Churro Chex Mix

This Churro Chex Mix takes snack time to the next level. Baked with crispy Chex cereal, salty pretzels, chewy caramel bits, and a buttery cinnamon sugar coating, this easy snack mix is perfect for parties, movie nights, or gifting.

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Why You’ll Love Churro Chex Mix

• Quick and easy to make — Ready for the oven in just 10 minutes.
• Kid-approved — Crispy cinnamon sugar coating delivers irresistible churro flavor.
• Make your own mix — Easily customizable with your favorite cereals, nuts, or candy mix-ins.
• Make ahead — Perfect party mix for Cinco de Mayo or whenever the churro craving strikes.
• Versatile treat — Great for lunch boxes, after-school snacks, game day, or an edible gift for the holiday season.

Ingredients Notes

• Granulated Sugar & Ground Cinnamon: Combined to create the sweet, spiced churro coating. Adjust cinnamon to taste, or add a pinch of cayenne for a subtle heat.
• Rice Chex & Corn Chex: Use just one variety or include wheat Chex if preferred; just keep the total cereal under 9 cups.
• Pretzel Sticks: Adds salty crunch. Break in half if longer than 2 inches. Mini pretzels, snaps, or other small pretzel shapes work too.
• Butter: Salted butter adds rich flavor. If using unsalted butter, stir in ½ teaspoon sea salt to balance the sweetness.
• Light Brown Sugar: Melts into the butter for a warm, caramel-like coating. Substitute with dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor if desired.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the churro flavor. Try almond extract as a twist for a slightly nutty note.
• Caramels: Quartered Kraft caramels add chewy texture. For convenience, use caramel bits, no unwrapping or cutting required.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Churro Chex Mix

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 275°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the cinnamon sugar mixture: In a small bowl, mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, add the rice Chex, corn Chex, and pretzel sticks.
4. Mix the butter coating: In a separate bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
5. Toss to coat: Pour the butter mixture over the cereal and pretzels. Stir to coat without crushing the cereal.
6. Add the cinnamon sugar: Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the coated mix and toss until evenly covered.
7. Bake: Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, then return to the oven. Repeat two more times for a total of 45 minutes.
8. Cool and finish: Cool on the pan for 15 minutes. Add the caramel pieces and toss to distribute.
9. Serve or store: Enjoy warm or let it cool completely and store for later.

Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions

• Store at room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Cool completely before sealing to maintain crispiness.
• Freeze for later: Place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
• Make ahead: Bake and store the mix up to a week in advance. For extra freshness, wait to add caramel pieces until just before serving.

Other Easy Chex Mix Recipes

Looking for more fun and festive snack mix ideas? Check out my Chex mix recipes for every occasion:

• Christmas Puppy Chow: A holiday favorite loaded with chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
• Fall Harvest Muddy Buddies: Packed with warm spices, candy corn, and fall-inspired mix-ins.
• Halloween Chex Mix: Sweet, spooky, and perfect for trick-or-treat parties or school snacks.

If you’ve tried this Churro 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.

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Churro Chex Mix

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 12

This Churro Chex Mix is a sweet and salty snack coated in cinnamon sugar, with crunchy pretzels and chewy caramel bits. Easy to make and perfect for parties, gifting, or satisfying your churro cravings!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 6 cups rice Chex brand cereal
• ▢ 3 cups corn Chex brand cereal
• ▢ 2 cups pretzel sticks if longer than 2-inches, break in half before adding
• ▢ 1 cup salted butter melted
• ▢ ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 24 pieces Kraft brand caramels unwrapped and cut into quarters (approximately 1 cup)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a large (18×26 inch) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Mix together in a small bowl the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  1 cup granulated sugar, 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• To a large bowl add the rice Chex cereal, corn Chex cereal, and pretzel sticks.
  6 cups rice Chex brand cereal, 3 cups corn Chex brand cereal, 2 cups pretzel sticks
• In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved.
  1 cup salted butter, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pour the butter mixture over the cereal and pretzels and stir gently to combine without crushing the cereal.
• Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon sugar over the butter coated cereal and gently toss to evenly coat all the cereal and pretzels with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread the mixture out into an even layer.
• Bake in the center rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Stir then bake for a final 15 minutes, for a total bake time of 45 minutes. This method helps to ensure that all sides of the coated cereal are evenly crisped and does not burn.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the mixture to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before adding the quartered caramel candies. Gently toss to evenly distribute all the caramels into the cereal mixture.
  24 pieces Kraft brand caramels
• Transfer the churro chex mix to a large bowl for immediate serving.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

• Room temperature – Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let it cool fully before sealing to keep the crunch.
• Freeze for later – Transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp before enjoying.
• Make ahead – Prepare and store the mix up to a week ahead. For maximum freshness, add caramel pieces just before serving.

Tips:

• Use parchment – Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
• Cool before mix-ins – Add chips, marshmallows, or candies after baking.
• Go gluten-free – Use GF pretzels, no Wheat Chex, and check labels.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 409mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 977IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 7mg

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