The best snack mix ever with a warning label that says ADDICTIVE!
Seriously the most irresistible batch of Chex Mix you’ve ever tried. Now you might wonder; “Chex Party Mix? But I can just buy that in bags from the supermarket!” Trust me it doesn’t taste nearly as delectable as this homemade version. It’s hard to improve on something like homemade Chex mix, but everything’s better with bacon, but not just bacon it’s jalapeño candied bacon —you can’t argue with that. I’ve added spiced nuts and lots of candied bacon to Chex and bagel chips, creating a symphonic blend of crunchy, salty, sweet and savory. This recipe makes a big batch of party mix—don’t cut it in half. It tends to go VERY FAST.
We tested the recipe with the bacon cooked directly on the foil and the it was on the rack. We prefer cooking it on the rack. For anyone outside the 🇺🇸 place see the notes for possible options.
Chex Mix
- 2½ cups corn Chex (500ml) (see note)
- 2½ cups rice Chex (500ml) (see note)
- 1 cup mini pretzels or pretzel sticks (250ml)
- 2 cups rye chips (500ml) (like Gardettos rye chips) or bagel chips, broken into bite size pieces
- 1 stick salted butter, melted (4oz or 113g)
- 2 teaspoons smoked salt (10ml)
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (60mg) (preferably Lea & Perrins)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5ml)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder(5ml)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (2.5ml)
Candied Bacon
- 1 pound sliced bacon (450g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (125ml)
- Finely ground black pepper
- 1-2 jalapeño finely chopped
Spiced Nuts
- 2 cups mixed nuts (500ml)(sliced almonds, pecans, macadamia, cashews, etc)
- 2 tablespoons butter (30ml)
- 2 tablespoons bourbon or dark rum (30ml)
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (10ml)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (5ml)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (5ml)
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (5ml)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (30ml)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (15ml)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250℉ (121℃).
- Combine the Chex and bagel chips in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter, smoked salt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Slowly pour over the Chex mixture, tossing as you go to combine well. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for one hour. Remove and in the oven temperature to 350℉ (176℃).
- Meanwhile prepare the candied bacon: Put bacon slices in a bowl, season them with and toss with the brown sugar. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil and arrange the bacon in a single layer on top. Sprinkle any sugar left in the bowl over the bacon. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. If it is not golden brown and fairly crispy, resist the temptation to turn up the oven temperature, and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Check it again. Keep in mind that when you remove the tray and transfer the bacon to a cutting board the bacon will “crisp” up a little more. Be patient! When cooled chop into ½ inch bits.
- Prepare the nuts: In a large sauté pan, melt the butter with the rum over medium heat. Add the toasted nuts to the pan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is gone and the nuts are glassy. Mix the curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, chile powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Dump the nuts into the spice bowl, and toss vigorously to evenly coat. Spread onto a sheet pan to cool.
- Combine the Chex mix, nuts and candied bacon together in a giant bowl. Snack away!
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