Chex mixes

For some reason I'm on a chex mix kick this week.  I want to try all of their recipes.  I think it is because I tried some snacky popcorn recipes, and these are similar.  I'm also trying to combine things I learn with the popcorns, chex mixes, and granolas to my making of snack mixes knowledge.  

For example, the first chex mix is from a chex ad in my taste of home magazine.  It called for 1/4 cup butter, but in a granola I recently used, they used applesauce as a binder.  I decided to try and apply that to the chex mix since it was an apple flavored mix anyway, and it seemed to work reasonably well.  It wasn't my favorite flavor wise because of the wheat chex, but it was the healthiest of the mixes I've made so far thanks to the wheat chex.

The chocolate caramel chex mix is from the back of the chocolate chex box.  I found it to be a bit over the top on sweetness, and I didn't add the melted white chocolate chips that it called for.  It was good, but I couldn't eat too much of it.  I think if I made it again, I would probably use 1/2 chocolate chex, and 1/2 rice chex or something to make it less sweet, and I would probably also add more than 8 cups total of cereal for that amount of caramel.

The third recipe is also from the back of a chex box.  I did have to change it up.  I wanted a bit more mix, so I initially increased the amount of cereal by 1/2 cup each type, and the amount of popcorn by 1 cup, and later another cup.  I did not increase the butter, and after adding 1/2 of the sugar/cinnamon mix, I tasted it and it was plenty sweet so I did not add the second 1/2 of the sugar mixture.  I really liked this mix.  Probably my favorite of the 3.

I still have a couple more mixes I want to try, but here are the first 3.

Cinnamon apple chex mix

Ingredients

• 5 cups wheat chex
• 1 cup lightly salted almonds
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup (I used reduced calorie)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped dried apples
• 1/2 cup yogurt covered raisins 

Directions

1. In a large microwavable bowl mix chex and almonds.  
2. In a 2 cup microwavable cup, microwave applesauce, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon uncovered on high for about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute until mixture is boiling.  Stir
3. Pour over cereal and stir until evenly coated.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes stirring after each minute. Stir in apples.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until apples begin to brown.  (I just did 2 minutes.  My apples really didn't brown.)
4. Pour onto wax paper or aluminum foil.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Stir in raisins.  (Make sure the mixture is super cool.  I thought it was cool when I mixed in my raisins but they melted all over the place.  Tasted good but was messy.)

Chocolate caramel crunch chex mix

Ingredients

• 8 cups Chocolate chex cereal (That is almost the whole box)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. In a large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside.  
2. In a 2 cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on high 1-2 minutes until melted and smooth, stirring after 1 minute.  Stir in baking soda until dissolved.  Pour over cereal stirring until evenly coated.
3. Microwave on high 3 minutes stirring every minute.  Spread on wax paper or foil.  Let cool 10 minutes.  Break into bite-size pieces.  

Snickerdoodle Chex mix

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups cinnamon chex cereal
• 2 1/2 cups chocolate chex
• 6 cups popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside.  In a large microwavable bowl, mix cereals and popcorn
2. Melt butter in microwave on high about 40 seconds.  Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on high 2 minutes stirring after 1 minutes.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over cereal mixture stirring to coat.  (Just noticing I was supposed to microwave this for 1 more minute.  I'll have to make some more tomorrow and try that.  I'll just use the other 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar I mixed up yesterday.)