Whenever I place a bowl of thisCrispix Mix out, it vanishes right in front of my eyes! It should come with a warning label: “Make a Double Batch of this addicting mix.” If you are looking for a crunchy, sweet, and salty snack to munch on this holiday season this easy Candy Coated Crispix Mix is it! An easy recipe that uses minimal ingredients; Crispix cereal, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, peanuts, and M&Ms. It’s a big batch perfect for parties or giving as gifts.
I have been making this recipe for decades. This crunchy snack mix recipe was given to me by a friend and for many years it was my contribution to our holiday cookie exchange. One year, I decorated Pringles cans and filled them full of the mix, everyone loved it!
Crispix Mix
This caramel crispix snack mix recipe is perfect for making for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or edible gifts. It comes together in just over an hour and makes a huge batch – about 18 cups! That’s enough crunchy, sweet, and salty snack mix to fill lots of holiday tins to give to friends, neighbors, teachers, or family.
The ingredient list contains pantry staples you likely have on hand. Things like the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, cereal, peanuts, and M&Ms. And it couldn’t be easier to whip up. Combine everything in a pot on the stove, boil, then bake to crisp it all up. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool before diving in!
Kids and adults alike will love munching on this mix of flavors and textures. It makes the perfect finger-food snack for holiday parties or even a family game night. Set it out in a bowl for guests to grab handfuls. Or fill up decorative tins or cellophane bags to give out as edible gifts to teachers, bus drivers, mail carriers, or anyone else you want to thank during the most wonderful time of the year. No matter how you share it, this Candy Coated Crispix Mix will surely be a hit!
If you love this mix, be sure to check out my Touchdown Snack Mix (pictured above,) as well as my Coconut Muddy Buddies and my Better Than Sex Chex Mix!
Christmas Crispix Mix
We have come to crave this recipe year-round, so colorful M&M’s added to it make it a fun snack. But for the holidays, I always grab the holiday M&M’s, colored in red and green making it a true Crispix Christmas Mix.
Ingredients in Crispix Mix
You will find the complete recipe and instructions for this Sweet and Salty Candy Crispix Snack Mix in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- brown sugar– light or dark brown sugar will work fine.
- butter– I use salted butter, but use unsalted if that is what you have on hand.
- corn syrup– light Karo Syrup is what works best to keep the coating a light golden brown.
- salt– table salt or sea salt
- Crispix cereal– it can sometimes be hard to find. If you can’t find it, Rice Chex works great in its place. *Note 17 ounces of Crispix Cereal is equivalent to about 11 1/3 cups of Rice Chex cereal.
- salted, dry-roasted peanuts– perfect for that salty element of this
- M&Ms– use whatever you like! I mix it up – sometimes plain, sometimes peanut I have even used the pretzel ones and the peanut butter ones!
- baking soda– is used to create the “foamy effect” of the caramel mixture.
How to Make This Candy Coated Crispix Mix
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine Kellogg’s Crispix cereal and peanuts; set aside.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine butter with the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring it to a boil then boil for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the baking soda until foamy.
Pour the caramel mixture over the cereal in the bowl. Mix well, but take care not to smash the cereal.
Spread the coated cereal mixture onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Let cool completely then mix in M&Ms.
Store in an airtight container. Will keep it for a couple of months in a cool dry place. I do not recommend freezing this snack mix.
Love it? Pin it!
If you can’t wait to make this Crispix Mix – be sure you can find the recipe! Pin it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest now!
FAQs:
- How long does this snack mix last? Sealed well in an airtight container, it will last for a month or two in a cool dry place.
- Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter? Yes, but you may want to increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon.
- What if some cereal gets smashed? Don’t worry, it will still taste delicious! The crunchy and coated pieces that stick together in clumps are the best part in my opinion!
Tips for Making thisCrispix Candy Recipe
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to easily lift the mix off the baking sheet after baking.
- Stir every 15 minutes while baking for even cooking.
- Let cool completely before adding M&Ms so they don’t melt.
Other Chex Mix Recipes to Love
Love snack mixes? Us, too! I have a whole section on my website dedicated to them! You will for sure want to try my Crack Corn recipe, and my Peppermint Bark Popcorn, and don’t forget to make Lucky Leprechaun Bait when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around! Here are some of our favorite finger-food snack mix recipes:
- Praline Crunch Snack Mix
- Homemade Moose Munch Popcorn
- Caramel Churro Chex Mix
- Crockpot Chex Mix
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Chex Mix
- Winter Wonderland Snack Mix
- Spicy Sriracha Snack Mix
I hope you’ll try this sweet and salty Crispix party mix for your next game day or road trip snack! It’s sure to be a hit this holiday season.
This recipe was originally posted on December 20, 2011. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on December 16, 2023.
This is an old photo of the Pringles cans I decorated for the mix for a cookie exchange. I just used scrapbook paper, printed the recipe, and tied a bow on top.
