Slow Cooker Chex Mix
If you’ve ever packed snacks for a long drive or a cabin weekend, you know the struggle — you need something crunchy, salty, and addicting that doesn’t go stale by day two.
That’s why this Slow Cooker Chex Mix is my go-to. It’s hands-off, crowd-friendly, and way more flavorful than anything you’ll grab from a bag at the gas station.
The best part? Your oven stays free, your kitchen smells like a buttery snack shop, and you can walk away for hours while the slow cooker does the work.
🏕️ Why You’ll Love This Version
- Hands-off cooking: Throw it all in the crockpot and walk away — I’ve literally gone for a hike mid-batch.
- Customizable: Sweet? Savory? Spicy? You pick the vibe.
- Perfect for gifting or road trips: It packs beautifully in airtight jars or silicone bags.
- Big batch, small effort: Feeds a crowd and keeps for weeks.
🧂 Ingredients
The Base:
- 9 cups Chex cereal — I use a mix of Rice Chex, Corn Chex, and Wheat Chex for texture.
- 2 cups pretzels — mini twists or sticks.
- 1 cup mixed nuts — cashews, peanuts, almonds, or whatever blend you love.
- 2 cups mix-ins — think Cheez-It crackers, Goldfish, bagel chips, or Cheerios.
The Flavor Mix:
- ½ cup butter, melted.
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
- 2 tsp seasoned salt.
- ¾ tsp garlic powder.
- ½ tsp onion powder.
- Optional: ¼ tsp smoked paprika or cayenne for a kick.
Optional Sweet Spin:
Add chocolate candies, M&M’s, or dried cranberries after cooling for a sweet-and-salty batch.
🍳 Instructions
1. Combine the dry ingredients
In your 6-quart Crock-Pot, add Chex cereal, pretzels, nuts, and any crunchy mix-ins. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
Tip: Don’t pack it down — airflow helps everything toast evenly.
2. Make the buttery coating
Melt butter in a small saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl.
Whisk in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and any optional spices until smooth.
This step matters — whisking helps distribute the seasoning evenly so you don’t end up with salty clumps.
3. Coat in stages
Pour half of the butter mixture over your dry mix. Toss gently to coat, then pour the rest and stir again until everything looks shiny and evenly seasoned.
Doing it in two stages prevents soggy pockets and ensures that every bite gets that buttery-salty flavor.
4. Slow cook low and slow
Set the slow cooker to LOW for 3 hours, stirring every 30–45 minutes to help with even browning.
During the final hour, remove the lid to let the moisture escape — that’s how you get perfectly crisp Chex Mix without turning on the oven.
Want it extra crunchy? Spread it on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 300°F after slow-cooking.
5. Cool completely
Once done, unplug the slow cooker and let the mix cool completely before sealing it. Stir a few times to help release the heat.
If you’re adding chocolate or sweet add-ins, do it after the mix is cool to room temperature.
Store in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks — if it lasts that long.
🔥 Pro Tips for Perfect Chex Mix
- Keep the lid off for the last hour: The steam needs to escape so everything crisps up.
- Rotate and stir: Each time you stir, scoop from the bottom and rotate your slow cooker insert 180°. This keeps the mix evenly toasted.
- Tea towel trick (optional): Drape a clean kitchen towel over the pot (under the lid) during the final hour to absorb condensation. Just make sure the towel doesn’t touch the heating element.
- For extra flavor: Add a few dashes of hot sauce or a sprinkle of smoked paprika to the butter mix for that subtle kick.
- Avoid oversalting: The flavor intensifies as it dries — taste after cooling before adding more salt.
🧠 Flavor Ratios (If You Like to Improvise)
Once you’ve got the basic formula down, you can build any flavor profile. Here’s the simple ratio that always works:
- 12 cups dry mix (cereal + nuts + pretzels + crackers)
- ½ cup melted butter or oil
- 2–3 tbsp Worcestershire or umami liquid
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp total seasonings (your combo of salt, garlic, onion, spices)
Scale it up or down — this ratio holds steady no matter what.
🌶️ Flavor Variations
- Smoky BBQ: Add 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp brown sugar + a dash of chili powder.
- Everything Bagel: Add 1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning, reduce salt slightly, and throw in sesame sticks.
- Maple Sriracha: Mix 1 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tbsp sriracha into the butter before tossing.
- Sweet & Salty Trail Mix: Use honey-roasted nuts and toss in M&M’s or dried cherries after cooling.
🎁 Gifting or Packing Ideas
Homemade Chex Mix makes an easy, crowd-pleasing holiday gift.
Scoop individual servings into mason jars, tie them with kraft labels and ribbon, and you’ve got a simple but personal gift that actually gets eaten.
For travel or hiking, portion it into reusable silicone snack bags. They’re light, seal tight, and don’t crush your mix.
🏕️ Road-Trip Ready Snack
This recipe is a must-pack for road trips and long outdoor days.
It’s light, satisfying, and doesn’t melt — even in a hot car or backpack.
Pro tip: keep your mix nut-heavy if you want more staying power and protein on hiking days.
🧡 Final Thoughts
There’s a reason this Chex Mix lives in my slow cooker rotation right next to soups and chilis. It’s nostalgic, ridiculously easy, and so good it never lasts more than a couple of days in my house.
It’s the kind of snack that makes your kitchen smell like butter and garlic while you’re off doing literally anything else.
So grab your slow cooker, pour yourself a drink, and let the magic happen.
Once you make this version, you’ll never go back to oven-baked Chex Mix again.