Bold flavors and crispy crunchy textures are exactly why people can’t get enough of this simple ranch chex mix recipe. This snack mix is made with a handful of ingredients tossed in a slow cooker and then cooked low and slow for that extra crunch! Whip up this party snack the next time you need an appetizer or something to munch on for movie night!
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Chex Mix with Ranch Seasoning
No social gathering is complete without a big serving bowl of salty, crispy, crunchy party mix. Whether I’m hosting game day parties, movie nights, or holiday festivities, this ranch chex mix is one everyone loves!
This ranch chex mix is a twist on a classic chex mix recipe made in the slow cooker. It’s a dump-and-set recipe making it a super simple way to prepare a party snack without much effort at all. Add the crunchy pretzels, cereal, chips, and nuts, pour in the melted butter, and coat everything in tasty seasoning.
There’s nothing more satisfying than grabbing handfuls and getting all those flavors and textures in every bite. The savory, smoky, and slightly spicy flavors are wildly addicting, it’s hard not to eat them straight off the tray.
So, the next time you’re looking for a change from the cheesy cheddar chex mix or sweet and salty fall snack mix make a big batch of this flavorful, smoky, and generously seasoned ranch dressing chex mix instead.
Don’t forget to grab some early on, the bowl will be empty before you know it!
Why you’ll love this Recipe
- Irresistible taste and textures – Crunchy nuts, crispy chips, salty pretzels, coated in a seasoning that will have you licking your fingers.
- Easy to make – A true dump-and-set recipe. Everyone needs one of these in their arsenal of easy appetizer or snack recipes when they’re preparing to serve guests. It makes for easy entertaining!
- A perfect anytime snack – Parties, after-school snacks, school lunch boxes, birthday parties, movie nights, long road trips, family game nights, you name it, chex mix with ranch is always a welcome treat.
Ingredients
ingredient notes & Subsitutions
- Corn Chex cereal – These light and crispy corn Chex squares add a light crunch with the most subtle sweetness which gives it a great balance. You could also use Wheat Chex if you want, but I prefer the corn. I don’t really recommend Rice Chex for this particular recipe.
- Little pretzel twists – I like the pretzel knots just because they’re a fun shape but you can certainly use pretzel rods if you have them.
- BBQ corn chips – Corn chips with a bit of a smoky BBQ flavor pair well with the Cajun seasoning and ranch seasoning. It’s all so mouthwatering!
- Butter, melted – The awesome buttery coating that helps the seasoning adhere to every nook and cranny in the ranch chex mix. Make sure to use real butter, not the fake stuff. Unsalted butter or salted butter works fine, there’s so much flavor you really can’t tell a difference!
- Seasoning – A packet of ranch seasoning (ranch dressing mix), Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder make up the bold flavor profile!
- Mixed nuts – I like the variety of nuts but if you want to just use one type of nut, I prefer cashews or almonds for their larger form and heartier bite. Don’t want nuts at all? Try corn nuts to get the same crunch without the nut.
Use Up Your Pantry
You can make this recipe as written or if you want to mix things up with some others, I’ve also tried this with smaller crackers like oyster crackers, Goldfish crackers, bugles, and even bagel sticks. As long as the seasoning can soak into it okay, it should be good so empty your pantry in this one!
how to make ranch chex mix
This slow cooker ranch Chex Mix is so easy to make because we’re making it in the slow cooker! It’s literally just adding everything together and letting it cook for a while!
1 – Add all the snack items
First, combine all the cereal, pretzels, nuts, and corn chips in a slow cooker. No need to stir at this point, we’re going to stir in a minute when we add the seasonings.
2 – Make and Add the ranch seasoning
Then in a small bowl, mix together the melted butter (you can microwave butter or melt it the oven), ranch seasoning, cajun seasoning, and garlic powder.
Now pour the seasoning mix over the dry ingredients in the slow cooker and stir carefully until everything is well coated. Make sure you are stirring gently so you don’t break the more fragile ingredients like the corn Chex cereal.
3 – Cook the Ranch Chex Mix
With the lid slightly cracked, cook in the slow cooker for 2 1/2 hours. Be sure to stir it about every 20-30 minutes – I like to set a timer on my phone or Apple Watch so I don’t forget.
After it’s done cooking, spread the mix out on a cookie sheet or piece of parchment paper to allow the ranch party mix to cool before serving in a large bowl.
This also makes a great snack to send home with guests or to let guests take home leftovers! Just toss some into a baggie, close it off with a cute tie (and maybe even one of these printable thank you tags), for a fun and tasty favor!
Tips and Storage Info
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
For a little extra spice, add hot sauce to the butter mixture or increase the amount of Cajun seasoning.
Any type of corn chips will work. Try BBQ or chili cheese-flavored corn chips for something a little different.
Play around with the ingredients. Add some little cheese crackers in there for a cheesy bite. Swap the Cajun seasoning for Old Bay or use some dried herbs instead. For nut allergies, use crunchy corn nuts in place of the peanuts. These also come in plain salted or seasoned. Different cereals would be a great way to switch things up.
Avoid burning. Check back about every 30 minutes to stir the check mix so that the bottom doesn’t burn.
Recipe FAQs
How do you make chex mix not soggy?
Anytime you cook with a lid, the heat gets trapped and condensation forms, causing excess moisture. When it does, the condensation drips back into the pot, causing whatever is in it to get soggy. We can avoid this by placing a paper towel under the lid as it cooks. This will soak up any moisture.
What is the best way to store homemade chex mix?
Once completely cooled, store it in an airtight container. Again, to avoid soggy ranch chex mix, you need to make sure it’s cooled and that you’re not about to trap any heat.
Can you vacuum seal homemade chex mix?
Sure you can. If you’ve made a ton (like I’m talking more than you know what to do with over a couple of weeks), then by all means vacuum seal it to extend its freshness.
More easy snack mixes
- Reindeer chow Christmas snack mix – a Christmas variation of muddy buddies and a delicious one at that!
- Bunny bait – you’ve got sweetness, crunch, and marshmallow goodness combined with Easter M&Ms and mini eggs for an unforgettable Easter treat.
- Oreo muddy buddies – a black and white variation on muddy buddies that’s perfect for spring or Halloween!
- Halloween snack mix – this one looks just like it came from a Halloween movie night with all sorts of sweet and salty treats mixed in!
- Sweet chex mix – this play on homemade Chex Mix is actually a sweet only variation but don’t worry, it’s not too sweet!
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Ranch Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 9 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists
- 2 cups mixed nuts
- 2 cups corn chips
- 12 TBS butter (melted)
- 1 ounce dry ranch seasoning mix (1 envelope = 1 ounce)
- 2 tsp cajun seasoning
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine all the cereal, pretzels, nuts, and corn chips in a slow cooker.9 cups Corn Chex cereal, 2 cups mini pretzel twists, 2 cups mixed nuts, 2 cups corn chips
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, ranch seasoning, cajun seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder.12 TBS butter, 1 ounce dry ranch seasoning mix, 2 tsp cajun seasoning, 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- Pour the seasoning mix over the dry ingredients in the slow cooker and stir carefully until everything is well coated.
- With the slow cooker lid slightly cracked, cook for 2 1/2 hours. Stir about every 20-30 minutes while cooking.
- After it’s done cooking, spread the mix out on a cookie sheet or piece of parchment paper to cool before serving.
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