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Learn how to make awesome Chex Mix in the slow cooker with this easy recipe! It’s super easy, and always a crowd fave.
Have you ever heard of the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon?
Well if you’re like me, you have probably known exactly what it is, but never knew it had an official name. Basically, it’s what happens when That New Thing you just found out about suddenly seems to start showing up everywhere. Like when I started researching buying a Prius, and I suddenly noticed every single Prius on the road. Or when a friend recommended a new author to read, and suddenly I started hearing her quoted everywhere. Or when I randomly picked up a pennywhistle at work and taught myself how to play it, and then realized it’s hidden in way more popular songs than just the theme song to Titanic. ;)
You know.
Well, call it Baaeder-Meinhof (or call it by its shorter name, “frequency illusion”) or call it a simple coincidence, the same thing has been happening over the past month with slow cooker Chex mix. It began when I saw a recipe for crock pot Chex mix out of the corner of my eye on Pinterest, and was immediately intrigued. Then a week later, a friend brought a batch of sweet Chex mix to a party and announced that she made it in the slow cooker. Then another completely different friend brought a batch to our neighbor night. And then…well, then I was just craving Chex mix.
I’ve long been a fan of making my favorite Extra-Bold Chex Mix recipe in the microwave. But this crock-pot method seemed too tempting not to try. So I pulled out my slow cooker and decided to make a test batch.
And I’ve gotta say — speaking of phenomenons, it was quite phenomenal. ;)
Actually, Chex mix has been a regular occurrence in my kitchen since before I even had my own kitchen. I had the great luck of growing up with a mom who whipped up batches of the stuff for just about any occasion, and all of the cravings in between. Our family loves Chex mix.
Although while I love the traditional recipe, I have to admit that I usually double or triple the seasonings. I love my salt. :)
Still, while I have made Chex mix at least one or two hundred times in my life (no exaggeration), this past month was the first time I have ever made it in the slow cooker!
For my inaugural batch, I decided to go with the classic recipe using 3 kinds of Chex cereal (rice, corn and wheat), pretzels, Cheerios and peanuts. I lined them all up just to show you, but obviously (and please), just dump ’em all in.
And then pour your seasoning evenly all over the top. (I used the traditional mixture of melted butter, worcestershire, seasoned salt and garlic powder.)
Then give it a good, gentle stir to toss everything together. (I recommend using a rubber spatula in order to try and avoid breaking the cereal pieces.) Then cover and let it cook on low for about 3 hours. In order to prevent burning, you have to give it a stir at least once an hour, and probably twice in the final hour.
Then, sure enough, 3 hours later the Chex mix is cooked and ready to go!
You still have to spread it out on some baking pans (or my mom always just spread out parchment paper all over the countertops and spread out the mix there) to let it cool to room temperature. But otherwise, the slow cooker (that’s an affiliate link to the one I used) does all of the work for you.
And oh man, this stuff is as irresistible as ever. It’s salty, crunchy, savory, and perfect for snacking. (And snacking…and snacking some more.)
My mom and I usually sub in whatever random ingredients we have on hand — various cereals, cookies, crackers, or candies. But the original recipe is a classic for a reason, and you can’t go wrong with all of those Chex.
I will say, my biggest question was whether or not making Chex mix in the slow cooker would actually be any easier than the microwave or oven versions. And to be honest, I don’t think it’s any easier. Any of those versions require you to keep an eye on the cooking process and give the mix a stir every so often. And the slow cooker version certainly takes the longest of the three methods.
But it does do a remarkable job of making your home smell like yummy Chex mix. And if you happen to be hanging near the kitchen for a few hours — say, when you’re cooking another meal, or having people over for a party or to watch the big game, it would be fun to try it in the slow cooker. Or, you know, if you are just looking for an excuse to make another batch, it’s definitely something that ever Chex-mix-lover should try. ;)
Did you know that your favorite homemade Chex Mix recipe can be made in the slow cooker? Give it a try!
Ingredients
Scale
9 cups Chex cereal (I used equal parts corn, rice, and wheat Chex)
2 cups pretzels
1 cup Cheerios
1 cup peanuts
1/3 cup (6 Tablespoons) butter, melted and hot
1 Tablespoon seasoned salt
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
Add cereal, pretzels, cheerios and peanuts to the bowl of a slow cooker.
In a separate bowl, whisk together butter and seasoned salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce until combined.
Drizzle the sauce evenly over the top of the cereal mixture. Toss for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is evenly combined.
Cover and slow cook on low for 3 hours, stirring at the 1 hour, 2 hour and 2.5 hour marks so that the mixture does not burn. Then spread the mixture out onto a few baking sheets or parchment paper in an even layer until it cools to room temperature. Serve, or store in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks.
*If your slow cooker does not have a tiny hole in it to let air escape, it may collect too much condensation which could make the Chex Mix get too soggy. If that is the case, another great method is to place a towel (or a few layers of paper towels) just under the lid of the slow cooker, to collect the condensation.*
Notes
*Legally, I have to mention that you do so at your own risk, as technically that could be a fire hazard. But I’ve used that method for years with crispy slow cooker recipes, and have never had a problem.
Looks great. My mom always made this in a turkey roasting pan. I don’t have such a large thing, but have a big slow cooker, so this is perfect. Btw, we also called it Nuts and Bolts and I’m from western PA. (We also use little pretzel sticks–the bolts–and not the usual twist shape!)
Wow great idea, a lot easier than the oven version. i used your recipe as a guide and i made my version here.https://howtocooksouthern.com/ #frontporchapproved
Add some chili powder and a dash of Tabasco sauce and you have Crunchy Trash-YUM! This is a winter staple here. I won’t eat it any other time of year as it might lose its specialness-ha!
Oh my gosh I altered this recipe a little bit for myself and it turned out AMAZING. Made it for a Super Bowl party and ended up eating most of it before I even got there :D
I have been making this Chex Mix snack for 30 years using this basic recipe and with all due respect, I’m not sure how doing it in a slow cooker is easier. My process is the same mentioned here but I then put in in the oven @ 250 for an hour and stir every 15 minutes. That’s it. That means the oven procedure is 1/3 the time compared to the slow cooker. And noting the recipe here calls for putting it in baking pans when finished in the slow cooker, you might as well start off in the baking pans and save yourself some dishes; put it in the oven to save yourself 2 hours; and no concerns of the mix getting soggy. A much easier process in my humble opinion.
Lisa —
The one nice advantage to doing it in the slow cooker is that it won’t heat your house up like the oven will. A perfect alternative for hot summer months when you really want some Chex mix :-)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
That’s a great point, Lisa! :) We hope you enjoy this!
I LOVE this stuff! And everybody wants some, so I have to make SO much, that instead of the crock pot that I did use, now I cook it in those big aluminum turkey roating pans (the rectangular ones, not oval)! I really need a bunch! Also, what makes mine a little different, is I only use the ‘powder’ version of the seasonings: i.e. garlic ‘powder’, onion ‘powder’ etc. Otherwise, you might just as well tip the salt shaker directly into your mouth! Also, I bake it at 300°F for two hours, giving it a stir every 15-20 minutes. AND, every time I stir, I sprinkle some of 2 pouches of salad dressing powder (Ranch & Green Goddess, or 2 Ranch), and that makes a BIG difference! Try it, you’ll like it!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks so much for sharing your tips, Michelle, we appreciate it! Also, yum! :)
If you get the crockpot liners from Reynolds it makes it so easy to mix! Just take bag out hold the top together & shake turning upside down. Then when it’s time to clean up just wipe out with a wet sponge!
hey, someone on my fb feed shared this and they totally stole it from you! total jerk move!!!! https://www.facebook.com/KatsKreations2011/posts/914485451954483
just thought you should know!! ?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Kimberly, thank you so much for alerting us! Definitely not cool that this happened. We’re looking into it. Thanks!
Looks amazing! I’m going to buy a slow cooker just for this!!! Thanks for sharing. I wonder if I could add popcorn instead of Cheerios? Or when adding candy? Which would you suggest?
Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes. I look forward to trying them!!
Hi Jeanette! Sure, you could use popcorn, but I wouldn’t add it in until the very end. I’m afraid it would deflate some if it got the wet seasoning mixture on it and cooked for too long in the crock pot. Enjoy!
I like to make mine savory and spicy with Tobasco, but for the people who asked about a sweeter taste, my sister leaves out the Worcester and uses Honey Nut Cheerios or some other similar shaped sweetened cereal instead of regular Cheerios.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We think that sounds yummy Julia, thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to try this! My grandma always makes it twice a year for thanksgiving and Christmas! But she always makes it in the oven and with goldfish crackers or cheese its! The little burnt Cheerios are my favorite! :)
Does the recipe have your spices doubled, or did you mean you double what’s there? I like salty, but if it’s already doubled, it probably doesn’t need quadrupled. Thanks!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Holly! We’re a little confused by your question. We’re not sure what you’re referring to about doubling the spices?
Thank you for your honest review. I was all set to make this in the slow cooker, until I read the end. I think I’ll stick to the oven. The recipe is simple enough if one has the time! Happy ChexMix season!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Sarah, we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
No disrespect–and if this method works for you, awesome!–but i found that using a slow cooker for chex mix does compromise the product.
Vent in the crockpot or not, my result was a bit chewy and stale. I make Chex Mix a lot, and will probably not try this out again. In addition to the hole in the lid, i dabbed up a lot of liquid on the lid while stirring. Slow cookers are great for building slow deep flavors, but not necessarily for making foods crusty, crunchy, etc.
Oven method gives me a much more even and crispy result. I also double or triple the original recipe’s recommended seasoning though :) Perfect snack for the holiday season too
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
No worries Kim, thanks for sharing your experience with us – it is an awesome snack for sure, isn’t it?!
Hi Ali. I just discovered your crock pot recipe for this chex mix and i’m going to give it
a try this year. I’ll let you know how it turns out, Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Deborah, yes, please do! We hope you love it! :D
I’m so glad I found this post. We are renovating our kitchen right now and I have NO OVEN!!! It has been a challenge, to say the least. Knowing that I can make CHEX mix in my Crock Pot just made my day. I’m off to the grocery store to get the ingredients. Thanks!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Oh no, that must be tough (the no oven part), but the kitchen renovation is exciting! :) We hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
I substitute soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce and it really is good! I was out of Worcestershire one time which necessitated the substitute and now my family prefers it that way.
I never make mine in the oven. What at PITA to have to stir every 15 min! Lol. However, I DO make it in the microwave and it takes about 15 min. Then I cool it on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and then store in air tight container. I love crock pot and WILL try this!
I made my mom’s recipe of this, but hers only had 2 sticks of butter, 1 tsp. Garlic powder, a dash of worchester. Sauce. I already baked it in the oven. It is not spicy enough. What can I do to correct this. Too expensive to throw out. Can I I add more Worcester shire sauce, butter and seasonings and mix if dry maybe with vegetable oil?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi there, you can certainly toss it with a little bit of cayenne pepper for more spice! Or if you just want more flavor all around, toss it with more seasonings and Worcestershire to taste. We hope this helps!
I saw this on Facebook today, went to the store and got everything, but when I got home I realized I forgot the Cheerios so I used Gold Fish (with 3 kids we have plenty of them). I just took it out of the crockpot and it’s awesome. Thanks for posting!!!!!!
Hi Dee! If you’re concerned about salt in this, you could always use lightly salted or unsalted peanuts, and/or you could just add the salt to taste (maybe start with 1/2 TBS first – you can gradually add more if you like). We hope this helps and that you enjoy!
My family loves this stuff. I also started cooking it in a turkey roaster because I can double the recipe. We love broken up Stacy’s Pita Chips, broken ramen noodles, and cashew bits and pieces in place of the cheerios and nuts.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing Karm – we love your family’s method, it sounds like an amazing combination!
I tried this recipe last night, and it worked out perfectly! At first I was hesitant, because like some others had mentioned, my mom tried Chex Mix in the crock pot and it doesn’t come out crispy enough. Because I wanted to avoid that happening, I added the paper towel at the top of the Crock Pot even though my slow cooker DOES have the small hole. I think this is what did the trick for me, and I would recommend doing that, just to be on the safe side .
My Chex mix is crispy all-around, and tastes great! I also enjoyed the connivence of stirring every 30 minutes instead of every 10 minutes in an oven. If you have the time to do that, such as on a weekend or day off (like I did yesterday!), it’s worth not having to stick around the kitchen for an hour.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks much for sharing Georgia, we’re so glad this worked out well for you! :D
I enjoyed this method, even though I put it on high (didn’t pay attention), and forgot to stir it for quite a while. Turned it to low when I realized my error, and cooked it the required three hours. I did end up with some burnt pieces, but that was my fault. I don’t have a vent hole on my lid, but I kept the lid tipped the entire time. Came out nice and crunchy. Much better than microwave style. Plus with microwave, I have to do half batches because I don’t have a large enough microwave safe bowl. I used sea salt cashews I had that had no flavor–this really picked them up. Also one cup of almonds, and a cup of gently broken up Win Schuler garlic crisps– kind of like Melba toast only white. I don’t do pretzels or Cheerios. Every time I have someone’s Chex mix with Cheerios, I just think it’s off. I will use this method again for sure! Now I’m off to explore other recipes here. Thanks, Ali!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us, we’re glad you enjoyed the recipe, and we hope you enjoy some of the other recipes on the blog as well! :D
I have been making Chex Mix for ages and always took it on our beach vacations – tradition!! But I made HUGE batches – dumped the entire box of each of three chex cereals into two large Tupperware bowls, added a large jar of peanuts in addition to the pretzels AND then subbed 1/2 of the butter with (melted) peanut butter. Everything else was proportionally the same! It was delicious and I liked to think it was a tad bit healthier with the peanut butter instead of the butter! Ha! But it was all gone at the end of the two weeks and many cocktail hours. The beach vacations would not be the same without it!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Isn’t it the best?! Thats sounds like a wonderful family tradition you guys have there. :)
Tried this today. Our store only had the rice Chex so I bought the shredding cereal and added cherries. Also for a cheesy taste added cheese flavored buggless. I thought I would use honey roasted peanuts but the coating melted and so next time I would just add them at the end.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re glad you enjoyed it Bonita, and we bet honey roasted peanuts would be delish in this!
I’ve been doing this for a f ew years and people seem to love it even more when it’s warm. I just take the lid off and stir once more and tell them to enjoy.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Mark — we’re so glad you enjoy the slow cooker method as well!
Have you ever used a packet of powdered ranch dressing or BBQ in this recipe,I also remember my oms friends adding cheese it’s or the fish cheddar crackers.and for sweet after cooling kettle corn and even adding m&ms.
This did not work. Followed directions exactly right down to the towel on top…turned out a mushy mess…30.00 went in the trash…very disappointed :(
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Oh no, we’re so sorry to hear that Mel! We’re not sure what went wrong, as this has never happened to us and we’ve tested the recipe several times. It could be that the temp of your slow cooker was off?
I am sorry to say that my batch burned, and it melted my rubber spatula too! I followed your directions to the “T”, and even stirred the mix every 30 minutes to prevent burning. I guess I will have to go back to the oven method. The idea is great, tho — sorry it didn’t work out for me.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re sorry to hear this didn’t work for you, Ginid!
I make this Chex Mix in the Crock pot all the time. Making some now to give to my son for Christmas. We all LOVE it. It’s really easy in the Crock pot!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Ann — we’re so glad you’re a fan! :)
I love this idea. I have lived in Wisconsin for 27 years, but am originally from Texas. We used to make this all the time, until my sister-in-law got a batch that her friend called Texas Trash. We loved it so much we have not had Chex mix since. You cook it basically the same, but the ingredients are different. There is no cereal in it, just crackers, chips, pretzels, sesame sticks,etc., anything you like. I also put a whole can of mixed nuts in mine, as we really like them. Mix it together and season it with Chili Powder, Garlic Powder and Ground Cayenne Pepper, to taste. It depends on where I take it how much I season it. Then use 1 cup of melted butter, 1/3 cup of Worcestershire Sauce and cook it in a Turkey roaster in a 250 degree oven, mixing every 15 minutes, for an hour. This sounds so much easier. I am going to try it. My recipe called for 1 cup of butter. Do you think this is too much for the slow cooker? I don’t want it to me soggy. I read in someone’s comment that they had to throw it away as it was a soggy mess. What do you think? Can’t wait to try it in the slow cooker. Thanks.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us, Donna — we hope you enjoy this method! Also, we would be nervous about trying 1 cup of butter since we haven’t tried it. We’ve tested the recipe several times though and have never had any issue with it turning out soggy. We hope you can give it a try — let us know what you think!
Looks great. My mom always made this in a turkey roasting pan. I don’t have such a large thing, but have a big slow cooker, so this is perfect. Btw, we also called it Nuts and Bolts and I’m from western PA. (We also use little pretzel sticks–the bolts–and not the usual twist shape!)
This is awesome!
Thank you so much!
I’m going to de-gluten this for my Celiac’s hubby, and use it all the time!
Wow great idea, a lot easier than the oven version. i used your recipe as a guide and i made my version here.https://howtocooksouthern.com/ #frontporchapproved
Add some chili powder and a dash of Tabasco sauce and you have Crunchy Trash-YUM! This is a winter staple here. I won’t eat it any other time of year as it might lose its specialness-ha!
Oh my gosh I altered this recipe a little bit for myself and it turned out AMAZING. Made it for a Super Bowl party and ended up eating most of it before I even got there :D
So delicious!
I have been making this Chex Mix snack for 30 years using this basic recipe and with all due respect, I’m not sure how doing it in a slow cooker is easier. My process is the same mentioned here but I then put in in the oven @ 250 for an hour and stir every 15 minutes. That’s it. That means the oven procedure is 1/3 the time compared to the slow cooker. And noting the recipe here calls for putting it in baking pans when finished in the slow cooker, you might as well start off in the baking pans and save yourself some dishes; put it in the oven to save yourself 2 hours; and no concerns of the mix getting soggy. A much easier process in my humble opinion.
The one nice advantage to doing it in the slow cooker is that it won’t heat your house up like the oven will. A perfect alternative for hot summer months when you really want some Chex mix :-)
That’s a great point, Lisa! :) We hope you enjoy this!
Would be awesome with a sweet sauce and maybe some m&m too
Perfect for this 90 degree day when I want chex mix but don’t want to turn on the oven.
We hope you like the recipe! : )
I LOVE this stuff! And everybody wants some, so I have to make SO much, that instead of the crock pot that I did use, now I cook it in those big aluminum turkey roating pans (the rectangular ones, not oval)! I really need a bunch! Also, what makes mine a little different, is I only use the ‘powder’ version of the seasonings: i.e. garlic ‘powder’, onion ‘powder’ etc. Otherwise, you might just as well tip the salt shaker directly into your mouth! Also, I bake it at 300°F for two hours, giving it a stir every 15-20 minutes. AND, every time I stir, I sprinkle some of 2 pouches of salad dressing powder (Ranch & Green Goddess, or 2 Ranch), and that makes a BIG difference! Try it, you’ll like it!
Thanks so much for sharing your tips, Michelle, we appreciate it! Also, yum! :)
could you do this with a sweet mix? Syrup?
You could! We don’t have a recipe for a sweet one, but we’re sure there are some out there. :)
If you get the crockpot liners from Reynolds it makes it so easy to mix! Just take bag out hold the top together & shake turning upside down. Then when it’s time to clean up just wipe out with a wet sponge!
Thanks for the tip Glenda, that’s great to know!
I made this using the gluten free cheerios-DO NOT USE as they shrink down so much you will think you forgot to add them!
Thanks for sharing Christina, we’re sorry that happened, good to know!
hey, someone on my fb feed shared this and they totally stole it from you! total jerk move!!!! https://www.facebook.com/KatsKreations2011/posts/914485451954483
just thought you should know!! ?
Hi Kimberly, thank you so much for alerting us! Definitely not cool that this happened. We’re looking into it. Thanks!
Looks amazing! I’m going to buy a slow cooker just for this!!! Thanks for sharing. I wonder if I could add popcorn instead of Cheerios? Or when adding candy? Which would you suggest?
Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes. I look forward to trying them!!
Jeanette
Hi Jeanette! Sure, you could use popcorn, but I wouldn’t add it in until the very end. I’m afraid it would deflate some if it got the wet seasoning mixture on it and cooked for too long in the crock pot. Enjoy!
I like to make mine savory and spicy with Tobasco, but for the people who asked about a sweeter taste, my sister leaves out the Worcester and uses Honey Nut Cheerios or some other similar shaped sweetened cereal instead of regular Cheerios.
We think that sounds yummy Julia, thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to try this! My grandma always makes it twice a year for thanksgiving and Christmas! But she always makes it in the oven and with goldfish crackers or cheese its! The little burnt Cheerios are my favorite! :)
Awesome Kristen, we hope you love it! :)
Can I use pink sea salt instead of season salt?
We haven’t tried that Katie, but we don’t see why not! We would just season to taste, to make sure you don’t over/under-season. We hope you enjoy! :)
Does the recipe have your spices doubled, or did you mean you double what’s there? I like salty, but if it’s already doubled, it probably doesn’t need quadrupled. Thanks!
Hi Holly! We’re a little confused by your question. We’re not sure what you’re referring to about doubling the spices?
This sounds like one of the best snacks that I will ever try.
Thanks Evan, we hope you enjoy! :)
This is the only way I make chex mix.
Thank you for your honest review. I was all set to make this in the slow cooker, until I read the end. I think I’ll stick to the oven. The recipe is simple enough if one has the time! Happy ChexMix season!!
Thanks Sarah, we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
No disrespect–and if this method works for you, awesome!–but i found that using a slow cooker for chex mix does compromise the product.
Vent in the crockpot or not, my result was a bit chewy and stale. I make Chex Mix a lot, and will probably not try this out again. In addition to the hole in the lid, i dabbed up a lot of liquid on the lid while stirring. Slow cookers are great for building slow deep flavors, but not necessarily for making foods crusty, crunchy, etc.
Oven method gives me a much more even and crispy result. I also double or triple the original recipe’s recommended seasoning though :) Perfect snack for the holiday season too
No worries Kim, thanks for sharing your experience with us – it is an awesome snack for sure, isn’t it?!
Might be worth noting (in my review above) that i always use cheezits in my recipe. Maybe that is the variable that made it not work well for me.
Hi Ali. I just discovered your crock pot recipe for this chex mix and i’m going to give it
a try this year. I’ll let you know how it turns out, Thank you!
Hi Deborah, yes, please do! We hope you love it! :D
Everytime I find a recipe that interests me it is from your site, you are amazing, keep up the great work.
That’s so sweet of you Teresa, thank you! We’re happy you’re a fan. :D
Just made this yesterday and we love it. The crockpot makes it so much easier to make then the oven. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Brandi, we’re happy you enjoyed it! :)
I’m so glad I found this post. We are renovating our kitchen right now and I have NO OVEN!!! It has been a challenge, to say the least. Knowing that I can make CHEX mix in my Crock Pot just made my day. I’m off to the grocery store to get the ingredients. Thanks!
Oh no, that must be tough (the no oven part), but the kitchen renovation is exciting! :) We hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
I substitute soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce and it really is good! I was out of Worcestershire one time which necessitated the substitute and now my family prefers it that way.
Thanks for sharing, we bet that’s a yummy sub! :)
What a great item to send to our military families.
I never make mine in the oven. What at PITA to have to stir every 15 min! Lol. However, I DO make it in the microwave and it takes about 15 min. Then I cool it on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and then store in air tight container. I love crock pot and WILL try this!
Thanks Karen, we hope you enjoy this method! :)
I made my mom’s recipe of this, but hers only had 2 sticks of butter, 1 tsp. Garlic powder, a dash of worchester. Sauce. I already baked it in the oven. It is not spicy enough. What can I do to correct this. Too expensive to throw out. Can I I add more Worcester shire sauce, butter and seasonings and mix if dry maybe with vegetable oil?
Hi there, you can certainly toss it with a little bit of cayenne pepper for more spice! Or if you just want more flavor all around, toss it with more seasonings and Worcestershire to taste. We hope this helps!
Try using some Honeycomb cereal. The salty & sweet is awesome. Gonna try a small batch tonight using some teriyaki.
Thanks for the recommendation Katy, we’ll definitely have to try that! :)
I saw this on Facebook today, went to the store and got everything, but when I got home I realized I forgot the Cheerios so I used Gold Fish (with 3 kids we have plenty of them). I just took it out of the crockpot and it’s awesome. Thanks for posting!!!!!!
Yay, we’re so glad you guys enjoyed this! :)
Hi Dee! If you’re concerned about salt in this, you could always use lightly salted or unsalted peanuts, and/or you could just add the salt to taste (maybe start with 1/2 TBS first – you can gradually add more if you like). We hope this helps and that you enjoy!
Silly question, but what is seasoned salt? Any particular brands you recommend? Thank you and thanks for the recipe – can’t wait to try it!!!
Hi Elise! Seasoned salt is a blend of table salt, herbs and spices (usually the spices listed here). We like McCormick or Morton’s. :)
My family loves this stuff. I also started cooking it in a turkey roaster because I can double the recipe. We love broken up Stacy’s Pita Chips, broken ramen noodles, and cashew bits and pieces in place of the cheerios and nuts.
Thanks for sharing Karm – we love your family’s method, it sounds like an amazing combination!
I tried this recipe last night, and it worked out perfectly! At first I was hesitant, because like some others had mentioned, my mom tried Chex Mix in the crock pot and it doesn’t come out crispy enough. Because I wanted to avoid that happening, I added the paper towel at the top of the Crock Pot even though my slow cooker DOES have the small hole. I think this is what did the trick for me, and I would recommend doing that, just to be on the safe side .
My Chex mix is crispy all-around, and tastes great! I also enjoyed the connivence of stirring every 30 minutes instead of every 10 minutes in an oven. If you have the time to do that, such as on a weekend or day off (like I did yesterday!), it’s worth not having to stick around the kitchen for an hour.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks much for sharing Georgia, we’re so glad this worked out well for you! :D
I enjoyed this method, even though I put it on high (didn’t pay attention), and forgot to stir it for quite a while. Turned it to low when I realized my error, and cooked it the required three hours. I did end up with some burnt pieces, but that was my fault. I don’t have a vent hole on my lid, but I kept the lid tipped the entire time. Came out nice and crunchy. Much better than microwave style. Plus with microwave, I have to do half batches because I don’t have a large enough microwave safe bowl. I used sea salt cashews I had that had no flavor–this really picked them up. Also one cup of almonds, and a cup of gently broken up Win Schuler garlic crisps– kind of like Melba toast only white. I don’t do pretzels or Cheerios. Every time I have someone’s Chex mix with Cheerios, I just think it’s off. I will use this method again for sure! Now I’m off to explore other recipes here. Thanks, Ali!
Thanks for sharing with us, we’re glad you enjoyed the recipe, and we hope you enjoy some of the other recipes on the blog as well! :D
I have been making Chex Mix for ages and always took it on our beach vacations – tradition!! But I made HUGE batches – dumped the entire box of each of three chex cereals into two large Tupperware bowls, added a large jar of peanuts in addition to the pretzels AND then subbed 1/2 of the butter with (melted) peanut butter. Everything else was proportionally the same! It was delicious and I liked to think it was a tad bit healthier with the peanut butter instead of the butter! Ha! But it was all gone at the end of the two weeks and many cocktail hours. The beach vacations would not be the same without it!
Isn’t it the best?! Thats sounds like a wonderful family tradition you guys have there. :)
Tried this today. Our store only had the rice Chex so I bought the shredding cereal and added cherries. Also for a cheesy taste added cheese flavored buggless. I thought I would use honey roasted peanuts but the coating melted and so next time I would just add them at the end.
We’re glad you enjoyed it Bonita, and we bet honey roasted peanuts would be delish in this!
I’ve been doing this for a f ew years and people seem to love it even more when it’s warm. I just take the lid off and stir once more and tell them to enjoy.
Thanks for sharing, Mark — we’re so glad you enjoy the slow cooker method as well!
Have you ever used a packet of powdered ranch dressing or BBQ in this recipe,I also remember my oms friends adding cheese it’s or the fish cheddar crackers.and for sweet after cooling kettle corn and even adding m&ms.
We haven’t, but we bet you could! :)
What size crockpot is this recipe for?
Hi Jennifer! We used a 6-qt slow cooker. We hope this helps!
Love this and going to try it – for us full time RVers not using the oven and savinng propane can be a real bonus.
We hope you enjoy it!
Would it be possible to use coconut oil instead of butter to make this dairy-free?
Yes, definitely! In fact, we have a coconut oil Chex Mix recipe as well:
This did not work. Followed directions exactly right down to the towel on top…turned out a mushy mess…30.00 went in the trash…very disappointed :(
Oh no, we’re so sorry to hear that Mel! We’re not sure what went wrong, as this has never happened to us and we’ve tested the recipe several times. It could be that the temp of your slow cooker was off?
I am sorry to say that my batch burned, and it melted my rubber spatula too! I followed your directions to the “T”, and even stirred the mix every 30 minutes to prevent burning. I guess I will have to go back to the oven method. The idea is great, tho — sorry it didn’t work out for me.
We’re sorry to hear this didn’t work for you, Ginid!
I make this Chex Mix in the Crock pot all the time. Making some now to give to my son for Christmas. We all LOVE it. It’s really easy in the Crock pot!!
Thanks for sharing, Ann — we’re so glad you’re a fan! :)
This does not work!!! followed exactly and turned out a mushy mess….wasted 25.00 to through in the trash…not happy camper ☹️
We’re so sorry to hear that, Mel — we’re not sure what could have gone wrong, as we’ve tested this recipe several times and haven’t had that happen.
I love this idea. I have lived in Wisconsin for 27 years, but am originally from Texas. We used to make this all the time, until my sister-in-law got a batch that her friend called Texas Trash. We loved it so much we have not had Chex mix since. You cook it basically the same, but the ingredients are different. There is no cereal in it, just crackers, chips, pretzels, sesame sticks,etc., anything you like. I also put a whole can of mixed nuts in mine, as we really like them. Mix it together and season it with Chili Powder, Garlic Powder and Ground Cayenne Pepper, to taste. It depends on where I take it how much I season it. Then use 1 cup of melted butter, 1/3 cup of Worcestershire Sauce and cook it in a Turkey roaster in a 250 degree oven, mixing every 15 minutes, for an hour. This sounds so much easier. I am going to try it. My recipe called for 1 cup of butter. Do you think this is too much for the slow cooker? I don’t want it to me soggy. I read in someone’s comment that they had to throw it away as it was a soggy mess. What do you think? Can’t wait to try it in the slow cooker. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing with us, Donna — we hope you enjoy this method! Also, we would be nervous about trying 1 cup of butter since we haven’t tried it. We’ve tested the recipe several times though and have never had any issue with it turning out soggy. We hope you can give it a try — let us know what you think!