Chex Party Mix Recipe (Crack Pretzel Snack Mix)

Chex Party Mix is a delicious twist on a family favorite called “Crack Pretzels” that covers all the bases – salty, crunchy, cheesy – and addicting because nothing is more satisfying than a handful of a salty snack mix when hunger hits.

I will admit, I used to be nearly addicted to Chex Mix. I say addicted because I could not open a bag without most of the bag disappearing. (Granted, I mostly picked my way through it and only ate the pretzels, rye bagel chips, and the Chex that had the most seasoning, but who is keeping track…)

This homemade version is great because each bite has a ton of seasoning – the only downside is you won’t be able to stop eating it…

🥘 Ingredients Needed

For the Mix:

As long as you keep the amounts about the same, you can mix in just about anything your heart desires!

• Mini Pretzels: Make sure to use the mini, mini-pretzels, not just the small pretzels. The smaller pretzels hold the seasoning better. (I linked to them so you can see what I am talking about, but they are cheaper in the store since you can buy one bag instead of 8 😉 ) You can also use Snyders of Hanover Pretzel Snaps – all the little pockets in the squares will hold a ton of seasoning.
• Cheddar Goldfish or Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
• Rice Chex
• Corn Chex
• Optional: Pecans – To be honest, we aren’t sure about the pecans here. We didn’t hate them, but we didn’t love them. Everything else, we couldn’t stop eating.
• Other Optional Add-ins/Swaps: Original Cheese It Crackers, Wheat Chex, Bagel Chips, Peanuts

For the Seasoning:

• Butter
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dried Parsley
• Dried Dill
• Kosher Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Black Pepper
• Dried Onion Flakes
• Dried Garlic Flakes
• Dried Chives
• Cayenne Pepper
• Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning: If you don’t have Tony’s seasoning, you can use your favorite Cajun Seasoning or just a little pinch extra of cayenne, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
• White Sesame Seeds
• Optional: Black Sesame Seeds

🍽 Equipment Needed

• A Crockpot/Slowcooker
• A Baking Sheet
• A Spoon or Rubber Spatula
• Measuring Spoons/Cups

🥣 How to Make It

There are so many different ways to make this party mix – my favorite way is to make it in a crockpot but you can also make it in the oven.

To make Chex Party Mix in a Crockpot:

Begin by choosing ingredients for the party mix. I like to use mini-pretzels, corn Chex, rice Chex, and Goldfish.

Next, melt 1 stick of butter either on the stove or in the microwave. (Pictures 1 – 2)

While the butter is melting, measure out all of your spices (dried parsley, dried dill, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried onion flakes, dried garlic flakes, dried chives, cayenne pepper, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds) and combine them in a separate bowl or on a plate if you want to get fancy.

Once the butter is melted, add the Worcestershire sauce to it, and remove the mixture from the heat. (Pictures 3 – 4)

Add the goldfish, Chex, and pretzels to a crockpot and gently toss to mix it all up. (Picture 5)

Top the Chex, pretzel, and Goldfish mix in the crockpot with the seasoning, and again, gently toss everything together. (Pictures 6 – 7)

Drizzle the butter/Worcestershire sauce mixture over the Chex/seasoning mixture in the crockpot and gently toss to make sure that everything is well coated. (I like to do this using a big slotted spoon and a rubber spatula – kind of just lift the mix from the bottom and place it on the top, and repeat this process a few times so that you don’t crush the cereal pieces.) (Pictures 8 – 9)

Now, put the lid on the crockpot and let it “cook” on LOW for 1 hour. The low heat will allow the cereal to absorb a lot of the buttery goodness. (Picture 10)

After 1 hour, give the mix another good gentle stir, and make sure to scoop any seasoning from the bottom of the crockpot. Cook for 30 more minutes with the lid slightly off the crockpot – this time, you want to let some of the moisture escape.

After 30 minutes, dump the mix out onto a cookie sheet and let it cool. If the pretzels seem “stale” (I know you took an early bite) – just be patient. Spread the mix out and let it cool, it will crisp up after about 15 – 30 minutes.

Once cooled, move the mix to an airtight container or plastic bag and enjoy for 3 – 5 days. It will be best the next day, and it will keep for a week, it just won’t be as good past the 5 day mark.

Here’s how to make this Chex Mix in the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Combine Chex, pretzels, and Goldfish in a large bowl.

Melt one stick of butter.

While the butter is melting, measure out all of the spices (dried parsley, dried dill, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried onion flakes, dried garlic flakes, dried chives, cayenne pepper, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds) and combine them in a separate bowl.

Once the butter is melted, add the Worcestershire sauce and remove it from the heat. Combine the seasonings and the butter, then pour this over the Chex, pretzels, and Goldfish.

Mix gently and make sure that as many pieces as possible are well coated.

Now, turn this mixture out onto a lined (with parchment or a non-stick mat) baking sheet.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes or so. After 30 minutes, watch closely to be sure that your mix doesn’t burn.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 15 – 30 minutes.

Once cooled, move the mix to an airtight container or plastic bag and enjoy for 3 – 5 days. It will be best the next day, and it will keep for a week, it just won’t be as good past the 5 day mark.

🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

I suggest you make a lot of this and serve it in a big bowl. Put it in your lap, then proceed to eat it and swat everyone else’s hands away. Just kidding, it is delicious and addicting, and I highly recommend sharing it with your friends and family so you don’t eat it all.

This is a great snack mix for a party, but it isn’t the most friendly on your breath so just be aware of that. (Lots of garlic and onion!) We love to make this when we have friends over to watch football – it is inexpensive, easy to snack on, and easy to make!

📖 Options

There are a lot of other things that you can add to your party mix – bagel chips, breadsticks, different kinds of plain cereal, different shapes of pretzels, cheese crackers, and even oyster crackers. I have also been told that Bugles are a great addition but I can’t ever eat them without putting them on my finger-tips and making witch nails, so I never buy them.

We also have experimented with adding nuts – my husband said he could take it or leave it with the pecans and I agree. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t add much so I will probably leave them out next time.

🥫How to Store Homemade Chex Mix

This mix must be stored in an airtight container, or it will get stale. It will likely start to get a little stale after about 5 days. It is still edible, but definitely best within 3 – 5 days. If you are making it for a party, I recommend making it the day before and letting the flavors soak in overnight.

✏️ Helpful Tips

• A few things can happen when making this mix – you might end up with some seasoning that didn’t stick. The best way to fix this is to melt about an extra tablespoon of butter, mix in the leftover seasoning, and then toss it with the mix. The butter will help it stick, and let’s face it – butter makes everything better. Let this cool before you taste it again.

• Always store this mix in an airtight container. It will get stale if left out for too long.
• This party mix also makes great gifts or party favors for family members and coworkers – you can give it in a cute jar or, on the cheaper side – put it in small bags!

Other Great Party Recipes

• Sweet and Spicy Bourbon Pecans
• Raising Cane’s Dipping Sauce
• Fried Okra
• Crack Pretzels
• Instant Pot Queso