Original Chex Mix Recipe (2024)

You found it! The Original Chex Mix Recipe! Original Chex mix is a holiday staple in my house. It’s so easy to make yet, I only seem to make it at Christmas. It’s great to wrap up in cellophane bags, tie with a pretty ribbon, and share with friends and neighbors.

For me, the Original Chex mix is synonymous with Christmas. My Mom always made this EVERY holiday season. When she was no longer able, it became my job because it’s not only a family favorite, it’s a family tradition.

I love it, my boys love it, neighbors and friends love it, my husband does not love it. More for us!

The last time my brother visited he enjoyed a good deal of it and I sent the rest on the plane with him as a snack. I bet the people sitting around him were jealous.

This recipe is my Mom’s that she clipped, possibly from a magazine too many years ago to mention. It’s in a journal type book with other clipped and hand-written recipes I will treasure until the end of my days.

This particular clipping is worn, the page in the book is detached but now repaired by me so it doesn’t get lost. There’s even a torn piece of paper with Chex Mix written on it as a makeshift bookmark so it’s easily found. Plus, her notes are invaluable.

Many may not know that the Original Chex mix did not have bagel chips or pretzels or anything else than what’s here. I know, my Mom’s been making this for close to 40 years, if not longer.

In recent years there have been boatloads of Chex cereal recipes both savory and sweet, including spicy Chex mix, cookies and cream muddy buddies, ranch chex mix, Easter muddy buddies, sweet and salty chex mix but, to me, this original is best. No pretzels, no bagel chips.

My Mom made one substitution and that was garlic powder for the seasoned salt. When my Dad was put on a salt-free diet, she made the change and never looked back. You’ll notice there is no salt in this Chex recipe. Why? Because Worcestershire sauce is salty.

I don’t even remember it the other way. Oh, and it’s Chex Party Mix, not just Chex mix. Perfect for any party. It’s also great for hostess gifts, treats in your cookie tin, and an after school snack.

I found this vintage cardboard box in my Mom’s things. It’s copyright the Ralston Purina company in 1986. I was in college in 1986 and my Mom had been making Chex mix for at least a decade. This is REALLY the ORIGINAL, sans pretzels and bagel chips and everything that’s added these days and called original chex mix.

Original Chex mix is a holiday staple in my house. It's easy to make yet, I only seem to make it at Christmas. It's great to wrap up in cellophane bags, tie with a pretty ribbon, and share with friends and neighbors. #OriginalChexMix #ChexPartyMix #FoodGifts Click to Tweet

Use a 9 x 13-inch pan it’s easier to stir with higher sides. If you were to use a rimmed baking sheet you’d spill it all over the oven or counter when you stirred it. Actually, the pan I use was my Mom’s that I will, hopefully, pass along to my party mix loving son.

If a nut allergy is a concern, feel free to omit them and substitute anything mentioned below. Make this gluten-free by omitting the wheat Chex variety. In fact, use any combination of Chex you’d like.

What can I add-in to the Original Chex mix?

Popular add-ins include:

• Dried Cranberries
• Dried Cherries
• Coconut
• Pretzels
• Sesame Sticks
• Bagel Chips

The ingredients are probably readily available in your pantry. We call those pantry staples, cereal, nuts, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

Originally published December 19, 2012, updated December 13, 2020, and December 22, 2022.