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    Home » Appetizers » Parmesan Ranch Bold Chex Mix

    Parmesan Ranch Bold Chex Mix

    Published: Sep 12, 2022 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    9 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This parmesan ranch bold Chex mix is the perfect snack for after school, cocktail parties, or homemade gifts. The interesting mix of crunchy sweet potato chips, cheesy crackers and sugared nuts makes it a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The gorgeous orange colors of this homemade Chex mix would also be perfect for seasonal Fall gatherings like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

    white casserole dish filled with parmesan ranch bold chex mix set on a wood table

    I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for crunchy chips and mixes that you can sit and nibble on. So this mix is quite dangerous to have around the house. Last time I made a batch I gave half of it to my parents so I wouldn’t eat the entire bag. You will love this blend of ingredients ranging from chips and crackers to a slew of yummy mixed nuts. The deliciously unpredictable combination of shapes and textures will make this your new favorite snack! And if you are looking for a sweet holiday treat, check out my white chocolate Chex mix.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step directions
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • A pro tip or two
    • Parmesan Ranch Bold Chex Mix

    Why this recipe works

    • A delicious homemade snack free of additional preservatives and things like monosodium glutamate, disodium guanylate and corn syrup solids (common ingredients in store-bought snack mixes)
    • Great balance of flavors. With a mix of salty cheese and just a hint of sweet, this chex mix bold party blend is anything but boring and definitely more fun than regular potato chips!
    • Easy to prep and make all in one pan. The hardest part is gathering all the yummy ingredients, but once you’ve got everything you need, it’s just a matter of mixing and baking.
    ingredients to make bold chex mix set in small white bowls

    Ingredients

    You’ll notice that this parmesan ranch Chex mix is a bit different than traditional Chex mix in that it is heavy on other ingredients and low on actual Chex cereal. That’s because I really wanted to bring in a variety of fun crunchy things. Feel free to adjust ratios to your liking though. If you want more Chex cereal, sub out another mix in for more. There’s no rules here.

    • 3 cups Chex cereal – use any combination of Chex cereals you wish. Wheat chex and corn Chex is what I typically use.
    • 5 cups total mix of sweet potato chips and/or carrot chips
    • 1 cup plain bagel chips or rye chips
    • 1 cup cheese crackers like Nut Thins, Cheez-Its or Goldfish
    • 2 cups mini pretzels
    • 1 cup peanuts or mixed nuts
    • ½ cup toffee peanuts
    • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese or dried parmesan cheese (yes, the one from the can 🙂
    • 1 ounce dry ranch salad dressing mix (it’s fairly easy to make your own or I like to use the Simply Organic brand)

    Step-by-step directions

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees f. In either a large baking sheet or roasting pan, add the sweet potato chips, cheese crackers, and bagel chips, and bake for 5 minutes.

    step by step directions showing how to make snack mix

    Remove from the oven and stir in pretzel chips, mixture of chex cereal, and nuts. Pour melted butter all over the dry ingredients so that the butter soaks in well. Then sprinkle on the ranch dressing mix. Toss well and bake for 10 minutes.

    parmesan cheese being tossed into a batch of snack mix, ready to go into the oven

    Remove the oven-baked chex mix from the oven and stir in the parmesan cheese, making sure to coat evenly. Bake one last time for about 10 minutes, and then remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Now enjoy this delectable extra-bold chex mix! You can store it in an airtight container for up to 7 days, but I doubt it will last that long.

    small wooden bowl holding a scoop of bold chex mix set on a wood table

    Recipe FAQ’s

    This doesn’t sound like the typical bold flavor chex mix recipes. How is it different?

    You are correct, this is more of a cheesy bold flavor, whereas the original bold mix is made with a substantial amount of Worcestershire sauce, which adds up to a lot of sugar (1 tsp of the sauce has 1 gram of sugar). Since the original recipe for bold chex mix has 1 cup Worcestershire sauce (or more), it adds up to a lot of extra sugar you don’t really need. This recipe still gives a “bold” flavor, but with a lot less sugar.

    How can I make my own ranch salad dressing mix?

    Making your own dry ranch mix is super easy! Here is a basic recipe you can use. All you do is mix up the ingredients and store in an airtight container in the fridge:
    ½ c. Dry Buttermilk Powder
    1 tbsp. Dried Parsley
    2 tsp. Dried Dill Weed
    1 tsp. Freeze Dried Chives
    1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
    1 tbsp. Onion Powder
    1 tsp. Sea Salt
    ½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper

    finished bold chex mix set in a white ceramic baking dish

    A pro tip or two

    • If you have a hard time finding sweet potato or carrot chips, you can adjust ratios by adding in different items like Cheerios, plantain chips or mini breadsticks. In my opinion, there is no wrong way to make chex mix! I wouldn’t suggest using the Terra chips though, as they may be a little too delicate and brittle to hold up well.
    • Chex mix also makes great holiday gifts. I buy sealable bags or tins when on sale and pop some of this in a gift container. It makes for the perfect neighbor, postman, or teacher gift.
    • Don’t skimp on the baking part. This is what really sets the flavors in and crisps up the ingredients so they’re nice and crunchy. If you don’t bake the batch, the seasoned butter mixture will make the ingredients a bit soggy.
    baking dish filled with cheesy snack pub mix

    I hope you love this fun snack mix and are impressed with the bold cheesy flavors. If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and/or rating below! And check out my other snack ideas including air fryer potato chips, sweet potato wedges and roasted chickpeas, and this smoked spicy snack mix sure sounds delish!

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    Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!

    Parmesan Ranch Bold Chex Mix

    This parmesan ranch bold Chex mix is the perfect snack. The interesting mix of crunchy sweet potato chips, cheesy crackers and sugared nuts makes it a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 14 people
    Author:Andrea

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups Chex cereal any combination
    • 5 cups Sweet potato chips or a combo of sweet potato and carrot chips
    • 1 cup Bagel chips or rye chips
    • 1 cup Cheese crackers like Nut Thins, Cheez-Its or Goldfish
    • 2 cups Mini pretzels
    • 1 cup Mixed nuts Unsalted
    • ½ cup Toffee peanuts
    • ½ cup Unsalted butter
    • ¼ cup Grated parmesan cheese
    • 1 ounce Ranch salad dressing mix homemade or store bought
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees f. In either a large baking sheet or roasting pan, add the sweet potato chips, cheese crackers, and bagel chips, and bake for 5 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and stir in pretzel chips, mixture of chex cereal, and nuts. Pour melted butter all over the dry ingredients so that the butter soaks in well. Then sprinkle on the ranch dressing mix. Toss well and bake for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the oven-baked chex mix from the oven and stir in the parmesan cheese, making sure to coat evenly. Bake one last time for about 10 minutes, and then remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

    Notes

    Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days, but I doubt it will last that long.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 807mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 404IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!
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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susie says

      September 28, 2022 at 7:38 am

      5 stars
      Whoa- this bold ranch Chex mix is so addictive! We loved the hint of sweetness from the candy peanuts. I will be making this the WHOLE Holiday season!

      Reply

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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

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