This Christmas Crack Chex Mix recipe is the perfect DIY holiday treat! The mix of sweet and salty with a hint of peppermint is so good.
Afterward, put it in a cute holiday tin and you have the perfect DIY Christmas Gift!
Holiday Chex Mix
If you haven’t noticed from some of my other holiday posts, I am a little obsessed with Peppermint. That flavor just SCREAMS “It’s the Holiday Season” to me!
So, I decided it was time to mash up two of my favorite things – Chex Mix and Peppermint. As a result, I got this way-too-addictive Chex Mix recipe I call Christmas Crack!
There is nothing more delicious to me than a sweet and salty mix. It is my downfall on my diet. Bad news for those of you with the same downfall because this Chex Mix Christmas Crack is just as the name suggests – highly addictive and absolutely no good for your diet.
Do you love chex mix? Be sure to check out this round up of the Ultimate Collection of Chex Mix Recipes!
This Chex Mix recipe makes a HUGE batch. If you grab some cute holiday tins, you can make some super cute gifts for friends and family.
Looking for some classic Chex Mix? How about Chex Mix made in the crock pot! This recipe is so easy and it will save you some oven space during your busy holiday cooking!
Want some more fun and delicious holiday snacks – try out my good friends Christmas Crunch Recipe! You will LOVE it!
Ingredients Needed to Make Christmas Crack Chex Mix
- Two boxes of Chex Cereal (use smaller sized boxes…i.e. 12 oz box)- pick TWO DIFFERENT flavors like Rice Chex Cereal and Corn Chex Cereal.
- 16 oz bag of Snyder’s Sourdough Pretzel Nibblers
- 7.5 oz bag of Bugles
- One package of Christmas mini M&Ms
- White Candy Melts – I used CandiQuik, because it melts amazing (you will need 1 -2 packages of the CandiQuik candy melts) or you could use candy melts too!
- One package of Starlight Peppermints
- Christmas Sprinkles
Substitutions & Additions
- Add some additional sweetness in by using Golden Grahams Cereal or Honey Nut Cheerios.
- Mix in some shredded cocounut and almonds.
- Peanut or cashews are also a delicious addition.
How to Make Christmas Chex Mix
As I mentioned, this recipe couldn’t be easier!
- First, grab 2 baking sheets and line them either with a silicone baking mat (my favorite thing ever) or parchment paper.
- Next, crush your peppermints in a zip lock bag – the more crushed the better! Go ahead and take your aggression out on these little suckers!
- Now, you need a really, really big bowl! You will want to mix the cereal, Bugles, and pretzels together.
- Then, melt the candy melts according to the directions on the package.
- Little by little, you will drizzle in the melted chocolate over the dry ingredients and immediately sprinkle the M&M’s, peppermints and sprinkles over the melted chocolate (so it sticks in the chocolate) and gently mix it up.
- Repeat this step until all of the dry ingredients is covered somewhat evenly with the chocolate and toppings.
- Divide the mixture in half and spread it out on the two cookie sheets.
- Let the candy set – if you are in a rush, you can put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- Break it apart into smaller pieces and serve or store in an airtight container.
If you are looking for great DIY Christmas gifts to give out to friends, family and co-workers, then this Chex Mix recipe is perfect!
If you need some good Christmas Cookies for a cookie exchange, then we have those as well. Some of our favorites are our Peanut Butter Balls (no-bake and DE-LISH), Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies and our Melted Snowman Bark.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
More Easy Holiday Desserts
- Christmas Tree Pretzel Sticks
- M&M Pretzel Hugs
- The Best Christmas Cookies Round-Up
- Peppermint Oreo Popcorn Bark
- Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
- Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Meringue Cookies {Meringue Kisses}
- Hot Chocolate Bombs
- DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls
- Christmas Tree Brownie Cups
- Reindeer Pretzel Rods
- Hot Chocolate Muddy Buddies
Christmas Crack Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 2 12 ounce boxes Chex Cereal – pick TWO DIFFERENT flavors
- 1 16 ounce bag Snyder’s Sourdough Pretzel Nibblers
- 1 7.5 ounce bag Bugles
- 1 bag Christmas mini M&Ms
- White Candy Melts – I used CandiQuik
- 1 bag Starlight Peppermints
- Christmas Sprinkles
Instructions
- Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat
- In a ziplock bag, crush approx. 30 peppermints (I used the flat side of a meat tenderizer) to crush them very finely
- In a VERY large bowl combine Chex Cereal, Bugles and pretzels
- Melt the candy melts according to the instructions on the package
- In small increments, drizzle the candy melts over the dry mixture and immediately sprinkle the M&Ms, crushed peppermint and sprinkles on the candy (so it sticks to the candy).
- Mix gently with a spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Repeat this step until all of the melted candy is mixed in with the dry mixture.
- Divide the mixture in half and spread in even layers on the baking sheets.
- Let the candy set (if you are in a rush, you can put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes until it sets)
- Break apart and serve – you can store in a airtight container
Nutrition Info
Great recipe. I will be making this and placing it in bags for stockings for extended family. It is both yummy and visually appealing.
On another note…. It is Christmas Season, not “holiday” season. Holiday encompasses Christmas, Resurrection Sunday, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc. If you are observing December 25th, it is Christmas, regardless if you accept or deny Christ. Holiday is any celebration. 😉
Didn’t work for me. Followed recipe exactly and like others have said the melts were too fast in cooling. Probably would help if the recipe called for an exactly amount of melts instead of leaving it as a guessing game. Won’t be trying this again as it made a huge mess and became an inedible glob.
Didn’t work for me. Turned out more like a chex mix than a break apart bark. Either too much cereal or not enough chocolate.
It still tastes very good, just not a bark.
I made this and it was a huge hit! Instead of the melting chocolates, I used 2 pounds of the white almond bark (minus 2 small squares). I also added some dry roasted peanuts. Turned out perfect!
My melts hardened before I could get everything laid out evening so everything isn’t really sticking, its loose. Can I put it on the oven for a second then cool to kind of make everything stick together ?
I know…. You have to work pretty quick. But, they shouldn’t harden that fast. Make sure they are melted all the way and have everything else out and ready to go!
Try putting a bit (maybe a teaspoon or si) of Crisco shortening in your chocolate coating before melting it. It makes the coating smoother and doesn’t harden as fast.
I need peppermint candy spoons for my hot chocolate.
Sorry, this just didnt work. Maybe 1 box of cereal and no buggles and there would be enough chocolate to cover and hold the small bits. I have make it work bc I bought enough to make batches, but I will have to make it work for 1-1/2 batches.
Did you buy the regular boxes of cereal or the large ones?
I was looking for a Christmas cookie recipes for my jobs Christmas party bake off and came across this chex mix crack recipe! This snack look simple to make and very delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe! Looking forward to making these for the party!
Hope you enjoy it! We LOVE it!! Have a great holiday!
This looks FABULOUS. A friend of mine made a similar recipe for me a few years ago when we went to visit in Tulsa. She pulled out a block of white candy coating, a large package of Chester’s popcorn (it’s the kind of off-brand looking fake popped corn – I’d never eaten it before), and a bottle of tiny nonpareils. She melted the entire block of candy coating, poured it over the “popcorn,” and added the small nonpareils before she mixed it all up. And I must say it was delicious – salty, buttery, creamy, and sweet all at once, with a very interesting texture. She called it Christmas Crack; that was the first time I heard that term. Great stuff!
Thanks so much!! It is super yummy!
It looks so festive! I’m going to make it this afternoon! Not sure what candy melts are though, hoping to figure that out at the store! Thanks!