This is the most addicting Christmas Chex Mix EVER thanks to that salty-sweet combo I just can’t leave alone! It’s loaded with pretzels, dried cranberries, and M&M’s all coated in white chocolate.
It’s extra dangerous because this Chex mix recipe is made in less than 10 minutes in the MICROWAVE! It literally doesn’t get any easier than this, my friends!
Why in the world would you name a holiday snack mix something like “Christmas Crack Chex” or “Christmas Trash Chex Mix”? Ummm, this stuff is insanely ADDICTING…like I could/do eat the entire batch in minutes which is why it’s called “crack”. I cannot leave it alone! It’s also full of odds and ends that are lurking around in the pantry which is why it’s called trash.
It really doesn’t matter what you call it! Just make a big batch for the holidays and thank me later!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- 10 Minutes! That’s how much time it takes to make a batch. Plus, a couple mintutes of cooling time if you can contain yourself for that long!
- Easy! This is a microwave recipe. It’s a perfect recipe to make with the kids!
- Customizable! Don’t like cranberries? Leave them out and add extra peanuts! Make it exactly the way your family likes!
- Freezable! Make it ahead of time, before the Christmas season gets too busy and freeze it for later.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CRACK:
You’ll need super easy, pantry-type ingredients for this recipe. I’ll give you a few suggestions for substituting if you need to.
- Chex Cereal: I like using corn or rice Chex. You could use a combination of the two, or substitue part of the Chex cereal with Cheerios.
- White Chocolate: Use high quality chocolate. You can use almond bark, or white chocolate chips.
- Pretzels: Sticks, bows, or squares. Salted are best!
- Mini Marshmallows
- Peanuts: Or mixed nuts
- Candy Coated Chocolate: M&Ms are my go to. I love switching it up for the holidays.
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1: Measure cereal, peanuts, pretzels, and marshmallows. Set aside. Add chocolate to a large, microwave-safe bowl. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 1-minute intervals at half power, stirring after each minute. Repeat until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
STEP 2: Add cereal, peanuts, marshmallows, and pretzels to the white chocolate. Gently stir until combined.
STEP 3: Add M&Ms and toss one more time to incorporate.
STEP 4: Spread chocolate-coated Chex mix on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with extra M&Ms if you want. Adding them after keeps their bright colors, but they aren’t “stuck” in the Chex Mix. I like to do a combination of both.
It’s really easy to substitute the listed ingredients for other ingredients you love or already have on hand. Just be sure to keep the amounts the same. For example, this recipe calls for 7 cups of Chex. You can add more than one kind of cereal as long as when they are combined they total 7 cups. I really like adding dried cranberries instead of all marshmallows.
FAQs:
Yes! It will keep up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container. Remove as much air as possible before freezing. Some people like it even better when it’s frozen!
Of course! Use your favorites! Chex works really well because the chocolate sticks to the ridges in the cereal.
OTHER EASY CHRISTMAS CANDY RECIPES:
There are actually two different kinds of Christmas crack. One is Christmas Crack Chex mix, which is this recipe made with cereal and white chocolate. The other kind of holiday crack is made with saltine crackers and a butter/brown sugar mix. They’re equally as addicting! It’s gotta be the salty sweet combo!
Here’s a list of a few of my favorite super EASY candy recipes for the holidays!
- 20 Minute Christmas Crack
- Peppermint Bark Christmas Crack
- 5 Minute Caramel Bugles (microwave)
- Microwave Caramels
- Cinnamon Bear Fudge
- Graham Cracker Toffee Bark
- White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn
I love it when you make my recipes and give me feedback! If you have a minute please comment below and leave a star ranking! Also, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook!
White Chocolate Christmas Crack
Ingredients
- 24 ounces white chocolate chips
- 7 cups Chex
- 2 cups pretzels
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 2 cups peanuts
- 2 cups M&M’s
- 1 cup dried cranberries optional
Instructions
- Measure cereal, peanuts, pretzels, and marshmallows in a seperate bowl. Gently toss.
- Add white chocolate to a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Melt in the microwave in one-minute intervals at half power. Stir after each interval. Repeat until the chocolate is smooth. This takes me about 2-3 minutes.
- Add measured cereal, pretzels, peanuts, and marshmallows. Gently stir to coat with chocolate.
- Add M&Ms. Gently toss. (I wait to add them until the last so they keep their bright color.) You can also save a few and sprinkle them on top of the mix after it's spread on a baking sheet.
- Spread mix on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Lisa says
Love this recipe! It’s truly one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s just down right yummy, and what makes this jump a head higher on the yummy meter is you can add or swap ingredients that fit to your liking as long as you adjust your melting chips to match up. I make mine with fancy mixed nuts. Sometimes I’ll change up my cereal choices. I’ve even gone as far as swapping the white chips for peanut butter chips. Never had a batch that has gone uneaten.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you and Happy New Year and happy munching.
Amy Engberson says
I agree! This is a fun recipe to experiment with! You can swap out there ingredients with other kinds of chocolate chips and cereal! It’s fun to get creative with this recipe!
Betty says
How many carbs per cup?
Amy Engberson says
I just updated the recipe to include nutritional information. Click this link for the Chex Mix and hit the jump to recipe button to find the nutritional info. Have a great day!
Nadine Blake says
Thank you so much for the FABULOUS recipe! I look forward to making the Winter Wonderland mix each year with my kids..
Amy Engberson says
It’s one of our favorite traditions too! So fun to munch on during the holidays! Merry Christmas!
Carol Walston says
How long will this recipe keep in sealed containers? Also, will it freeze?
Amy Engberson says
Hi Carol! I haven’t ever tried freezing this before. I imagine you can though. I’ve kept it in a sealed container for up to two weeks and it’s just fine. I bet it would actually keep even longer than that! I think you are going to love it!
Emily says
I’m making this today to leave at a neighbors house as part of a secret santa!! I hope some one leaves some on my doorstep! 🙂
Amy Engberson says
You have lucky neighbors! I wish you could drop some off on my porch!
Lindsey says
Could you tell me how long this recipe is good for? Traveling for the holidays so will have to make a week before.
Amy Engberson says
I bet you don’t need to know this anymore! I’m not exactly sure how long this will last because I haven’t ever been able to keep it around for more than a few days. I’m guessing it would last for at least a week though. It’s a great option for traveling!
Pyper says
We just tried this and we love it! Matt walked in while I was making it and he needed a “little” taste test. We found some mini peppermint marshmallows at the store, so we tried it with half peppermint and half white. Kinda fun twist. This is a fun snack–thanks for posting it!
Amy Engberson says
Peppermint anything this time of the year is perfect! Sometimes I use mint M&M’s and love it! No matter what I throw in this mix…I can’t help myself!
Karly says
My kids would love this! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Amy Engberson says
Hide some for you or they will eat it all. At least if they are like my kids they will!!
bj says
Oh, boy…this looks fantastic. I am buying the ingredients tomorrow and making some for family and friends…..
Thanks so much..Over from Create It Thurs.
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for stopping by! I’m excited for you to make this. It’s one of those treats that get me into trouble. I just can’t stop eating it!
Mommy on Demand says
This would be great for my upcoming road trip! Would love for you to come over and share at my linky party that is happening now http://mommyondemand.com/create-bake-9/
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for the invite! I would love to join the party!!
Mommy on Demand says
Thanks for coming over! Hope to see you again tomorrow!
Shannon says
This is so going on my gift-giving list! Sounds and looks so yummy; with incoming bad weather this weekend it could be the perfect time for a good book and this for a snack/treat. Thanks for sharing! Found this recipe on Pinterest (I’m @shopegirl)
Amy Engberson says
I would love to receive this as a gift!