Healthier homemade Chex mix

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What makes this chex mix so good

• My secret ingredient (read below) replaces half the butter and adds flavor!
• 40% lower in saturated fat
• Generously seasoned
• Gluten free
• Vegan

Is homemade Chex mix worth the effort?

Yes! Allow me to do my very best to convince you –

• The smell that will radiate through your kitchen is nothing short of magical
• Customize the dry mix with all your favorites – maybe peanuts aren’t you thing. Maybe you have a favorite cracker you’d like to throw in. See all my gluten-free and vegan customization suggestions below for inspiration!
• You’ll control the salt (if you’re limiting sodium) and other seasonings
• Avoid the unnecessary added ingredients – there are a whopping 37 ingredients in store bought Chex mix, including seed oils, palm oil and BHT; the latter of these has been identified as a tumor promoter and associated with birth defects by numerous studies. Read the environmental working group’s report on BHT here.

Chex mix is a staple snack during the holiday season. In my house, a large batch is always ready in those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This chex mix has a rich, cozy umami flavor that blends very well with the thanksgiving “palate” and it’s a refreshing contrast to all the sweets and cookies that are around this time of year.

Ingredients for healthier homemade Chex mix

Dry ingredients

***See the customizations section for other ideas!

Corn Chex: corn chex squares are more yellow and slightly stronger in flavor than rice chex. They’re also a bit more compact.

Rice Chex: rice chex squares are puffier, whiter, and physically larger than corn chex (because there is more empty space inside each square). They have a milder flavor and go great with this recipe.

Gluten free pretzels: I love using the Snyder’s mini gluten free pretzels. Purchase your own bag here!

Peanuts: dry roasted, lightly salted are my go-to for this recipe. They add a healthy amount of plant based protein to this recipe.

Seasoning blend

Worcestershire sauce: do not skip this one! It brings a deep, rich, umami flavor to the recipe. Traditionally this sauce contains anchovies, but you can find vegan versions in the store or order it online here!

Butter: to add richness and flavor and carries the other spices to coat the batch

Vegetable broth: my secret ingredient! This replaces half the butter in the traditional chex mix recipe and gives a deeper, more complex flavor profile. A win-win!

Lawry’s seasoning salt: this seasoning is made of something magical and at my house it’s a pantry staple. Another absolutely necessary component of this recipe. 

Onion powder: for extra flavor 

Garlic powder: even more flavor

How to make homemade chex mix

Step 1: Prep step. start by preheating the oven to a modest 250 degrees (F) and pull out two baking sheets, preferably with tall sides. No need to line them!

Step 2: Dry mix. toss together all the dry ingredients – chex cereals, pretzels, and nuts. 

Step 3: Liquid mix. melt the butter and whisk to incorporate with the vegetable broth, vegan worchestire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic and onion powders.

Step 4: Toss. pour the liquid seasoning mixture over the dry mix and gently stir to coat

Step 5: Bake. bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes (three stirs total), remove after an hour in the oven and let cool on the pan for another 15 minutes.

Watch me make this homemade chex mix on instagram

Customizations

One of the best parts about chex mix is how easily customizable it can be! Swap in your favorite cereal, crackers, pretzels, chips, or nuts to create your perfect blend. Here are some vegan and gluten free ideas to get the ball rolling

FAQ

Recipe Card

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Healthier Homemade Chex Mix

Warming, spiced chex mix perfect for serving around the holidays – or any time of year! This version is lower in saturated fat and calories per serving than the recipe on the back of the box. It's also gluten free and vegan!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, British

Keyword gluten free, vegan

Prep Time 17 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 11 cups

Calories 208kcal

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients*

• 5 cups corn chex
• 4 cups rice chex
• 1 cup pretzels
• 1 cup peanuts

Wet Ingredients

• 3 TBSP vegan butter, melted
• 3 TBSP vegetable broth, reduced sodium
• 2 TBSP worcestershire sauce** please ensure this is vegan
• 3 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 250 ℉ and pull out a deep baking dish or two large cookie sheets, no need to line them
• In a large mixing bowl, toss together all the dry ingredients. I break apart the larger pretzels and crackers.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and then add the vegetable broth, vegan worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk thoroughly to incorporate. I like to use an electric milk frother for this step.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix and gently stir to coat.
• Bake at 250℉ for a total of 60 minutes, stirring at every 15 minute interval.
• Remove from oven and let cool in pan. The smell will be immaculate!
• Once cooled, store in a ziplock bag in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks. You can also freeze in a ziplock bag for up to 4 months.

Notes

**see blog post for notes on vegan worcestershire sauce

*see customizations section for more ideas!

Nutrition Data – per 1 cup serving