Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This hot honey Chex mix is the sweet and spicy snack your party needs! It’s crunchy, buttery, loaded with good stuff, and baked until golden and toasty.
How long it takes: 1 hour, 15 minutes (including cooling time)
Equipment you’ll need: large mixing bowl, microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, 2 large rimmed sheet pans
Servings: 12 (1 cup each)
Hot Honey + Chex Mix = Your New Obsession
Hot honey makes everything better. I’ve established this pretty thoroughly by now. I’m putting it on chicken sheet pan dinners, salmon bites, Brussels sprouts, and now, Chex mix. And honestly? This might be the best use yet.
I love making this hot honey Chex mix for parties, and everyone asks about it. It’s sweet, spicy, and savory, and so much better than anything from a bag.
What makes mine special:
- Extra crunchy: Baking low and slow gives every piece an irresistible crispy-crunchy texture. You’ll find that homemade Chex mix is so much fresher-tasting than a bag of store-bought (and no MSG!).
- Sweet, spicy, and savory: This has to be my favorite flavor combination! Hot honey, butter, and smoky spices make this Chex mix one of those snacks you just can’t stop eating.
- Perfect for parties: Make a big batch for parties, road trips, game day, or homemade food gifts for the holidays.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here’s an overview of what you’ll need.
- Rice Chex, Corn Chex, and Wheat Chex: While you could go all in on one variety, classic Chex mix has a combination. I like the slightly different flavors and textures each offers.
- Mini pretzel twists: Mini pretzels add even more crunch, and they contrast nicely with the cereal.
- Oyster crackers: These small round crackers are awesome because they soak up the butter and honey mixture, making them extra delicious (much like my popular seasoned oyster crackers!).
- Unsalted butter: I love the butter and honey combination in this mix—it’s far better than the flavor you’d get using oil.
- Hot honey: If you don’t have store-bought, you can easily make your own by mixing together honey and hot sauce, like Frank’s RedHot.
- Seasonings: Easy pantry ingredients add flavor. You’ll need smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt.
My Favorite Sheet Pans
I use these for everything! I have four of them and they’re in constant rotation from my oven to my sink to my cupboard.
How to Make Hot Honey Chex Mix
Prep the pans. Preheat your oven to 275°F, arranging two racks in the center of the oven. Lightly grease two large rimmed sheet pans, about 18 by 13 inches.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a very large bowl, combine the Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, pretzels, and oyster crackers. Gently toss everything together so it’s evenly distributed (be careful not to crush the Chex!).
Make the seasoning. Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove. Whisk in the hot honey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until smooth.
Coat the snack mix. Pour the hot honey butter over the cereal mixture. Using a large spatula or rubber scraper, gently toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Bake. Spread the mixture evenly between the two prepared sheet pans. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure everything toasts evenly. The mix is done when it looks dry, lightly toasted, and smells fragrant.
Cool completely. Allow the Chex Mix to cool completely on the pans before serving. As it cools, the buttery coating becomes crisp and less sticky.
Recipe Tip
Don’t try to squeeze it all on one pan. Spreading the mixture into a thin layer helps it toast evenly instead of steaming and getting soggy, so two pans are a must.
Recipe Variations
- Add nuts. My house is nut-free, but peanuts, cashews, or pecans would make a delicious addition.
- Try other crunchy additions. Bagel chips, sesame sticks, rye chips, or cheese crackers all work well. Just keep the recipe proportions the same (i.e., if you leave out the pretzel twists, add 2 cups of something else).
- Adjust the flavor. Feel free to add more honey or a pinch of cayenne for extra heat.
Serving Suggestions
- Game day: Serve a big bowl of homemade Chex mix alongside game day faves like pizza sliders or air fryer BBQ chicken wings. Homemade soft pretzels are always a hit, especially if you serve them with warm beer cheese dip.
- Holiday parties: Add hot honey Chex mix to your snack table or charcuterie board. It’s perfect to nibble on while you enjoy a specialty cocktail or mocktail. For the holidays, try a festive poinsettia cocktail or pomegranate rosemary spritzer.
- Movie nights: Set out a fun spread with peanut butter popcorn or s’mores popcorn and hot honey Chex mix!
Cool completely. It’s very important to completely cool the Chex mix before storing it, to avoid condensation in the storage container. The moisture will make the Chex mix soft and it won’t keep well.
Store in airtight container. Store hot honey Chex mix in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Since it stays crisp for several days when stored properly, this is a great make-ahead snack!
Freeze it for longer storage. Since this recipe makes a large batch of Chex mix, you may want to freeze some of it to enjoy later. Put it into freezer-safe resealable bags, removing as much of the air as possible without crushing the cereal. It will keep for up to 3 months. To freshen it up again, preheat the oven to 250°F, arrange the Chex mix on a baking sheet, and heat for 10 to 15 minutes. It will taste like you just made it!
More Game Day Snack Recipes
Hot Honey Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 3 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists
- 2 cups oyster crackers
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup hot honey (see note)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F, arranging 2 racks in the center of the oven. Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray two large rimmed sheet pans, each about 18 x 13 inches.
- In a very large bowl, combine Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, pretzels, and oyster crackers. Toss gently to combine.3 cups Rice Chex cereal, 3 cups Corn Chex cereal, 3 cups Wheat Chex cereal, 2 cups mini pretzel twists, 2 cups oyster crackers
- In a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup, melt butter (or do it on the stove in a small saucepan). When the butter is melted, stir in hot honey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until mixture is smooth and combined.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup hot honey, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the hot honey mixture over the cereal mixture. With a large rubber/silicone scraper, toss thoroughly but gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared sheet pans.
- Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the mix is toasted, mostly dry, and fragrant.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely on the pan. The coating will crisp up and become less sticky as it cools.
Notes
- Hot honey substitute: If desired, instead of the hot honey, stir together ⅓ cup honey and 3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot).
- Storage: Once the Chex mix has completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Variations: Other ingredients can be used in place of oyster crackers and pretzels, but try to keep overall measurements the same. Peanuts, bagel chips, or sesame sticks would be good.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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