Homemade Cheddar Cheese Chex Mix
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This week’s blog post is brought to you by the letter C because we are talking about homemade cheddar cheese Chex mix! I love making Chex mix at home, so I can customize it with all my favorite snacks and spices. For this recipe, you will need cheddar cheese powder, which you can buy online or in the popcorn section. This party mix lasts for weeks, so it’s amazing for gifting, holiday apps, or as a no-cook football snack!
There’s something about snack mix that just says, “get the hell out of my kitchen”.
In the sense that if you’re putting the finishing touches on Christmas Eve dinner or making chicken wings for the Super Bowl, you can pop a bowl of snack mix on the coffee table and keep people out of your hair for a hot sec. It’s a beautiful thing, really.
As we’ve already established, I love a make-ahead, room-temp snack when I’m entertaining. And I mean, really, who doesn’t love some spicy ranch snack mix or smoky baked fire crackers with a side of cheddar cheese spread? Snacks don’t always have to be fancy, they just need to be good.
And that’s why I love this particular recipe. As someone who has been developing recipes for over a decade, I’ve come to the conclusion that the real “Chex mix” flavor comes from a combo of seasoning salt, Worcestershire sauce, and spices like garlic and onion powder. This recipe includes all of the above plus cheddar powder, because cheese makes everything better. (Pro tip: if you can’t find it in the grocery store, a packet from a box of mac and cheese works wonders.)
Make this for game nights, parties, or any time you just need something make-ahead and simple. You won’t regret it!
Oven directions
To make this recipe completely vegetarian, make sure you’re using vegan Worcestershire sauce! Classic Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it, so just keep that in mind!
If you live in a humid place, the snack mix might get soft, even if you store it the right way. To crisp it back up, bake it at 250°F (120°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s crunchy again.
More cheese snacks you can add
The cheese powder is key to coating the cereal, but I also like to add other cheesy snacks to amp the mix up a bit! My favorites are cheese crackers and cheese puffs. Pips cheese balls are my weakness (I can and will hoover an entire bag), but any brand will work.
Of course, you can use any cheesy snacks you like here. Cheese sandwich crackers, cheese crisps, cheddar Sun Chips, classic Cheetos, or popcorn would be amazing! Plus, it’s a good way to bulk up this recipe if you want extra servings for gifting. 🙂
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Easy Homemade Cheddar Cheese Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 8 cups corn, rice, and/or wheat Chex I use a mix (250 grams)
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists (80 grams)
- 2 cups corn cones like Bugles (70 grams)
- 2 cups cheese crackers like Cheez-Its (125 grams)
- 1/2 cup good unsalted butter (115 grams)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (22 grams)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt more to taste
- Freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese powder yellow or white (40 grams)
- 2 cups cheese puff balls (80 grams)
Equipment
- Big mixing bowl
- 1 Large sheet pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Then, mix the Chex cereal, pretzel twists, corn cones, and cheese crackers in a large mixing bowl.
- Next, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Remove the pot from the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the melted butter mixture evenly over the snack mix. Gently toss until the snacks are coated in the butter mixture. Then, sprinkle the cheddar cheese powder on top and stir until the snacks are evenly coated. Try a piece of cereal or two and add more seasoned salt or cheese powder to taste.
- Spread the snack mix in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until the mix is crisp and dry to the touch.
- Cool the snack mix completely on the pan, then mix in the cheese balls. Store the cooled mix in an airtight container or zipper bag for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!
