This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
My ranch chex mix has more ranch in it than any bag you can buy. Every piece is buttery, salty, tangy, with a different crunch in every handful. I make a big bowl whenever people are coming over.
Ranch is my favorite direction to take a snack mix. I make plenty of the sweet ones too, but the savory bowl is the one I keep going back to.
Parmesan is the thing most ranch chex mix recipes skip. It gives the whole bowl a salty, sharp edge that a ranch packet on its own does not get you.
If you go through chex mix the way we do, I have a whole page of chex mix recipes for every occasion with the sweet ones and the savory ones together. Ranch turns up all over my site, and my bacon cheddar ranch cheese ball is another one I make for a crowd.
PARTY FAVORITE
I Get All of This Done Days Before Anybody Shows Up
A single batch makes 22 cups, so about 30 minutes in the kitchen covers a lot of people. It holds in an airtight container on the counter for up to two weeks, which is longer than most people expect from something that came out of the oven. I use that window to make a couple of different kinds and set out a whole chex mix bar.
Key Ingredients
- Wheat and rice Chex: I use both instead of doubling up on one. Two kinds is a big part of why every handful comes out a little different.
- Dry ranch dressing mix: Two packets, which sounds like a lot until you see how much food it has to cover. This is the whole flavor of the recipe, so it is not the place to cut back.
- Worcestershire sauce: It goes into the melted butter, not over the top. It is the savory, slightly tangy note sitting underneath the ranch. Without it you get seasoned cereal instead of chex mix. I have not tested it without.
- Dry roasted peanuts: They stay crunchy through the oven and they break up all the cereal and crackers.
How to Make Ranch Chex Mix
Step 1: Get the Oven and the Bag Ready Heat the oven to 300 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment. Add the Chex, both pretzels, both cheese crackers, the oyster crackers, and the peanuts to a 2 1/2 gallon zip top bag or an extra large bowl.
Step 2: Coat Everything in Butter First Whisk the melted butter and Worcestershire together, pour it over the mix, and shake until every piece is wet. This has to happen before any seasoning goes in.
Step 3: Add the Ranch and Parmesan Sprinkle in the ranch packets and the Parmesan and shake again until you stop seeing dry patches of seasoning. If you are working in a bowl, stir instead.
Step 4: Spread It Out and Bake Divide the mix between the two sheets so nothing is piled up, and sprinkle a teaspoon of parsley over each pan. Bake 15 minutes, stir, and bake 10 more. Let it cool all the way before you serve it so the coating sets.
The oven is what crisps the coating, so this one is not a no bake. When mine is full at the holidays I make my slow cooker chex mix instead, which is the classic seasoned salt version rather than ranch.
“My two boys polished this off in 2 days!! I have to make more!!”
More Snack Mixes to Make
Ranch Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 4½ cups wheat Chex
- 4½ cups rice Chex
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists
- 2 cups pretzel snaps
- 2 cups cheddar cheese crackers
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese crackers
- 1½ cups oyster crackers
- 1 cup dry roasted peanuts
- ⅔ cup salted sweet cream butter melted
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ounces (2 1-ounce packets) dry ranch dressing mix
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300*. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
- Add the chex cereals, pretzels, cheese crackers, oyster crackers and peanuts to a 2 ½ gallon ziploc bag, or an extra large mixing bowl.4½ cups wheat Chex, 2 cups mini pretzel twists, 2 cups pretzel snaps, 2 cups cheddar cheese crackers, 2 cups white cheddar cheese crackers, 1½ cups oyster crackers, 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, 4½ cups rice Chex
- Add the melted butter and Worcestershire sauce to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.⅔ cup salted sweet cream butter, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture.
- If using the ziploc bag, zip the bag and shake to completely coat the cereal mixture. If using the extra large mixing bowl, stir to completely coat.
- Open the ziploc and sprinkle in the ranch mix and the parmesan. Zip the bag close and shake to completely coat. If using the bowl, sprinkle the ranch mix and parmesan. Stir to completely coat.2 ounces (2 1-ounce packets) dry ranch dressing mix, ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Divide the Chex mix evenly between the 2 prepared baking sheets.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dried parsley over each pan of chex mix.2 teaspoons dried parsley
- Bake for 15 minutes, stir and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow the Chex mix to cool before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- I add the butter and Worcestershire first and shake, then add the ranch and parmesan and shake again. If the seasoning goes in too early it slides to the bottom of the bag instead of sticking to the mix.
- I divide it between two baking sheets so nothing is piled up and it bakes evenly. Stirring at the 15 minute mark is what gets it crisp all the way through.
- If you cannot find a 2 1/2 gallon zip top bag, use two gallon bags and split the mix between them.
- Corn Chex works in place of the rice Chex, or use 3 cups each of wheat, rice and corn instead of 4 1/2 cups each of wheat and rice. A can of mixed party nuts works in place of the dry roasted peanuts.
My two boys (both in their 50’s) polished this off in 2 days!! I have to make more!!