Emmy's Christmas Chex Mix

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It’s not Christmas without my sister’s homemade Chex mix! It's the perfect snack, especially a couple of hours after a holiday meal when you’re feeling snacky but don’t want to eat something heavy. It’s a real crowd-pleaser and perfect for any occasion, from a holiday party to a family holiday movie marathon. It makes a fantastic addition to a food gift basket. And to boot, it’s EASY.

I’ve always loved Chex mix. I love the variety of textures and the addictive savory salty flavor. However, I’ve always had a bone to pick with the seasoning. With store-bought Chex mix, you get a well-seasoned piece every 5 bites or so, and then the rest are bland. My sister’s Chex mix is perfectly seasoned, and every bite is flavorful and yummy.

Also, with store-bought Chex mix, you’re stuck with the mix that you get, so if you’re not a fan of nuts or pretzels or those rock-hard rye chips, then that’s what you’ve got. That is why making your own can be so much better! It’s endlessly customizable, and you control the seasoning and the additions that you use. It’s partly why I love cooking so much! I get to be the queen of my queendom and customize my recipes based on what I love to eat. 

My family has played around a lot with the additions. I love to add cheese crackers because they’re my favorite. We’ve used honey mustard-flavored pretzel pieces before, and also an Asian rice cracker medley, and both have been awesome.

What makes this recipe enchanting:

• It's WAY better than store-bought. It's well seasoned, flavorful, completely customizable, and pretty universally beloved.

• It's easy! You toss seasoned melted butter with some crunchy bits and bada bing bada boom, you're in business.

• It's a great snack to make for holiday parties, food gifts, or just a snack for your family to munch on while watching holiday movies.

More food gift ideas:

• Brown Butter Blondies with Chocolate Chips

• Love Secret Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Rosemary Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits

• Jumbo Apple Cider Donut Muffins with pecans

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Video with step-by-step instructions:

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Emmy's Christmas Chex Mix:

• 4 cups rice Chex mix

• 4 cups corn Chex mix

• 2 cups cheese crackers (I use 1 cup of Cheez-It’s and 1 cup of Goldfish)

• 2 cups mini pretzels or pretzel pieces (flavored pretzel pieces are awesome) 

• 1-2 cups mixed nuts 

• ½ cup (1 stick; 113 grams) butter, melted

• ⅓ cup (78 ml) Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon chili powder 

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1-1 ½ teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a very large bowl (a Dutch oven or pot would work), add the Chex, crackers, pretzels, and nuts. 

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and then add the remaining ingredients and mix.

4. Pour ½ of the butter mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and use 2 spatulas to gently toss. Then repeat with the remaining butter mixture. 

5. Bake on the baking sheet for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. 

6. Let cool to room temperature, and then scoop into a large resealable bag. Store for 2-4 weeks.