Sweet Holiday Chex Mix is the perfect homemade gift idea! Turn a few simple ingredients into a tasty snack mix with this easy recipe.
If you have a little bit more time on your hands, try these homemade Hot Cocoa Bombs this holiday season too. Or give this easy chocolate fudge a try!
Sweet Chex Mix Recipe
Whether you need a gift idea or a quick snack for the holiday party, this Sweet Holiday Chex Mix recipe fits the bill!
Don’t confuse this mix with the classic, savory chex mix…but instead enjoy the sweet glaze with the salty nuts!
- Super quick and easy. It takes less than 15 minutes to make this chex mix from start to finish.
- No baking or oven needed! You can make this snack mix on the stove top instead of in the oven.
- Makes wonderful holiday gifts. I like to package this Chex mix holiday recipe in different ways. My favorite options are mason jars, cellophane bags, paper cones, and red and green Ziploc containers.
If you love this chex holiday mix, you might want to try my fun taco chex mix. Or give this caramel chex mix a try next! Of course you also can’t go wrong with the classic puppy chow recipe!
Ingredient Notes
What I love about making this chex Christmas mix is that you only need a few ingredients straight from pantry. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list for this recipe for sweet chex mix.
- Chex cereal – I use a mixture of rice chex, corn chex cereal, and wheat chex. Not only does it give great flavor, but a little color too.
- Pecan halves – The size of these nuts makes them a great choice. You can swap them out for another favorite nut or even use a mix of different nuts if desired.
- Shredded coconut – Adds a great texture and coconut flavor to the sweet chex mix. I used sweetened flakes in this recipe.
- Candy- for a pop of holiday color, feel free to fold in some holiday m&m’s!
How to Make Christmas Chex
The sweet holiday Chex mix recipe starts by bringing melted butter, corn syrup and brown sugar to a boil. After adding vanilla extract, you pour the mixture over a large bowl of nuts, coconut and chex cereal.
Once the mixture cools, break it into bite-sized pieces before serving.
I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s super quick and easy! You will want to make chex mix recipes for Christmas every year!
Tips and Tricks
- The syrup in this Holiday Chex Mix is pretty forgiving. Unlike some recipes that turn hard as the syrup sets up, this one stays soft, even after cooling.
- The chex mix normally sticks to itself when stored. Simply break it apart again with your hands for easy snacking.
- Store this sweet snack mix in an sealed container at room temperature. It stays fresh for about 5 days.
More Holiday Treats
- Candied Pecans
- Peppermint Cheesecakes
- Cherry Hand Pies– shaped like Christmas Trees
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Potato Chip Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookie Bars
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Sweet Holiday Chex Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn chex
- 4 cups rice chex
- 4 cups wheat chex
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In an extra large mixing bowl, combine the Chex cereal with coconut and pecan halves. Set aside. Line counter with large sheet of parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt to the saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once mixture comes to a rolling boil (which means bubbles appear across the entire surface), boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in pure vanilla extract.
- Pour the hot syrup over the dry Chex mix and toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the chex mix out on parchment paper and allow to cool.
- After cooling, break into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- STORAGE: Stays fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
- The boiling of the syrup is important. Boiling for 3 minutes heats the syrup to just under the temperature for soft ball stage. This allows the syrup coating to remain soft, but not runny and too sticky.
- Any nuts can be used. Other good choices would be cashews, almonds or peanuts.
- Don’t like nuts or making it for someone with a nut allergy? Pretzels are a great substitution for the pecans. And they will achieve that sweet and salty mix. The coconut can be omitted, even though the flavor isn’t overpowering in this recipe. Add in some holiday colored M&M’s for a pop of color!
- Salted butter can be used. Omit the additional kosher salt.
- As the mixture sits, it tends to stick together, even after being separated. This is normal and it can easily be separated again for easy snacking.
Nutrition
This Sweet Holiday Chex Mix is perfect for munching on while you watch Christmas movies or as an easy homemade gift. The combination of sweet and salty flavors in this crunchy snack makes it hard to eat just one handful!
Could I toast this in the oven for a crispier, less sticky version?