Scrumptious Vegan Chex Mix
This easy recipe gets all the same flavors as original chex mix without the Worcestershire sauce (which contains fish)! Kid-friendly, perfect for parties.
This easy recipe gets all the same flavors as original chex mix without the Worcestershire sauce (which contains fish)! Kid-friendly, perfect for parties.
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup vegan butter ((such as earth balance))
- 4 cups chex* or similar cereal ((see notes))
- 2 cups cheerios or similar cereal
- 2 cup mini pretzels
- 3/4 cup roasted almonds
- 3/4 cup roasted cashews
- Carbohydrate 28.3042400723246 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 12.1429457640025 g
- Fiber 4.37812983582857 g
- Protein 8.37303027919797 g
- Saturated Fat 1.66695631251477 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (79g)
- Sodium 55.0482361145196 mg
- Sugar 23.926110236496 g
- Trans Fat 0.61113451394172 g
- Calories 237 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to 250F (130C).
- Add all the seasoning ingredients to a small pot and melt over medium heat.
- Add the cereals, pretzels, and nuts to a large bowl.
- Pour the melted seasoning sauce over the chex mixture while stirring to evenly coat.
- Spread the mixture onto a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until the mix has crisped up and become evenly golden.
- Let cool before serving or storing in an air-tight container.
Nutritional yeast carries the savory weight of this recipe by supplying concentrated glutamates that mimic the umami usually provided by fermented fish sauces. Traditional mixes rely on Worcestershire, which contains anchovies. Omitting that component requires building depth through soy sauce and apple cider vinegar, using the acid to sharpen the toasted notes. The primary failure mode in baking snack mixes is applying too much thermal energy too fast, which scorches the delicate grain surfaces before the interior moisture evaporates. Keeping the oven temperature precisely at 250 degrees Fahrenheit prevents the vegan butter solids from burning while allowing the fat to slowly drive moisture out of the cereals and nuts. Stirring every 15 minutes is chemically mandatory to redistribute the lipids and expose fresh surfaces to the dry oven air. Uneven stirring leaves pools of oil that saturate specific grain clusters, resulting in chewy, soggy pockets instead of uniform crunch. Spread the pieces across a large rimmed baking sheet to maximize surface area and airflow. Pull the pan when the mixture achieves a deeply golden hue and feels completely dry to the touch, then allow it to cool entirely at room temperature so the starches can retrogress and lock in that crisp structure. Store the finished batch in an airtight container to block ambient humidity from softening the cereal surfaces. Pair this snack with crisp, highly acidic beverages like dry sparkling cider or lemonade to cut through the heavy lipid coating on the palate.
