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When the holidays roll in, I love whipping up a big batch of my Christmas Chex Mix. It shows up every single year at my house, usually right when I need something sweet and crunchy without turning my kitchen upside down. I make it when I want a holiday snack that feels fun and festive but still comes together fast using Chex cereal, pretzels, chocolate, and that buttery brown sugar coating everyone goes crazy for. It is the kind of no bake snack mix I can throw together for parties, gifts, or late night couch snacking and somehow it always disappears faster than I expect.
Every handful of this Christmas crack chex mix is an addictive treasure of colors and textures, from crunchy cereal clusters to pops of peppermint and bursts of chocolate. Each bite is a little different and a whole lot of Christmas fun, keeping everyone reaching back into the bowl for more.
Whether you scoop it into treat bags or leave it out for grazing, it instantly brings festive energy to any gathering.
If you love snack mixes, you might also enjoy my savory Slow Cooker Chex Mix or my festive Peppermint Bark Puppy Chow for even more holiday snack ideas.
Ingredients Notes
- Rice Chex cereal: Any uncoated Chex variety works well.
- Wheat Chex cereal: Can be swapped with Corn Chex or additional Rice Chex.
- Bugles snack chips: Adds great crunch; pretzel sticks or chow mein noodles are easy substitutes.
- Sourdough pretzel nibblers: Mini pretzels or small pretzel twists fit perfectly in the mix.
- White chocolate candy melts: Vanilla almond bark or white baking chips melt smoothly and coat the mix nicely.
- Mini M&M’s candies (Christmas colors): Rainbow M&M’s make this recipe fun for any time of year.
- Peppermint candies: Candy canes or soft peppermint puffs also crush easily and work well.
- Holiday nonpareil sprinkles: Swap in rainbow sprinkles for a festive anytime version.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Christmas Chex Mix
- Prep the pans: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the Rice Chex, Wheat Chex, Bugles, and pretzel nibblers to a very large bowl and stir gently to combine.
- Melt the chocolate: Microwave the white chocolate candy melts in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each, until fully smooth and melted.
- Coat the mix: Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mix and gently stir to coat everything evenly.
- Add the candy: Quickly sprinkle in the mini M&M’s, crushed peppermint, and sprinkles, tossing gently so they stick to the warm chocolate.
- Spread to set: Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans and spread into an even layer. Add extra sprinkles if you like. Let sit for 15–20 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.
- Break apart: Once set, break the Christmas Chex Mix into pieces and transfer to a serving bowl or airtight container.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For best texture, store in a cool, dry spot so the chocolate stays firm.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer safe bag with as much air removed as possible. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Reheat: Not needed, but if the chocolate softens, pop the mix in the fridge for a few minutes to firm it back up.
- Make ahead: This Christmas Chex Mix keeps well when made 1–2 days in advance. If gifting, package it the same day you plan to deliver it for the freshest look and texture.
More holiday snack ideas
If you’ve tried this Christmas Chex Mix Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Christmas Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
- 2 cups Bugles brand snack chips
- 2 cups sourdough pretzel nibblers (Snyders of Hanover brand)
- 10 ounce bag white chocolate candy melts (Ghirardelli brand used)
- 1¼ cups mini m&m’s candies (Christmas red and green variety)
- 22 Starlight peppermint candies unwrapped and finely crushed (yields approximately ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons nonpareil sprinkles (red, white and green holiday blend), plus additional for optional garnish
Instructions
- Line two large (12×16 half-sheet size) rimmed baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- To a very large mixing bowl add the rice Chex cereal, wheat Chex cereal, Bugles, and pretzel nibblers. Gently stir to combine.3 cups Rice Chex cereal, 3 cups Wheat Chex cereal, 2 cups Bugles brand snack chips, 2 cups sourdough pretzel nibblers
- To a microwave-safe bowl, add the white chocolate candy melts and heat on high for 1 minute, stir, then heat again in 30 second increments until fully melted. Stir until smooth. Be sure to stir well between each heating to ensure you do not burn the white chocolate.10 ounce bag white chocolate candy melts
- Pour the melted white chocolate into the bowl, gently stir to evenly coat the cereal mixture.
- Quickly add the mini m&m candies, crushed peppermints, and sprinkles to the bowl. Gently toss to evenly distribute the candies with the chocolate-coated cereal mixture, making sure that the candies stick to the melted chocolate.1¼ cups mini m&m’s candies , 22 Starlight peppermint candies, 2 tablespoons nonpareil sprinkles
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared baking pans and spread into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle additional nonpareils over the mix before the chocolate fully sets. Allow the mixture to set for 15-20 minutes at room temperature or until the white chocolate has hardened.
- Once completely set, carefully break apart the Christmas Chex mix and add to a clean large bowl for serving or airtight container for storage.
Jenn’s Notes
- Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Store in a cool, dry place so the chocolate doesn’t soften.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe bag with the air removed. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Reheat: Not needed, but if the chocolate softens, chill the mix for a few minutes to firm it.
- Make ahead: This recipe holds up well for 1–2 days in advance. If you’re gifting it, package it the day you plan to give it.
- You can use any combination of uncoated Chex cereal for this recipe.
- Crush peppermint finely so it sticks well to the warm chocolate.
- Use a very large mixing bowl, the volume of this recipe is big.
- If the chocolate thickens, microwave it again for 10–15 seconds and stir.
- For big clusters, avoid spreading the mixture too thin; for smaller pieces, break it apart thoroughly after it sets.
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!