Slow Cooker Chex Mix (Perfect Party Snack!)
With all the crunchy, savory flavor of traditional Chex Mix, this recipe is made easy in the slow cooker! The perfect blend of Chex cereal, seasoning, butter, pretzels, and nuts; there’s no need to babysit this savory party mix in the oven, just dump the ingredients and you’re good to go. Let me show you how simple it is to make!
5 star review
“This turned out great! And so easy! Making for a second time today. ”
– Christina
Chex Party Mix Made Simple in the Slow Cooker!
Who isn’t a fan of a big batch of homemade Chex Mix? Not only is it a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and the perfect party snack for parties, the big game, and everything in between. The good news? It’s wildly simple to throw together, especially when made in the slow cooker.
My version is the perfect combo of Chex cereal, mini-pretzels, mixed nuts, butter (it’s gotta be butter for this one!), and a homemade seasoning blend. Prep is as simple as mixing the ingredients together, adding everything to the crockpot, stirring, and hitting start. You’ll want to give it a couple stirs while it cooks, but other than that, it’s a hand-off recipe with big flavor payoff. And, if you want to make this Chex mix ahead, just be sure to allow the mix to cool completely before storing, then you can store, sealed tightly at room temperature, for 2-3 weeks.
Mix it Up with These Fun Variations!
- Sweet Chex Mix: Add ½ cup honey to the melted butter mixture.
- With M&Ms: Add 1 cup M&Ms to the cooled mix before serving.
- Dairy Free : Use dairy-free butter in place of traditional.
- Spicy Chex Mix: Add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the butter mixture.
- Vegan : Use dairy-free butter in place of traditional, plus gluten free and vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
Corn and Rice Chex cereal: Corn Chex add a nice crunch and color. Rice Chex adds a nice contrasting color and slightly different texture.
Mini pretzels: Feel free to use any shape of small pretzels you like.
Mixed nuts: Use any nuts you like, including peanuts, almonds, or cashews, or skip the nuts altogether for a nut free option.
Butter: An essential ingredient, feel free to use dairy-free butter for a dairy free and vegan option.
Worcestershire sauce: Be sure to use a gluten free Worcestershire if gf, and look for a gluten free and vegan Worcestershire sauce for a vegan option.
Granulated garlic and onion powder: Adds a savory kick.
Slow Cooker Chex Mix (Perfect Party Snack!)
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups corn Chex cereal
- 4 ½ cups rice Chex cereal
- 2 cups mini pretzels
- 1 cup 1 cup mixed nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, or cashews
- 8 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the dry ingredients (corn Chex, rice Chex, pretzels and nuts).
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, or melt in a small microwave safe bowl. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Pour the mixture over the cereal mixture, tossing until evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, stirring every 15-30 minutes.
- Remove from the slow cooker, spread in an even layer, and allow to cool completely, then serve or store.
Notes
- For gluten-free Chex mix, use gluten-free mini pretzels and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- Note that if you have a slow cooker that doesn’t have a small vent hole in the lid, this recipe might not work well, as the condensation will drip on the mix, leaving it soggy. You can try adding a clean kitchen towel directly under the lid to catch any condensation, but do not leave the slow cooker unattended in this case.
- See blog post, above, for make ahead and storage tips, plus substitution ideas.
Thanks Robyn! How do you think ghee would work as a substitute for butter?
Annie, yes, melted ghee should work well as a sub for the melted butter. Hope you enjoy!
This turned out great! And so easy! Making for a second time today.
Yay, so happy to hear this one was so easy and came out well! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Christina!
Trying for the first time, can I use vegan butter?
Patty, yes, this recipe works well with vegan butter! I hope you enjoy!
How long does it last?
Hi Danielle, about 2-3 weeks tightly sealed as long as you make sure it’s completely cooled first. I have all the details on storage written out in the blog post above as well. I hope you enjoy!