Spicy Sweet Honey Barbecue Chex Party Mix

Spicy Sweet Honey Barbecue Chex Party Mix is a new, flavorful spin on the classic spicy mix. This gluten-free snack is full of sweet and heat and will have you munching through those basketball tournaments…or through anything! 

So my husband is glued to the TV and has made it loud and clear that this his favorite time of year…and that he’s not moving.

In case you didn’t realize, March is a pretty big deal for die-hard basketball fans. My husband is knee deep in brackets. Brackets = bliss. For him.

This time of year always seems to sneak up on me. Didn’t we just do this? Wasn’t I filling out a bracket just weeks ago? Yes, I play along. It’s my only grasp to sanity.

I try to stay positive this time of year. I look up evening classes I meant to take at the gym and I go to them; I signed up for an online art class and bought all the supplies, I borrowed a book series to read from a friend of mine (and am already done with the first one), I plan little solo weekend getaways for myself, I plan complicated baking projects that I was meaning to attempt…

Let’s just say, I could plan a month-long trip to Mexico and he might not notice…maybe…

I think that trying to stay positive is the only way to make it through March (and April). I secretly LOVE my bracket and love when I do better than he does some years. That’s the best. And I love making game snacks. Lots of snacks. That’s the other best. Ok, that’s the real best.

During football season I make trays of cookies to bring to tailgating, but during basketball season, I love making snack mixes.

This year, I’m making my Spicy Sweet Honey Barbecue Chex Party Mix over and over again. It’s so good. I may have eaten an entire batch in one day. It was totally necessary.

Where most snack mixes are either spicy and zesty OR sweet, mine is both! I use the Honey Nut Chex in the mix for a surprising sweetness that’s not overpowering and I use Frank’s Hot Sauce for a special kick! I also made my entire batch gluten free by buying gluten free pretzels. This was a special nod to my husband who gave up gluten for Lent (and for myself, of course, because I just tend not to eat it).

I’ll warn you, this is probably the best Chex Party Mix ever. The honey BBQ mix creates a glaze over the mix, not just a zesty coating like typical mixes. This stuff is shellacked. In a good way. And you can totally make it spicier by shaking on more of the Frank’s before the last 10 minutes of baking (super secret tip! A lot of hot sauce heat will burn off during baking, but if you want a really spicy mix, adding more heat towards the end of baking really locks it in there!).

I know you’ll love this stuff as much as we do. We’ve already eaten two batches of it…and final brackets aren’t even due yet! Well, wish me luck! (Isn’t it terrible that I don’t remember any of the teams I picked? Oh well, I tried.)

Spicy Sweet Honey Barbecue Chex Party Mix

2014-03-18 19:09:29

This is the best Chex Party Mix you'll ever make. Honey, BBQ, and spicy Frank's hot sauce collide in this delicious and crunchy gluten-free* snack mix. (makes 6 cups)

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Ingredients

1. ¼ cup barbeque sauce (your favorite variety)
2. 2 Tbs. honey
3. 2 Tbs. canola oil
4. 2 tsp. Frank’s original hot sauce
5. 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6. 1 tsp. paprika
7. ½ tsp. granulated garlic
8. ½ tsp. granulated onion
9. 2 cups Rice Chex cereal
10. 2 cups Corn Chex cereal
11. 2 cups Honey Nut Chex cereal
12. 2 cups pretzels (I used gluten free mini twists and sticks)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil, sprayed with nonstick spray.
2. In a jar, or small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, honey, oil, Frank’s hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic and onion. Apply the lid (if using a jar) and shake vigorously to combine (if combining in a bowl, just stir very well).
3. In a large, gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine the cereals and pretzels (you could do this in a very large bowl, but the zip-top bag method is easy and provides for easy cleanup.). Pour the sauce into the bag. Ensure the bag is closed completely then carefully shake and turn the bag until all of the cereal and pretzels are coated with sauce.
4. Spread the mix over the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 30-35 minutes, using a silicone spatula to stir the mix every 10 minutes (keep an eye on it during the last few minutes because it can become very dark brown very quickly).
5. When it’s dark brown and glossy, remove the Chex Mix from the oven. Lay paper towels out on the counter and scoop the Chex Mix onto the paper towels to cool (this also helps absorb any excess oils). When it is cooled, transfer to a large bowl to enjoy!

Notes

1. *Shop for gluten free varieties of your ingredients to ensure a gluten free Party Mix.
2. Store Spicy-Sweet Honey Barbeque Chex Party Mix in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Mix will keep for 1-2 weeks on the counter, well-sealed.
3. To add more flavor, try adding honey-roasted peanuts to your mix too!

By Melissa @ Treats With a Twist

Treats With a Twist https://www.treatswithatwist.com/

This recipe and post are sponsored by Chex Cereal and Frank’s Hot Sauce. I wouldn’t publically fawn over a product I don’t love and buy for myself, so trust me when I say you can trust that this review is 100% honest and the opinions are all my own. Cereal lovers unite!