it quite a bit over the years.
Growing up, my dad made homemade Chex Mix every year around the holidays. He still does! And while it’s certainly not a fancy recipe (his came from a magazine clipping!), it’s one of those things that immediately reminds me of the holidays as a kid.
But I think the most important ingredient is having the kids in the kitchen. Pouring cereal into the bowl, helping mix everything together, and, of course, sneaking pretzels and Cheez-Its when they think I’m not looking. That’s half the fun, and hopefully the part they’ll remember someday.
Now that I have a whole lotta kids of my own, it’s a tradition I’ve carried on with my family. And with seven people in our house, making big batch Chex Mix just makes sense.
And when I say we make a big batch, I mean a BIG batch.
For a little perspective, we’re a family of two adults, four boys ranging in age from 3 to almost 14, and a toddler girl who somehow manages to eat more than her brothers some days. So making a little batch of Chex Mix just isn’t very efficient for us.
I’m talking entire family-size boxes of cereal, two bags of pretzels, Cheez-Its, a giant container of mixed nuts and six sticks of butter.
Why so much? For starters, we have a lot of mouths to feed. But I also love that this recipe uses entire boxes and bags of ingredients. No half-empty cereal boxes or leftover bags of pretzels to figure out what to do with.
And honestly, homemade Chex Mix is one of those recipes I don’t think you need to follow perfectly. Add more butter if you want. Experiment with different seasonings, nuts or pretzels. Toss in some Cheerios. There are plenty of ways to make it your own.
How to Make Big Batch Chex Mix at Home
This is our family’s extra-large version of the classic Chex Mix recipe. It’s perfect for holiday snacking, packing in lunches, sharing with friends or keeping in the freezer for later.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 family-size box Rice Chex (18 oz.)
- 1 family-size box Corn Chex (18 oz.)
- 1 family-size box Wheat Chex (19 oz.)
- 1 family-size box Cheez-Its (21 oz.)
- 1 bag pretzel sticks (16 oz.)
- 1 bag mini pretzel twists (16 oz.)
- 1 large container mixed nuts (3 lbs., 8 oz.) *if you have little ones make a smaller batch with no nuts. They’re a choking hazard until 4-5 years old.Â
Butter and seasoning mixture:
- 6 sticks butter (3 cups)
- 12 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (¾ cup)
- 12 teaspoons seasoned salt (4 tablespoons)
- 9 teaspoons garlic powder (3 tablespoons)
- 6 teaspoons onion powder (2 tablespoons)
Yes, that’s six sticks of butter. We’re making a LOT of Chex Mix!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°F. You’ll need several large baking sheets or roasting pans and plenty of room for mixing. We split ours into 3 big bowls.
- Combine your dry ingredients. In a very large bowl or food-safe container, mix the Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Cheez-Its, pretzels and mixed nuts. A great job for one of the kids is to toss it all together.
- Prepare the buttery seasoning. Melt the butter and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Spread the mixture onto baking sheets. Arrange a relatively even layer of Chex Mix on each sheet, leaving enough room to stir everything during baking. You can also mix right in the bowl.
- Add the seasoning. Pour or drizzle the butter mixture evenly over the dry ingredients, tossing gently to coat.
- Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes to help distribute the seasoning and toast everything evenly.
- Cool completely. My dad always spread his Chex Mix onto newspaper to cool. We didn’t have any newspaper, so we used butcher paper topped with paper towels instead. Food-safe parchment paper is another good option.
- Store in airtight containers or freezer bags once completely cool.
We baked ours in three batches to get through the entire mixture. Depending on your oven and baking sheet sizes, you may need to do the same.
A tip: If you’re baking in batches, divide the butter and seasoning mixture accordingly so each batch gets its fair share. Give the seasoning another stir before pouring it over the next batch.
Make It Your Own: Other Ingredients to Add to Chex Mix
One thing I love about homemade Chex Mix is how easy it is to experiment.
Our version uses three kinds of Chex cereal, Cheez-Its, two types of pretzels and mixed nuts, but there are so many other options.
- Honey Chex:Â Add a little sweetness to the savory mixture.
- Cheerios: Another cereal that works well, especially if you have little kids.
- Garlic bagel chips: A classic addition to traditional Chex Mix.
- Rye chips: Great for anyone who loves the extra-crunchy pieces.
- Different pretzels: Try pretzel squares, snaps, tiny twists or whatever you have on hand.
- Different nuts: Peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans or your favorite mixed nuts.
- Other cheese crackers: Experiment with different flavors or brands.
- Candies: why not! M&Ms, chocolate chunks, or even caramel pieces.
We skipped the garlic bagel chips and rye chips this time because, frankly, they’re expensive! When you’re already making this much Chex Mix, those extras can add up quickly.
And don’t be afraid to adjust the seasoning. Want more buttery flavor? Add more butter. Like things saltier or more garlicky? Increase the seasonings to your preference.
This is really more of a loose recipe than an exact science. The goal is to make something your family enjoys.
Can You Freeze Homemade Chex Mix?
Yes! Homemade Chex Mix freezes wonderfully, which is especially helpful when you’re making a batch this large.
Once everything has cooled completely, divide it into freezer-safe zip-top bags, press out the excess air and seal tightly.
You can pull out a bag whenever you need more. Let it come to room temperature before serving, keeping the bag closed while it warms to help prevent condensation on the mix.
It’s also great for portioning into smaller bags for lunches, road trips or an easy afternoon snack.
Although, if your family is anything like mine, you might not need to worry about storing it for very long.
Between regular snacking, school lunches and my late-night pregnancy cravings, I’m guessing this enormous batch will last us no more than a month!
A Simple Holiday Tradition Worth Keeping
I think sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves to create elaborate holiday traditions. But when I think back on my own childhood, some of my favorite memories are the simplest ones. Like my dad making Chex Mix every Christmas.
It wasn’t expensive (well…) or complicated. It was just something he did every year, and somehow that made it special. Now I get to make it for my own kids.
Maybe someday they’ll be making their own enormous batches of Chex Mix and remembering this tradition at our house. And if they do, I hope they make enough to share with me!
Inspired by the Original Chex Party Mix recipe from Chex, with our family’s additions, measurements and preparation tips.
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