party chex mix 2 ways;

The best part of chex mix is the texture. Crunchy and crumbly chex, snappy pretzels, and hearty nuts. Everything has it’s own version of crunch. And party chex mix has to be salty. When you make chex mix homemade, it has extra wonderful flavor, and you can customize it to your perfect snacking mix. Party chex mix is always a crowd-pleaser, and I have a classic version as well as a cheesy option! We make both, and often I just split the batch and make both for fun variety.

I owe my mother-in-law credit for this recipe, because before she made it for me, I never knew just how good party chex mix could be. We make it around the holidays and it never lasts long. I like the premade stuff just fine but it was always a little too salty for me, and there were always things I didn’t like. (Anyone else think the pretzels just always taste stale?!)

And one of the things I love love love about this homemade version is the addition of toasted nuts. It adds a new texture, some additional protein, and a whole lot of scrumptious rich and buttery flavor. You just get a more well-rounded umami flavor instead of just “sodium bomb”.

Secondly, I rarely enjoy the storebought variety anymore because of my gluten sensitivity. But if you make your own party Chex mix, it’s actually super simple to make your party Chex mix gluten free.

If you make your own party Chex mix, you can adjust for gluten and/or dairy sensitivities.

Secret to success

Chex cereal itself is gluten free if you stick to the rice and corn varieties. Skip the wheat Chex (they’re the worst anyway, imo). For pretzels, grab some gluten-feee ones. They’re easy to find, and arguably just as good if not better than your average pretzel. And of course these days you can keep an eye out for other gluten free snackage that you can add. These days I’ve found breadsticks, oyster crackers, and bagel chips in gluten free varieties, if you know where to look. Anything light and crunchy will mix wonderfully into your gluten free party Chex mix.

And of course I’ll throw in another plug for nuts! Nuts are naturally gluten free. We typically use peanuts, which break up the carb overload and add a little extra satiety to your handfuls. I prefer peanuts generally. They’re cheap, widely available, and really complement the salty flavors.

You can use any of your favorite nuts, or mix them all. Or even skip them entirely.

Secret to success

That said, you can use any and all of your preferred nuts. Or even none at all. Cashews are light and buttery, pecans are nutty and snappy, walnuts are soft and just the tiniest bit chewy. Add any and all to your party chex mix. Toasting them will really bring out the flavors and oils and help tie the whole bowl of Chex mix together.

Now that we have a solid party Chex mix, it’s time to cheese it up! I also really like the cheesy varietal of Chex mix, so I thought why not try my hand at recreating it homemade? The base ingredients are the same, Chex, pretzels, nuts. But there’s a couple noticeable differences.

You need a cheesy cracker. Cheez-its, Better Cheddars, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Simple Mille Cheddar Almond Crackers…the list goes on and on. But cheesy crackers are a must!

Secondly, we need to infuse even more cheesiness into the party mix. There’s a couple options here: powdered cheese, Parmesan cheese that will bake in the oven, Parmesan crisps, or fresh cubed cheese. (Though the latter will make your mix go stale if you store it together.)

If you like the store-bought cheesy Chex mix, then cheese powder is for you. This tangy, dry powdered cheese coats everything in the mix wonderfully and imparts a sharp cheese flavor. I get powdered cheddar cheese from King Arthur Flour, and it’s sharp and tangy and easy to just toss in the bowl with your other ingredients.

Cheddar cheese powder is honestly my favorite of the options, but it’s an oddly specific specialty ingredient. I don’t expect everyone to want to bother with cheese powder, but it will get you closest to the retail cheesy Chex Mix.

So if you don’t keep powdered cheese on hand, then my next recommendation is to buy some Parmesan crisps and add them to your mix. Or go with fresh grated parmesan and toss it into the mix. When you bake the party chex mix it will melt and stick to the ingredients to make sure you get flavor in every bite.

Cheese powder, baked Parmesan cheese, or fresh cubed cheese, take your pick to make this dish cheesy.

Secret to success

And then there’s fresh cheese. You’ll want to add your fresh cheese immediately before serving. The moisture in the cheese will cause the mixture to go stale quite fast if stored together. And the whole point of party Chex mix is a satisfying crunch!

secrets to success;

Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!

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more recipes;

Looking for other party recipes to get a crowd going? Check out these fan favorites!

• Impress your guests with homemade bread that’s oh-so-easy! This overnight focaccia is great as a rosemary and olive oil bread, or take it as a sweet treat: either cinnamon sugar focaccia or chocolate chip swirl focaccia.
• Looking for a festive but healthy way to celebrate? Why not try a watermelon cake on for size! This no-sugar cake is so, so cute and gives you everything to celebrate–without the calories!
• My favorite way to feed a crowd is horseradish roast beef party sliders. Made in a huge quick batch but toasty, warm, and delicious with layers of beef and a little heat, these are sure to please!
• Or make your gathering magical with these harry potter party ideas! Everything from chocolate frogs to butterbeer cookies, and homemade potions to make your party pop!