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A close-up of a football shaped bowl of party mix with pretzels, chex, and goldfish.
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4.87 from 23 votes

Addicting Chex Party Mix (Crack Pretzel Snack Mix)

Chex party mix is a 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.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: chex party mix, chex snack mix, party mix, snack mix
Servings: 20
Calories: 282kcal
Author: Kari

Equipment

Ingredients

Chex "Mix"

  • 4 cups mini pretzels
  • 3 cups Goldfish crackers
  • 1 ½ cups Corn Chex
  • 1 ½ cups Rice Chex

Optional

Seasoning

Optional (though I highly recommend adding these for the most flavor!)

Instructions

To Make Party Mix in a Crockpot

  • Begin by choosing ingredients for the 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.
  • While the butter is melting, measure out all of your spices and combine them in a separate bowl or on a plate.
  • Once the butter is melted, add the Worcestershire sauce to it and remove from heat.
  • Add your goldfish, Chex, and pretzels to a crockpot and gently toss to mix it all up.
  • Top your Chex, pretzel, Goldfish mix with the seasoning and again, gently toss everything together.
  • 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.)
  • 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.
  • After 1 hour, give the mix another good gentle toss 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 or uncovered - 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.

To Make Party Mix in the Oven

  • 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.

Video

Notes

FAQs
How long does homemade snack/party/Chex mix stay fresh?
If you store your snack mix in an airtight container, it will stay fresh for 3 - 5 days. It actually tastes better the day after you make it - somehow it allows the flavors to intensify.
What is a good substitute for Worcestershire sauce?
In this situation, you really want to use Worcestershire sauce if you can - it really gives a great burst of Umami flavor and totally makes this snack mix as good as it is. If you can't eat it, understandable - you can replace it in this recipe with soy sauce or liquid aminos.

Serving Suggestions and 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 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.
Storage/Shelf Life
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.
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!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 764IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg