Homemade Chex Mix
Chex mix is everyone's favorite snack mix because it is bursting with flavor and is easy to make. Customize it and swap out ingredients to make it different each time. This healthy version is vegan and completely oil-free!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 214kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice cereal Chex or off-brand
- 3 cups corn cereal Chex or off-brand
- 3 cups wheat cereal Chex or off-brand
- 1 cup mixed raw nuts
- 2.5 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5-6 tablespoons vegetable broth (or water)
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoons season salt
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. You can also go ahead and line 2 rimmed baking pans with parchment paper to reduce sticking. Lining the pans is optional, but it sure makes cleanup easier.
- Place all of the cereals and nuts in a large mixing bowl roomy enough that it can hold everything with plenty of space for mixing. Use your hands to mix it well. Hands work better than a spoon to keep the cereal from breaking up.
- In another small to medium-sized bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, veggie broth, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast (if using) and season salt. Sometimes, the nutritional yeast flakes can make it too thick. Just add a little more vegetable broth or water. I have found that it's actually good to make a little thicker than 'sauce' so it seasons and coats the mix even better, but you don't want it so thick that it won't incorporate well.
- Pour the wet seasoning mixture over the cereal and nuts in the large bowl and gently toss to coat each piece evenly. Don’t worry if it’s not completely even because you are going to be stirring throughout the cooking process. I like to use my hands to mix because it helps the cereal not to break up as much.
- Pour the mix onto the lined baking sheets in a single layer. You want the pans to have rims because they will be pretty full.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. It will crisp up even more as it cools.
Video
Notes
Top tips for the best oven-baked Chex:
I have included step-by-step photos and directions above to ensure your first attempt will be successful.
- Cereal- Chex brand sources its D3 from lanolin, which is not vegan. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in most supplements comes from lanolin, a natural wax from sheep's wool. I have a very informative article about the differences between vegan and plant-based that might be helpful.
- Seasoning– Don’t skimp on the seasonings because they add so much flavor. Even if you think it sounds like too much, try it the way the recipe is written for the first batch. You can always adjust for the next one. Most recently, I have begun adding nutritional yeast flakes as well to give it even more flavor. Sometimes, the nutritional yeast flakes can make it too thick. Just add a little more vegetable broth or water. I have found that it's actually good to make a little thicker than 'sauce' so it seasons and coats the mix even better, but you don't want it so thick that it won't incorporate well.
- Mix the seasoning first– Be sure to mix all the wet and dry seasonings in a separate bowl before pouring the mixture onto the dry cereal and nuts. This ensures that all the pieces of cereal are coated evenly.
- Baking temperature– 250°F is the perfect temperature, so don’t be tempted to turn it up any hotter to speed up the process. It will burn easily, and it needs to be a slow, drying bake.
- Stir every 15 minutes– Don’t get busy and forget to stir the mix 4 times during the cooking process. It needs to bake for 1 hour, and stirring must be done every 15 minutes to make sure it bakes evenly.
- Storage- It is easy to store at room temperature in an airtight container or even a ziplock storage bag for up to 10 days. There’s no need to refrigerate.
- Make it spicy– Add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce to the wet ingredients when mixing.
- Make it sweet– Drizzle in maple syrup, date syrup, or agave nectar when mixing up the wet ingredients.
- Subout cereals– This recipe calls for 3 cups each of rice, corn, and wheat cereal, for a total of 9 cups. Substitute any of the cereals desired–use only one or 2 varieties if desired. Or, even try Cheerios.
- Add-ins– Try adding in raisins, craisins, or pretzels.
- Spices– Other great spice ideas to add would be smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 588mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g