Description

This festive Christmas Chex Mix is a delightful holiday treat combining crunchy rice and wheat cereals, Bugles snack chips, and sourdough pretzel nibblers all coated in creamy white chocolate and studded with colorful mini M&M’s, crushed peppermint candies, and holiday sprinkles. Perfect for holiday parties or gifting, this sweet and salty snack mix is easy to prepare and delivers a visually stunning and delicious seasonal snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Cereal and Snacks

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)

Coating and Mix-ins

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

Prepare Baking Pans: Line two large (12×16 half-sheet size) rimmed baking pans with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy removal and clean-up later.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a very large mixing bowl, combine the rice Chex cereal, wheat Chex cereal, Bugles, and sourdough pretzel nibblers. Gently stir to evenly mix all the dry snack pieces together.
Melt White Chocolate: Place the white chocolate candy melts into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute, then stir thoroughly. Continue heating in 30-second increments, stirring well after each, until the white chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Take care to prevent burning.
Coat the Snack Mix: Pour the melted white chocolate over the mixed cereals and snacks. Gently stir the mixture until all pieces are evenly coated with the white chocolate.
Add Candies and Sprinkles: Quickly add the mini M&M candies, crushed peppermint candies, and nonpareil sprinkles to the bowl. Gently toss to evenly distribute these festive additions so they adhere to the melted chocolate coating.
Set the Mix: Divide the coated mixture evenly between the two prepared baking pans and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle additional nonpareils over the top if desired. Allow the mixture to set at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or until the white chocolate has fully hardened.
Serve or Store: Once set, carefully break the Christmas Chex Mix into bite-sized clusters and transfer to a clean large bowl for serving or store in an airtight container for freshness.

Notes

Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the coating process to avoid smashing the cereal and snacks.
Ensure white chocolate is fully melted but not overheated to prevent graininess.
If you prefer, you can speed up setting by placing the pans in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
Store the mix in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crunchiness for up to 1 week.
Feel free to substitute peppermint candies with other holiday-themed candy for customization.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes (melting chocolate)
Category: Snack
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas Chex Mix, holiday snack, sweet and salty snack mix, white chocolate Chex Mix, peppermint snack mix, festive snack, holiday party snack