Bold Chex Mix (Oven Baked)

Chex mix cooling in a pan with a white spoon

5 from 5 votes

This Bold Chex Mix (Nuts and Bolts) delivers big flavor! Oven baked, made in one pan, and just 10 minutes prep—it couldn't be easier! Buttery, crispy and slightly spicy. A big upgrade from the original Chex mix recipe! Perfect for Christmas holidays, game day, and parties. Vegetarian and easily made vegan.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 30

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (see note 1)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
2½ teaspoons celery salt (see note 2)
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot, Mexican-style, or similar)
½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
3 cups pretzel sticks (or other small pretzels)
3 cups Chex Wheat cereal (or Shreddies Original or similar)
3 cups cheese crackers
3 cups Cheerios Original cereal (or similar)
2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts (see note 3)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Add ¾ cup unsalted butter to 1 large roasting pan (ideally 12 x 16 x 3-inches, see note 4). Put pan in oven. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). (The butter will melt as the oven warms).
Mix spices: Once the butter is melted, add 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (if using), 2½ teaspoons celery salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, ½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Use a rubber spatula to mix until a thick paste forms.
Add the rest: Scatter 3 cups pretzel sticks, 3 cups Chex Wheat cereal , 3 cups cheese crackers, 3 cups Cheerios Original cereal, and 2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts into the pan. Stir extremely well, making sure the spices are evenly distributed.
Bake: Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until mixture feels dry. Remove from oven. Let mixture cool in the pan, stirring occasionally to cool evenly. Once completely cool, transfer to airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Store at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Worcestershire sauce: Most Worcestershire sauces are not vegetarian/vegan, so check the label if needed. Some vegan Worcestershire sauce brands include The Wizard’s and Annie’s.
Celery salt: Usually found in the spice aisle of the grocery store. Otherwise, you can make your own by combining 1 part ground celery seeds with 2 parts salt (for example: 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds + 2 teaspoons salt). Use a spice grinder, blender, or mortar and pestle to grind celery seeds into a powder beforehand.
Peanut substitute: Swap roasted, unsalted almonds. You can leave the almonds whole or chop them in half (don't chop finer because they'll be hard to eat).
Roasting pan: Cm equivalent: 30 x 41 x 8 cm. You can use a disposable aluminum turkey roasting pan. If you don’t have a large roasting pan, then you can instead position the oven racks in the lower- and upper-thirds of the oven. Then, melt butter on the stove (low heat) or microwave, add spices to melted butter, and stir to mix. Add remaining ingredients to a large bowl, drizzle the spice mixture over the bowl, then toss to mix thoroughly. Divide mixture onto two large baking sheets, then bake. Check mixture after 1 hour, as it may cook faster this way.
Vegan option: Use a meltable vegan butter, such as Miyokos or Earth Balance (the less salty, the better). Don't skip the nutritional yeast. Use vegan cereal and cheese cracker substitutes. If you can't find a vegan cheese cracker, double the amount of Chex cereal instead, and use an extra 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (3 tablespoons total).
Storage tips: Let completely cool before transfering to a container. Keeps for up to 3 weeks at room temperature.
Yield: Approximately 13 cups (scant ½ cup per serving).

Nutrition