BBQ Chex Snack Mix is the ultimate bold Chex mix recipe. This homemade, crunchy snack is vibrant and versatile, with the right amount of spice and tang – the perfect ka-pow of flavor all at once.
Best Snack Mix Recipe When You’re Craving A Savory Bite
It’s picnic season, patio season and barbecue season, basically time to be outside enjoying the sunshine, good food and friends. There is no better time to make a smoky, BBQ snack mix to preempt whatever you have coming off of the grill.
While we all love the original Chex mix recipe, it’s always fun to change it up the flavors depending on the season. This BBQ Chex mix is the ultimate DIY snack. This savory party mix has it all, the salt, the sweet, the bold flavor. It can be made ahead and stays fresh for a decent amount of time.
Serve it with drinks, take it to the beach or simply keep it on the kitchen counter for midday nibbling.
Best Oven-Baked Snack Mix Recipe
Many Chex mix recipes (even the original) require just the melting of butter and pouring it over the cereal ingredients. But I promise you the VERY BEST Chex snack mix recipes are baked in the oven. The result of oven-baking is a crisp and perfectly toasted crunchy snack you are not going to be able to stop eating.
Oven-baking Chex mix helps to crisp up the ingredients and infuse the flavors more thoroughly. It also helps to create a more uniform texture and allows for better control of the cooking process.
When you bake Chex mix in the oven, the heat helps to toast and dry out the ingredients, resulting in a crispy and crunchy snack. It also allows the seasonings and spices to fully permeate the ingredients, providing a more intense and flavorful taste.
Crackly and perfectly toasted is exactly why I love the oven-baked method of making Chex mix.
The trick to the oven-baked method is gently toasting at the low oven temperature of 250° F. And you want to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once the mixture has turned golden brown, it’s time to pull it out of the oven.
This low and slow baking process allows the butter to evaporate, which is ultimately how the mix get crispy.
Common Questions About This BBQ Chex Mix
Here are the most common questions about this BBQ Chex snack mix I have received anytime I’ve passed along this recipe.
Can I Make This BBQ Chex Mix in the Microwave?
I wouldn’t. You will never get it to cook evenly and it will not achieve the desired crispy texture. Stick with the oven-baked method.
What are Some Recipe Variations for BBQ Chex Mix?
You can customize the recipe by adding or removing ingredients or adjusting the amount of seasoning to your preference. You can also use different types of Chex cereal or add your favorite spices to the BBQ seasoning. One of my favorite swap outs are Honey Nut Chex cereal if your into the honey barbecue flavor. Or adding cayenne for a spicy flavor. You can even use Honey Nut Cheerios if you prefer and Crispix cereal. Any shape pretzel also works. Most importantly, be sure to keep the total volume of substitutions the same to ensure the barbecue mixture coats each and every piece.
How Do I Store BBQ Chex Mix?
In an airtight container, this BBQ snack mix will stay crispy for about ten days. The key is to make sure it is completely cool before storing it.
Can I Freeze this BBQ Chex Mix?
Yes you can. Make sure the snack mix is in a freezer-safe container and it will keep for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. This is a really great option if you want to make double and triple batches…and who wouldn’t?
More Unique Snack Mix Recipes
Whether you’re craving a savory snack, with spicy flavor and smoky taste or a sweet party mix to make for friends, here are a few more snack mix recipes to satisfy every kind of craving. Which one will you be most excited to whip out at your next party?
- Quite possibly the perfect finger food, this Italian-Herb Party Mix is cheesy, with a vibrant blend of basil and rosemary. It might be the most addictive snack you’ll ever make.
- You’re going to want to save this Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Chex Snack Mix (you can make it in the oven too) recipe for when the fall season hits. Think game day snack that smells and tastes like victory.
- Who hasn’t been a victim to a freshly opened bag of Puppy Chow Snack Mix, also known as Muddy Buddies? Now you can make the sweet snack at home.
- If you’re looking for a crunchy snack to add to your favorite snack mix or salad, these crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas with Parmesan are simply the best!
- A Popcorn Snack Mix, both sweet and salty you’re going to love.
Crunchy Snack Love
If you find yourself making this BBQ snack mix and are enjoying it as much as I do, I’d love it if you snapped a photo and tagged @NOBLEPIG and #noblepig on INSTAGRAM so I can see how happy it makes you.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
BBQ Chex Snack Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 4 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 1-1/2 cups pretzels
- 1-1/2 cups Cheez-Its crackers
- 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsps. unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 °F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In an extra large bowl, combine Chex cereals, pretzels, Cheez-Its and peanuts.
- In another small bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, butter and seasonings, until fully combined.
- Pour BBQ sauce mixture over the Chex mix and toss until every piece is coated.
- Spread mixture evenly across both baking sheets. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.