This homemade cheese Chex mix is a delicious, crunchy blend of cheese and spices, making it a popular snack for all occasions. Once you dig in, it'll be difficult to stop!
Homemade Chex Mix Vs Store Bought
The first advertisements for Chex party mix were seen in 1952 in Life Magazine. This early version used Wheat and Rice Chex, as those were the only versions available at that time. While folks were making their own Chex mix at home for decades, it took all the way until 1985 for pre-packaged Chex Mix to be available commercially.
When going on road trips, we pretty much always grab a bag of Bold Chex Mix at gas stations during fill-ups. It doesn't last long, as I have a 6 year-old that we have nicknamed "Chet Mix Monster" (her pronunciation from toddler days) due to her ability to destroy a batch of Chex mix in record time.
So I'm no snob when it comes to the store bought stuff, but there's really nothing like a fresh batch of homemade, and this cheese Chex mix will not disappoint.
I'm not making any health claims with regard to homemade vs. store-bought Chex mix, but just based on flavor alone, I'll be reaching for this recipe instead of the packaged variety since it doesn't take much time to throw it together.
Want to try a bold version instead? Try my Bold Chex Mix Recipe
Ingredients For Cheese Chex Mix
This recipe is not too far removed from a classic homemade Chex mix recipe. Here's what you'll need:
For The Coating:
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Worcestershire sauce
- Seasoned salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion Powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cheese powder (powdered popcorn seasoning is what I use)
- Powdered parmesan cheese (yup, the stuff in the green can!)
For The Mix:
- Rice Chex cereal
- Bugles
- Cheez-Its or goldfish crackers
- Pretzels, any shape
Can I Use Other Mix-Ins?
The beauty of making your own cheese Chex mix is that you can vary the crunchy snacks you use inside to fit your own personal tastes and create a new mix each time you make it. In addition to or instead of some of the items listed above, you can use any of the following:
- Nuts - peanuts, cashews, etc... use whatever you have!
- Cheerios
- Corn or Wheat Chex
- Bagel or pita chips
How To Make Cheesy Chex Mix
Stir together all of the cheese coating ingredients in a small bowl. In a second, large bowl - or directly into a deep, wide baking dish - stir together all of the mix ingredients. Pour coating onto the mix and stir with a spoon or nonstick spatula until all of the pieces are coated.
Bake in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring well every 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Can I Double or Triple This Recipe?
Yes, as written, this recipe makes a relatively "small" batch of Chex mix, about 7-8 cups. You can double or triple the recipe as needed. Scaling up the recipe is especially useful if you need to make a large batch for a party!
What Type Of Pan To Use To Bake Chex Mix
I like to use a large stainless steel deep dish lasagna pan to make this cheese Chex mix. The tall sides make for easy stirring during the baking process without worrying that I'm gonna sling the ingredients all over my kitchen. You can also use a regular baking sheet with a lip, you'll just need to be a bit more careful when stirring the mix.
Make my Classic Homemade Chex Mix here to get back to basics!
How To Store
I recommend storing your cheese Chex mix in an airtight container (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, etc) or in a big Zip-top storage bag. Make sure that you let the fresh Chex mix cool completely before sealing it up. Sealing it up while warm will release steam inside of the container that will cause condensation to form... soggy Chex mix is no good for anyone!
How Long Will Chex Mix Stay Fresh?
When stored properly, your snack should stay fresh for a couple of weeks at room temperature. Because it's so easy to whip together a new batch, I usually make as much as my family will eat over the course of 4 or 5 days and then make a decision on whether or not I want to make more, haha.
When making this for an upcoming holiday, go ahead and save yourself some work and make it several days to a week in advance and seal it up in a container. It'll taste great when you're ready to set it out for your guests!
Can Cheese Chex Mix Be Frozen?
Surprisingly, yes it can! You can freeze this recipe in freezer-safe bags for up to 6 months (for best quality). Just make sure the bags don't get crushed when placed into your freezer!
Print
Cheese Chex Mix
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: About 7.5 cups 1x
Description
Homemade cheesy Chex mix is a savory snack made with a combination of Chex cereal, cheese crackers, and pretzels, seasoned with a blend of spices and coated in a buttery cheese sauce. It's easy to make and perfect for snacking on while watching a movie or hosting a party.
Ingredients
Mix
- 2 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 2 cups original Bugles (or Corn Chex)
- 2 cups Cheez-Its (or goldfish crackers)
- 1.5 cups pretzels
Coating
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons cheddar popcorn seasoning
- 2 tablespoon powdered Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250F. In a large bowl, stir together mix ingredients.
- In a small bowl, stir together coating ingredients. Pour coating over mix and stir until fully covered.
- Transfer mix to a large deep lasagna dish or baking sheet with rim.
- Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
Notes
Scale recipe up as needed.
You can vary mix ingredients as desired (use different snacks or cereal, add nuts, etc)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: n/a
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