An Chex Mix that’s big on flavor. This easy and addictive snack is tossed with a blend of secret spices. Once you try this chex mix, it's hard to stop! Chex mix is perfect for the holidays because it's a crowd pleaser and keeps for weeks. Makes an easy homemade gift. Can easily be made vegan.
Preheat: Add butter to 1 large roasting pan (ideally 12 x 16 x 3-inches, see note 3). 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 garlic powder, Worcestershire, nutritional yeast (if using), celery salt, onion powder, hot sauce, cayenne, and smoked paprika to the pan. Use a rubber spatula to mix thoroughly, until a thick paste forms.
Season: Add pretzels, Chex, cheese crackers, Cheerios, and peanuts to the pan. Stir extremely well, making sure the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Bake and cool: 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, occasionally giving it a stir so it cools evenly. Once completely cool, transfer to airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Store at room temperature.
Notes
Worcestershire sauce: Most Worcestershire sauces are not vegetarian/vegan, so check the label if this is something you need. The Wizard’s and Annie’s are two brands that make vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Peanut substitute: Instead, you could use roasted, unsalted almonds. Give the almonds a rough chop, before adding to the mix. Ideally the almonds are chopped down to about half their original size (don't chop too fine because it'll be harder to eat).
Roasting pan: Cm equivalent is 30 x 41 x 8 cm. 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: To make this recipe vegan, use a meltable vegan butter (the least salty one you can find, since this recipe calls for unsalted butter). Use the nutritional yeast (listed as "optional"). And, use a vegan cereals and a vegan cheese cracker substitute. If you cannot find a vegan cheese cracker, double the amount of Chex cereal instead, and use an extra 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (3 tablespoons total for one batch of this recipe).