Description
Irresistible Sweet & Salty Toffee Chex Mix brings together a perfect balance of crunchy cereal, caramel richness, and salty undertones. Quick to prepare and impossible to resist, this snack will make you reach for handful after handful.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 4 cups rice chex cereal
- 2 cups corn chex cereal
- 2 cups pretzels (mini twists or sticks)
- 1 cup pecans (or almonds, cashews)
Sweetening & Binding Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light corn syrup (or honey)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Seasoning & Optional Toppings:
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional, for drizzling)
- ½ cup M&Ms (optional, for extra sweetness)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a low temperature of 250°F (120°C) and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal non-stick surface.
- Combine Rice Chex, Corn Chex, pretzels, and pecans in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring an even distribution of ingredients.
- Create a rich toffee base by melting butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture reaches a gentle bubbling point.
- Allow the toffee to simmer briefly, then remove from heat to prevent burning.
- Incorporate baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt into the toffee, which will cause a slight foaming reaction – this is a normal chemical interaction.
- Pour the warm toffee mixture over the Chex mixture, carefully folding to achieve a thorough and even coating of all ingredients.
- Transfer the coated mixture to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it into a uniform layer to promote consistent caramelization.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, gently stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even caramelization and prevent burning.
- Once baking is complete, remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature.
- Optional: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the cooled mix, then sprinkle M&Ms for additional texture and visual appeal.
- After fully cooled, break the mixture into rustic clusters and serve as a delightful sweet and salty snack.
Notes
- Maintain low and steady oven temperature to prevent burning the delicate mix, ensuring even caramelization and crispy texture.
- Use a silicone spatula for stirring to easily coat ingredients without breaking the Chex cereal pieces during mixing.
- Customize the recipe by swapping pecans with almonds or cashews for different nutty flavors and added protein, making it perfect for protein-rich diets.
- For gluten-free version, replace standard pretzels with gluten-free pretzels and double-check all ingredient labels to ensure complete gluten elimination.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg