Whether you call it Chex Mix, party Mix, snack Mix, or something else entirely, there’s one thing for sure: it’s undeniably delicious. Life Magazine printed the original recipe for Chex Mix back in 1952, and the concept was simple: Pour seasoned, melted butter over cereal, nuts, and pretzels, and pop it all into the oven to get all toasty. It’s the perfect snack to serve for any occasion, but especially around the holidays when you’re entertaining a lot of friends and family, or when you don’t want to show up to someone’s house empty-handed.
While there are now countless variations on the classic recipe, my new favorite is this Sweet and Smoky Party Mix from Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide. With the addition of smoked paprika and brown sugar, this party mix has a great balance of flavors and textures. When Wyse posted the recipe on Instagram, a couple of his followers quickly made the recipe and shared their thoughts: “I’ve made it several times, and it’s awesome,” one commenter said. “I made this tonight, and it is fantastic,” said another. Clearly, it’s a winning combination.
How To Make Sweet and Smoky Party Mix
The full recipe for Sweet & Smoky Party Mix can be found on Wyse Guide, but here’s the general idea:
Combine Corn Chex, Oat Squares, Wheat Chex, Cheerios, sesame sticks, pretzels, and mixed nuts into a large bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine butter, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, light brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. When the butter mixture has melted, pour it into the bowl with the cereal and nuts and make sure everything is evenly coated. Pour everything out onto baking sheets and bake for an hour and let cool before serving.
Two Ways to Upgrade Your Party Mix
The Sweet and Smoky Party Mix from Wise Guide is adaptable based on preferences and whatever you have—or don’t have—in your kitchen. Looking through the comments of the recipe on Instagram, here are two of the most compelling variations I found:
Make It Cheesy: One commenter said they couldn’t find sesame sticks, so they used Goldfish crackers instead. To amp up that cheesy factor, try using Cheez-Its or dust with grated Parmesan when the mix comes out of the oven.
Step Up the Heat: This party mix has a little zip thanks to the paprika and cayenne, but if you really want to step up the heat, try adding a squeeze or two of hot honey into your brown mixture before pouring it all over the nuts and cereal.