Homemade Chex Mix Recipe
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Take it old-school with homemade Chex mix! This irresistibly savory, buttery, and crunchy snack, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is the perfect nibble to have on hand when you’ve got a full house.
Chex mix, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is a classic American snack that’s a staple during football games and holiday gatherings. It’s a savory mix of Chex cereal, nuts, and other bite-sized treats, all seasoned and baked to crispy perfection. My go-to Chex mix recipe comes from Barb Gyles, a longtime family friend who was like a second mom to me growing up. Barb was famous in the neighborhood for her Chex mix—she always kept a huge bin of it in her kitchen, ready to feed all the neighborhood kids (and parents!), no matter the occasion.
Curious about her recipe, I once asked if it was the same as the one on the cereal box. Barb’s candid response was, “No way. That stuff’s for amateurs.” Her recipe calls for extra butter, more spices, and, in her words, “more salt, if your heart works.” It’s easy to make and totally customizable—swap out the nuts or other ingredients to fit your taste—making it perfect for feeding a crowd.
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“Every year I’ve been making the recipe on the Chex box and it was always so disappointing. I knew it wasn’t the same as the recipe I grew up on (in the 50s and 60s) but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. The answer? Lots more butter! And lots more spices! Last Christmas I was making this two times a week…it’s sooo good!”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Chex Mix
- Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex: The crunchy backbone of the mix. You can use all three for variety or stick with just one or two, depending on what you have on hand.
- Cheerios: Adds a toasty, familiar crunch. If you want something heartier, swap them out for bagel chips—or even use a combo of both.
- Skinny bite-sized pretzels: For that salty, crispy contrast. Mini twists or sticks work just as well.
- Salted nuts: Adds richness and crunch. Feel free to mix things up—peanuts, almonds, cashews, or even pecans all work nicely. Or, skip them entirely if nuts aren’t your thing.
- Unsalted butter: Helps the seasoning stick and gives that irresistible buttery flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: For a savory, umami boost that ties everything together.
- Seasoned salt: Gives the mix that classic flavor kick.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: These pantry staples are key to building that bold, savory flavor.
- Dried thyme: Adds a subtle herbal note that rounds out the seasoning.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Ingredients
Combine all of the snack mix ingredients in a large disposable aluminum pan or roasting pan.
Next, make the butter seasoning: in a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and thyme.
Whisk to combine.
Slowly pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture, being careful to spread it evenly around.
Stir until all of the ingredients are evenly coated.
Bake in a 250°F oven, stirring occasionally, for about 1½ hours. Let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you’d like to extend its shelf life, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
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Homemade Chex Mix
Take it old-school with homemade Chex mix! This irresistibly savory, buttery, and crunchy snack, also known as nuts n’ bolts, is the perfect nibble to have on hand when you’ve got a full house.
Ingredients
For the Snack Mix
- 4 cups Corn Chex
- 4 cups Wheat Chex
- 3 cups Rice Chex
- 2 cups Cheerios
- 3 cups skinny bite-sized pretzels
- 1½ cups salted nuts
For the Butter Seasoning
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 heaping teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Combine the Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, and nuts in a large disposable aluminum pan or roasting pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. Pour slowly over the snack mix, stirring as you go, to coat evenly. Continue stirring until snack mix is well coated with the seasoning. Bake for 1½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Let cool, then serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Note: You can omit any of the snack mix ingredients as long as you substitute something else. The idea is to keep the ratio of snack mix to butter seasoning the same.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The snack mix can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Cool completely before freezing.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (18 servings)
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 395
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 721 mg
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I agree with Jenn’s friend Barb… the chex box recipe is for amateurs… A pro calls this recipe nuts and bolts and a amateur calls it chex mix….,
My family also has a 50 year tradition of making nuts and bolts for the holidays. All the kids expect their large bag full at Christmas.. and it’s a cherished treat anytime we get together for any kind of family reunion.
We do almost exactly this recipe, except one other really good addition. We use an equal amount of Bacon fat to butter. We also use celery salt as well as the other spices mentioned.
This would be fabulous as is I am sure, and it was cool to see others enjoy nuts and bolts as well as my family.
I have made a different version of this in the past. I used to make a few batches at a time it freezes well in an airtight container
This is my first review on any food item….and I use the internet a lot while planning meals. That’s how much I love this snack. It has become our staple for the game table at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perfect amount of spices/herbs. I always add Cheez-Its instead of Cherrios (personal preference) but all else stays the same. Great recipe!
This is almost the exact recipe to a T my grandmother made while we were growing up. I was panicking searching for my written copy in her handwriting and looked around on the Internet for a dupe until I found it. Every other recipe is basically the Chex party mix. Big difference. Yours as close as I have found to it. I found my recipe she gave me finally soon after finding yours and compared the two. Zero difference except she adds nuts which are definitely optional. This is the old fashioned good stuff. People have no clue what they are missing until they’ve tried this recipe! Thanks for posting! I’m bookmarking yours in case I ever lose my handwritten one!
Ha I’m so blind and silly. Yours has nuts! So yep no difference! 🙂
I was searching for ideas for foods to serve at a Christmas Open House… what a joy to come upon your post and read about your neighborhood get-togethers. It makes me want to search through my old photos as I’m sure ours are similar. 🙂
My mom and older sisters used to make Nuts & Bolts. I had forgotten about it. I can’t wait to taste it again. Thanks!
Thank you! My mom made this exact same recipe at Christmas for our family in the 70’s, and continued each year for the grandkids! My mom has since passed away, (miss her so much!) and I wanted to make this when we go visit our 25 year old daughter for Thanksgiving, and couldn’t find my mom’s recipe. Thanks to you & and the internet, both me & our daughter will have a little bit of our childhood memories brought back this year! Thank you!!!
I made this today for our Football Saturday party. My hubby could hardly wait until it was out of the oven to begin nibbling because it smelled so good! It’s always good to have several munch mix recipes, and this one is a good addition. Thanks, Jenn….and Barb!
I think I may have found my new addiction! YUM. For my fellow Australian cooks, Chex cereal is hard to find – I used Kellogg’s Crispix and Nutri-Grain, and they turned out great! Woolworths Select brand also do the pretzel sticks. I didn’t know what seasoned salt was, so I used chicken salt. My Dad is going to LOVE this, thank you!
Traditional “Nuts n Bolts” has the nuts (cheerios) and the bolts (pretzel sticks). It does not have chex mix
Please don’t insult the author of this recipe. If you don’t like it (or don’t like the name), scroll on. Allow the rest of her fans to enjoy it.
This was a great version of Chex Mix – I really liked the addition of thyme. It made for a nice fragrant home as it was baking as well (I love the story as well)!