It’s the time of year when get-togethers are abundant and we’re all feeling a little more generous with homemade gifts: aka SNACK MIX SEASON! Whatever you’ve got going on—parties, gifting, lounging, or all of the above—this delicious munchie is here for it.

Our sesame-flecked, miso-spiked snack mix is approachable enough that everyone (kids included!) will want to try it, but snazzy enough, flavor-wise, that it’s also impressive and unique. Just think classic Chex mix, but with a big boost in personality. Miso powder bumps up the umami, while the toasty sesame seeds give it a distinct nuttiness people totally love. The best part? It’s so incredibly easy. While it bakes, you can spend your valuable holiday time doing other stuff (just be sure to set a timer!).

Snack Mix Secrets
• Mix before pouring. Miso settles quickly, so whisk the seasoning mixture immediately before drizzling over the cereal mixture to keep it smooth and even.
• Add Cheerios last. Cheerios are super absorbent, so wait to add them until after you’ve tossed all the other ingredients with the seasoning mixture. That way they don’t suck it all up and become soggy.
• Cool it all the way. Wait until the snack mix is completely cooled before storing. If it’s even slightly warm, the mixture will lose its crispness.
• Shop cereal wisely. Unless the brand name is on sale, buy the generic Chex-style cereal. You won’t notice the difference. For the Cheerios, however, we recommend getting the actual stuff—they taste particularly better in our opinion, so it’s worth it!
• Add a little oil. We found that replacing some fat usually butter with oil, we got more crispness and better browning.

5 Steps to Snack Mix Heaven

1. Gather the seasoning ingredients. Mixing up your own spices—rather than using seasoned salt or other premixed seasonings—keeps the sodium in check. This is especially important with the addition of miso, which already contains plenty of salt.

2. Melt and Mix. Melt the butter, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Use a fork or whisk to evenly incorporate the miso.

3. All together now! Put everything but the Cheerios in the roasting pan. Whisk the seasoning mixture, then immediately drizzle evenly over everything and toss well to coat.

4. Add the Cheerios, stir, and bake. Adding the Cheerios last prevents them from getting soggy then overbrowning.

5. Cool and store. Be sure to let the mixture cool completely—about 2 hours—before storing. Transfer to airtight containers and store up to 2 weeks.

Swaps & Add-Ins The best thing about snack mix is that that it’s all up to you what goes into it. Check out your cupboard for extra crackers, cereal, nuts, or just about anything snacky. Just try to keep the proportion of snack food ingredients about the same as the recipe below. Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Rye chips
• Sesame crackers
• Cheese snack crackers
• Rice crackers
• Root vegetable chips
• Chow mein noodles
• Bugles
• Corn nuts
• Pepitas or Sunflower seeds

Sesame-Miso Snack Mix

Tame the sesame flavor in this mix by skipping the toasted sesame oil—it’s delicious with or without. Add a kick by stirring ½ to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper into the seasoning mixture.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Course Appetizer, party food, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 591 kcal

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1½ tsp. paprika
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. celery salt
½ tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. miso granules or 2 tsp. miso paste
8 cups rice, corn, and/or wheat chex-style cereal
2 cups bagel chips
1 to 2 cups mini pretzels
1 cup oyster crackers
1 cup nuts, such as peanuts or cashews
1 cup Cheerios cereal

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. For seasoning mixture, melt butter in bowl in microwave or in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in oil, Worcestershire sauce, seame seeds, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, celery salt, and sesame oil (if using). Whisk in miso.
Lightly coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray. In the roasting pan, combine chex-style cereal, bagel chips, pretzels, oyster crackers, and nuts. Whisk the seasoning mixture, then immediately pour over cereal mixture; toss well to coat. Add Cheerios and toss again.
Bake, stirring every 30 minutes, about 2 hours until toasted and fragrant. Let cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers.