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This Sweet Chex Mix Recipe is the perfect party snack! Loaded with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and marshmallows, it’s sinfully delicious and so easy to make!
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This Sweet Chex Mix is one of those addictive treats that gets polished off at every gathering. We took a big batch to a Super Bowl party recently and it was completely gone before half-time. People take a little handful to start off with, then keep sneaking back for more because they can’t stay away.
This snack mix is full of yummy candies, crunchy cereal and gooey marshmallows and would be a perfect treat to package up and give as Christmas gifts for the holiday season. If you like chocolatey, caramel-y, peanut buttery goodness.. this recipe is for you!
Ingredients in Sweet Chex Mix
The beauty of any cereal mixture treat is how versatile they are. You can literally toss in anything and mix together and it becomes a tasty snack nobody can resist! Here’s what we use, but feel free to add in optional ingredients to suit your taste.
- Chocolate Chex cereal – start out with 8 cups. You can substitute cinnamon, wheat Chex, corn Chex cereal, or rice Chex cereal or a combination.
- Packed brown sugar – about three quarter cup
- Unsalted Butter or margarine – use whatever you have on hand.
- Light corn syrup – just a few tablespoons
- Baking soda
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – use the MINI size or if you can’t find them, chop up larger cups into small, bite size pieces.
- Miniature marshmallows – plain or chocolate flavored
- Caramel bits – these are found by the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. You can also chop up regular caramels.
- Heavy cream – just a tablespoon or so.
- Milk chocolate baking chips – add more if you are a chocolate lover like me. Semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips work too.
- Vanilla white chocolate chips – or white chocolate baking chips or almond bark.
- Coarse sea salt
Optional Add-ins
Not a fan of peanut butter cups? Leave them out and add any of these yummy ingredients to suit your own tastes and add all kinds of flavor.
- Pretzels
- Peanuts
- Shredded Coconut
- Cashews
- Sliced Almonds
- Honey cereal
- Walnuts
- Pretzel twists
- Golden Grahams
- Pecan halves
- Almond Joy bites
- Mini Rolos
- M&M’s
- Cadbury Mini Eggs (for Easter)
- Reese’s Pieces
- Chopped Twix bars
- Powdered Sugar
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Start with a large mixing bowl and place chocolate Chex cereal, or a combination of chocolate with wheat, rice, and corn.
- Then make the sweet caramel mixture in a separate large bowl to drizzle over the cereal mixture. Can be heated in the microwave or a pan over the stove on medium heat. No baking in the oven required.
- Next, add in your favorite candy, nuts, and other add-ins. So yummy!
- Spread out the entire mixture on baking pans (baking sheets) lined with parchment paper. Cooking spray is optional, it usually comes off the wax paper just fine.
- Finally, drizzle melted milk and white chocolate over the whole thing and let it cool to room temperature.
- Store in airtight containers. This snack is completely irresistible and fun to eat!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sweet Chex Mix
There are so many different names for traditional Chex Mix: puppy chow, monkey munch, reindeer chow, muddy buddies, muddy munch, or doggy bag. There are dozens of varieties of homemade Chex Mix recipes. We’ll share some of our favorites below.
Check your local grocery store for different flavors, but there’s peanut butter, cinnamon, corn, wheat, chocolate, rice, blueberry and even apple cinnamon. The possibilities are endless!
It may be more expensive the first time, buying all the ingredients rather than a bag of store-bought Chex mix. However most of those ingredients don’t need to be purchased again when you want to make more. So it’s cheaper in the long run for sure.
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How to Make Sweet Chex Mix
Sweet Chex Mix Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 cups Chocolate Chex cereal
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups MINI size
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 cup caramel bits
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup vanilla white chocolate baking chips
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.
- In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved.
- Pour caramel mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces.
- Make sure Chex mixture is cool to the touch (so candy doesn't melt.)
- Evenly sprinkle mini peanut butter cups candy and miniature marshmallows over Chex mixture.
- In small microwavable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on high about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle over snack. Microwave the milk chocolate baking chips next, starting with 20-seconds and stirring, then at 20 second intervals until the mixture is completely smooth (microwave temps vary, so watch the chocolate and stir frequently until it's of drizzling consistency). Drizzle over the snack mixture. Then microwave the vanilla (white) baking chips in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth, and drizzle that over the snack mixture. (Note: The vanilla and milk chocolate chips should not need cream added.)
- Quickly sprinkle coarse salt over all while candy drizzles are still wet.
- Refrigerate until set. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.
Notes
- Make sure to check and stir mixture every minute while heating in the microwave to avoid burning.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature.
- When melting chocolate in the microwave, check and stir every 20 seconds to avoid scorching.
Nutrition Information
Recipe adapted from Susan @ TableSpoon
Did anyone besides me have trouble getting the chips drizzley? could not get them pourable.
I bid on this at a Silent Auction for Batten’s and won!!!! It is fabulous!! And so was the benifit!!!
I liked the recipe, but the instructions are rather ambiguous. I think it is probably my problem.
This looks great:) i am planning on making some tomorrow:) however, what exactly do you mean by caramel bits? Please respond ASAP
They are usually found in the baking section. They are caramel bits you can melt down to make the gooey, melted caramel. If you can’t find them, regular caramels will work, just melt them with a little bit of heavy whipping cream or butter in the microwave.
This looks great:) i am planning on making some tomorrow:) however, what exactly do you mean by caramel bits? Please respond ASAP as I am trying to plan a grocery list:)
That looks so good! I would totally add some mini Rolos to that! : )
I made this.. and it really is freakin amazing!!!