My Naughty and Nice Party Mix Recipe is an updated take on classic Chex mix combining spicy, salty, and sweet flavors into one seriously irresistible snack. It’s endlessly customizable, just make sure to save some for Santa!
Homemade party mix is a holiday tradition
Does your family make a snack mix around the holidays? My mom never made the original that was so popular ever since it was ‘invented’ in the 1950s. But I’m crazy about salty/crunchy snacks, so it was only a matter of time before I met one of these Chex mixes and fell in love.
The beauty of this party mix is that it’s totally customizable!
I loaded this version with all my favorite things, but of course, but everybody’s mix will be a little different. Don’t love cheese crackers? Ditch them. Love bagel chips? Put ’em in! Nut allergies? Leave them out and add in more of what you like. You get the idea.
Why bother to make homemade party mix when you can buy it in a bag?
It’s all about freshness, flavor, and texture ~ this homemade version is so much better than the bagged original because you toss your ingredients with a souped-up melted butter sauce, and then bake them until all that flavor is absorbed and the mix has dried out. You end up with something super buttery and with great flavor that no bag can match.
Ingredients for sweet & spicy party mix ~
I chose to riff on the flavors of a classic buffalo sauce ~ it’s a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy. This recipe hits all the sweet spots, taste-bud wise: sweet, salty, spicy, and umami.
- corn Chex cereal
- cheese crackers
- pecans
- peanuts
- pretzels
- kettle corn
- butter
- hot sauce
- brown sugar
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- Worcestershire sauce
Don’t be afraid of a little hot sauce
It’s kick gets subdued once the sauce is tossed throughout the snack mix and everything is baked for an hour, so I suggest making the sauce a little bit hotter than you think you want. But of course, adjust to your own taste and according to the heat of the hot sauce you’re using.
And don’t forget, the sweet kettle corn in this recipe offsets the heat in a really nice way.
How much party mix to make per person?
Now that’s a loaded question. It depends on how hungry/ravenous your guests are. This recipe makes 6 cups of party mix, and I’d allow 1/2 cup per person, so this recipe serves 12.
But you can easily scale this recipe up or down. Just make sure you keep everything in roughly a single layer on the baking sheets for baking so the mix will stay nice and crisp.
How long does homemade party mix last?
This party mix will last at least 2 weeks, in an airtight container at room temperature.
Love crunchy snacks? Try these ~
- Root Veggie Kettle Chips
- Baked Pita Chips
- Multi Seed Crisps
- Oat Crackers
Christmas Party Mix
4 from 12 votes
My Naughty and Nice Party Mix Recipe is updated take on classic Chex snack mix combining spicy, salty, and sweet flavors into one seriously irresistible snack. It's endlessly customizable, just make sure to save some for Santa!
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Prep Time:5 minutes minutes
Cook Time:1 hour hour
Total Time:1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn Chex cereal
- 1 cup pretzels
- 3/4 cup unsalted pecan halves
- 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
- 3/4 cup cheese crackers
- 1 cup kettle corn
For the sauce
- 4 tbsp (1/2 sick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbsp hot sauce of choice (or to taste)
- 2 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250F.
Add all of the mix ingredients EXCEPT the kettle corn to a large mixing bowl.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and whisk with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Pour the sauce over the mix and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the mix onto a large baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, tossing a couple of times as it bakes. Use 2 baking sheets if necessary.
Allow to cool before adding the kettle corn.
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Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Sue Moran
Keyword: appetizer, nuts, pecan, pretzels, snack
Nutrition
Calories: 315 kcal · Carbohydrates: 38 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 17 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Trans Fat: 0.2 g · Cholesterol: 16 mg · Sodium: 333 mg · Potassium: 127 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 13 g · Vitamin A: 331 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 58 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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