Best Homemade Spicy Chex Mix Recipe with Cheese Puffs

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The Best Homemade Spicy Chex Mix Recipe or “Texas Trash” is a homemade Chex Mix recipe with a cheesy kick that’s bound to become a family favorite snack. The zesty and savory spice combination comes together perfectly with the crunch of Chex cereal with the cheesy goodness of puffs, all seasoned to perfection with a hint of smoky spicy goodness.

When it comes to satisfying your snack cravings this slow-roasted Chex Mix recipe with cheese puffs is a kicked-up twist on the original Chex Mix recipe. The subtle but bold flavors combined with the toasted cheese crunch of the Cheese Puffs is no ordinary original recipe… it’s the stuff of delicious memories and family traditions!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SPICY CHEX MIX RECIPE WITH CHEESE PUFFS

This spicy Chex mix recipe makes a huge batch of snack mix that’s a perfect make-ahead treat to have on hand during the long holiday season.

It also makes delicious gift snacks for special friends and family members.

The best part, besides the cheese puffs, is that the longer it sits in an air-tight container, the bolder the flavors become. You can make it months in advance of the holidays or before football season starts. Just don’t let anyone know where you store it!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE BEST HOMEMADE SPICY CHEX MIX RECIPE

Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups Cheese Puffs (PUFFS, not crunchy Cheetos), Orange Cheese Puffs & White Cheddar Cheese Puffs
• 2 cups thin pretzels
• 2 cups Cheerios
• 1 cup mini saltines (or oyster crackers)
• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups Corn Chex
• 1.5 cups dry roasted peanuts more or less to taste

Butter Sauce Ingredients

• 8 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp chili powder more or less to taste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp hot sauce more or less to taste (I use Tabasco)
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder more or less to taste
• 1 stick melted butter (8 tbsp)

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHEX MIX WITH CHEESE PUFFS

Recipe Instructions

• STEP ONE: Place the first 7 ingredients in a very large bowl or ungreased large roasting pan. Gently mix cereals, cheese puffs, pretzels, mini saltines, and peanuts together with a big spatula or wooden spoon.
• STEP TWO: Over low heat, melt the butter…be careful not to burn. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and hot sauce to taste.
• STEP THREE: Pour half of the butter mixture in a circle over the dry snack mix and stir gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Pour the second half of the butter mixture again in a circular motion and mix again. Mix until everything is evenly coated…this will take about 15 minutes of constant gentle mixing.
• STEP FOUR: Heat the oven to a very low temperature (215° to 230°). Place the coated mix on an ungreased large baking sheet (this will probably take 2) or use an ungreased large roasting pan with at least 2″ sides. Make sure the mix is spread out evenly and not deep.
• STEP FIVE: Stir every 15 minutes for an hour or until crispy and yummy.
• STEP SIX: Cool on cut-up brown paper sacks, newspaper, or parchment paper, or paper towels.
• STEP SEVEN: Repeat steps 4-6 until all the unroasted Chex party mix is gone.
• STEP EIGHT: Store in large air-tight containers or gallon Ziplock plastic bags.

CRUNCHY SNACK INGREDIENT VARIATIONS

Just browse through the snack and cracker aisle and you can come up with your own version of this special treat. A few items I’ve included over the years are below👇

• garlic rye crisps
• goldfish
• Fritos
• wheat chex
• oyster crackers
• pecans
• cheese crackers
• cashews
• bagel chips

FAQ

Chex Mix is one of those tasty treats that never comes out the exact same and is so easily personalized to fit your taste buds. 

The recipe is very straightforward and extremely simple to double. 

If you like a little more garlic flavor…like my husband… add more garlic powder. 

Use 1 tablespoon of Chipotle Chili Powder in place of regular Chili Powder for a different spice taste. If you really like it hot, then try substituting 1 or 2 tablespoons of Chili Powder with Jalapeno Powder…Yum!

CHEESE PUFF CHEX MIX RECIPE ITEMS

ALTERNATIVE CHEX MIX BAKING METHODS

HOW TO STORE CHEX MIX

The best part about this delicious homemade spicy Chex mix recipe is you can make it weeks ahead of the holidays. It stores very well in air-tight containers. The mix is actually much better if you allow the flavors to “meld” over a week or two. The only downside to this is “some” people might be inclined to sneak a couple of handfuls of this addictive snack!

Lastly, this homemade spicy Chex mix makes great gifts for the holidays. Our family saves gift tins from previous food gifts. Make sure the tins are clean and ready to go before you make the Chex mix. It’s a great way to reuse and recycle!

Make up individual snack sacks for game-day munchies. Everyone needs their own personal stash of this glorious stuff!

HELPFUL KITCHEN ITEMS

MORE SNACK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE 💙❤💜

Simple Spicy Everything Snack Crackers

Easy Italian Dill Snacks

Zesty Italian Mini Pretzels

Easy Fiesta Chedder Crackers

Spicy Chex Mix

Elise

Crunchy, spicy, savory Chex Mix with Cheetos, mini saltines, pretzels, nuts, and chex cereal.

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Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups Cheese Puffs (cheese curls, cheetos) I mixed Cheese Puffs & White Cheddar Cheese Puffs
• 2 cups thin pretzels
• 2 cups Cheerios
• 1 cup mini saltines (or oyster crackers)
• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups Corn Chex
• 1.5 cup dry roasted peanuts more or less to taste

Sauce Ingredients

• 8 tbsp worchestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp chili powder more or less to taste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp hot sauce more or less to taste
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder more or less to taste
• 1 stick butter (8 tbsp)

Instructions

 

• Place the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl or roasting pan. Mix up gently.
• Over low heat melt the butter…be careful not to burn. Add the seasonings…Worchestershire, chili, onion, garlic, cumin powder, and hot sauce to taste.
• Pour over the dry snack mix and stir preferable with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Mix until everything is evenly coated….this will take about 15 minutes of constant gentle stirring.
• Heat oven to 215°. Place coated mix on large baking sheets (this will probably take 2) or use a large roasting pan with at least 2" sides. Make sure the mix is spread out evenly and not deep.
• Stir every 15 minutes for an hour or until crispy and yummy.
• Cool on cut up brown paper sacks, newspaper, or paper towels until cool.
• Store in large plastic bags or plastic tubs. Enjoy!!!

Notes

Extra Notes: Make weeks ahead of the holidays and give this as a delicious gift.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcal

Keyword cereal, cheetos, chex, savory, spicy

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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