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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 12/05/2018
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This bold and zesty chex mix recipe, is so simple to make for a party! Made super easily in the slow cooker, and easy to customize!
If you’re a fan of the store-bought chex mix, you HAVE to give this homemade version a try!
You guys, I have a serious chex mix addiction. I want all the bold, zesty, salty snack pieces I can get! So naturally, instead of paying $3-4 a bag (that’s half filled with air), I wanted to make my own. I’ve made chex mix before, in the oven, and even the microwave, but somehow it never occurred to me to try it out in the slow cooker!
I was doing some recipe testing for a yummy cheeseball (recipe to come shortly!), and my oven was occupied with a BIG pan of bacon, so I decided to give the crockpot recipe a try. Man, it did NOT disappoint!! I used this recipe from Ali over at Gimme Some Oven as my base method, and changed up my mixture and butter sauce.
WHY MAKE A CHEX MIX RECIPE IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Honestly, it wasn’t any less “work” than the other oven and microwave versions, and it tasted exactly the same… so why do it? Well there might be a time when your oven is on the fritz, or it’s busy baking something else… plus you can make this large batch without having to use a cumbersome roasting pan or extremely large baking sheet.
Bottom line, there’s no wrong way to make chex mix! And I’ve detailed the oven and microwave directions for you below the recipe.
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE CHEX MIX LAST?
Around here, not very long! Seriously we plow through a bag in about 3 days. But if you keep it sealed in an airtight container at room temperature, it should last you about 3-4 weeks. If you can make a batch last that long, please, PLEASE tell me your self-discipline secrets!
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD TO A CHEX MIX RECIPE?
There are so many options! For starters, you can use any combination of chex cereals you like; you just want 9 cups total. Here are a few of my favorite add-ins:
- Crunchy Cheetos
- Mini Breadsticks
- Plain Cheerios
- A variety of nuts
- Raisins (add in AFTER the chex mix has cooked and cooled completely)
- M&M’s (add in AFTER the chex mix has cooked and cooled completely)
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER CHEX MIX:
- Stir GENTLY when you’re tossing the chex mix and butter mixture. Those delicate chex cereal pieces can break pretty easily.
- Play around with the seasonings if you’d like! Want more of a flavor punch? Use 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 Tbsp seasoned salt and 1 1/4 tsp of the garlic powder and onion powder. Want less zest? Use a little less of all the seasonings. It’s a really flexible recipe.
- Make sure you thoroughly stir the chex mix every hour and at LEAST 2 times during the last hour of cooking. The bottom of the chex mix can burn and scorch, and then not only will it not taste good… it will smell pretty awful.
- This chex mix recipe makes a great gift during the holidays! Package some up in a festive tin and pamper your friends and neighbors.
OTHER GREAT SNACK RECIPES:
- Italian Herb Snack Mix
- Barbecue Roasted Mixed Nuts
- Gingerbread Caramel Corn
- Vanilla Cinnamon Candied Almonds
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Slow Cooker – even, consistent cooking… every time!
- Rubber Spatula – my favorite rubber spatulas of all time!
- Seasoned Salt – we use this brand all the time!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Slow Cooker Bold Chex Mix Recipe
4.80 from 10 votesPrep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 423
Servings: 12 servings
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This bold and zesty chex mix recipe, is so simple to make for a party!
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn chex cereal
- 3 cups rice chex cereal
- 3 cups wheat chex cereal
- 1 1/2 cups bagel chips
- 1 1/4 cups peanuts
- 1 cup pretzels
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Instructions
Add cereals, bagel chips, peanuts and pretzels to the bottom of a large crockpot; set aside.
To the melted butter (make sure it's still hot!), add Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika (if using). Whisk until seasonings have dissolved into the hot butter mixture.
Pour butter mixture over the top of the chex mixture (as evenly as you can), then use a rubber spatula to gently toss everything together. Mix it well, so the butter mixture is evenly distributed through the chex mix.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours, stirring every hour, and at least twice during the last hour to prevent burning or scorching.
After chex mix is cooked, spread it evenly in a very large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or onto a countertop lined with parchment or wax paper. This cools the chex mix, and it will crisp up more as it cools.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 weeks.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
To prevent condensation from the lid of the slow cooker from falling onto the chex mix and making it soggy, place a kitchen towel over the slow cooker and place the lid tightly on top of the towel. *do so at your own risk, as it could potentially be a fire hazard - although I do this all the time and have never had any issues*
OVEN DIRECTIONS
- Mix chex mix and butter mixture in a large mixing bowl, then spread evenly in a very large baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Bake at 250 F degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Spread on parchment to cool and store as directed.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS
- Mix chex mix and butter mixture in a large mixing bowl, then transfer to a large microwave-safe container (you may need to break the mixture up into batches).
- Microwave for 5-6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
- Spread on parchment to cool and store as directed.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Meet The Chunky Chef
Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!
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Diane says
This is my FAVORITE Chex mix recipe! The smoked paprika…chef’s kiss!
Reply
Diane says
The absolute best chex mix with bold flavor! I make it every holiday season.
Reply
Thalia Menninger says
This recipe did not turn out well for me at all. The flavor certainly wasn’t bold–in fact, it was pretty much tasteless, and I had even increased the amounts of the seasonings. It just came out tasting strangely oily and blah. I think salted butter would be better, for a start. I did like cooking it in the slow cooker.
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Ken Buckmaster says
Very tasty! A crowd pleaser. I have made many times. Always great around the holidays. I also add a touch of cayenne or spicy peanuts.
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Lauren says
Which of the cooking methods do you prefer? I’m torn between the oven and crockpot. Thanks!
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The Chunky Chef says
I tend to use the crockpot, just because it’s a little less hands-on 🙂
Reply
Vikki Beswick says
The smoked paprika is brilliant, I am glad for this recipe, and it sure kicked it up a notch.
Maybe this is a helpful hint, maybe not: I always dump all the seasonings into a pyrex cup with the butter, and melt it all together in the microwave, which combines everything no fuss no muss, and also ensures the butter is still hot and totally melted when poured on the dry stuff.
Again, thanks for the great add to a timeless recipe.Reply
Rose says
Love your recipe! But I had to laugh at the last tip. “Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 weeks.” Lol like it would last that long in my house!
Reply
Brian Hebert says
Love this recipe so much! Think it’s my 3rd year in a row making it at the holidays! Please don’t ever delete it!
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Allison says
This is seriously addicting! I can’t stop eating it!
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Melanie Bauer says
Looks absolutely fabulous! I’m sure this will quickly disappear on our table, need to make this!
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Chrissie Baker says
LOVE this idea to use the slow cooker. I cannot wait to try it this Christmas!
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Demeter says
This is always the first to disppear when we have company over. Who can resist it?!
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Sabrina says
I need this in my life! I’m running to the store right now so I can make it!
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Meghan says
I love a good bold chex mix! I can never stop eating it.
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