Christmas Crack Chex Mix
on Dec 16, 2025
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This crunchy, sweet Christmas Crack Chex Mix is addictive! An easy holiday recipe with buttery toffee, pretzels, and M&Ms.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
The holidays just aren’t complete without an addictive, shareable snack, and nothing fits the bill quite like Christmas Crack Chex Mix! Forget the savory version—this recipe is a symphony of sweet, salty, and crunchy textures, coated in a homemade caramel-like glaze that truly earns the “crack” moniker.
It’s easy to make, perfect for gifting, and guaranteed to disappear faster than a snowflake in July. Get ready to bake up a batch of the best holiday Chex mix you’ll ever taste!
Ingredient List
- Rice Chex– Provides a light, crisp texture
- Corn Chex– Adds a slightly different shape and crunch
- Pretzels– The essential salty component
- Salted Peanut– A nutty, savory crunch to balance the sweet
- Brown Sugar– For deep, molasses-rich sweetness
- Butter– Creates the luscious, buttery coating
- Vanilla Extract– Enhances all the sweet flavors
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips– Added during the bake for a melted, chocolatey swirl
- Christmas M & M’s– For festive color and extra crunch
Step By Step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add Chex, pretzels and peanuts to a large mixing bowl.
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 full minutes stirring almost continuously until the sugar reaches 270-290.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the chex mixture evenly then stir to coat evenly.
- Pour onto a cookie sheet and spread it evenly out.
- Place in the oven for about 8 minutes, until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and then sprinkle with chocolate chips and m&ms.
Pro Tip
- Parchment Paper is a Must: Do not skip lining your pan. The hardened glaze will stick to a bare pan, making cleanup a nightmare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different cereals?
- Absolutely! Feel free to substitute Wheat Chex or even a bit of Cheerios, but the texture of Rice Chex and Corn Chex works best for absorbing the glaze.
Can I double the recipe?
- Yes, but you will need two large baking sheets to ensure the mix spreads out thinly enough to bake and crisp up properly. Do not try to crowd it onto one pan!
Be sure to pin this recipe Christmas Crack Chex Mix to make later.
Christmas Crack Chex Micx
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice chex
- 3 cups corn chex
- 3 cups pretzels
- 2 cups roasted, salted peanut
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips *
- ¾ cups christmas M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add chex, pretzels and peanuts to a large mixing bowl.
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 full minutes stirring almost continuously until the sugar reaches 270-290.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the chex mixture evenly then stir to coat evenly.
- Pour onto a cookie sheet and spread it evenly out.
- Place in the oven for about 8 minutes, until bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and then sprinkle with chocolate chips and m&ms.
Notes
- * I like to use mini chocolate chips & mim M&Ms!
