- Ninja Possible Cooker Pro
Making homemade Chex Mix has never been easier than with the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro! It's all done in one pot using the bake function on the Possible Cooker Pro.
Perfect for game day and football games!
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The best part about making your own Chex Mix is that you get to customize it exactly the way the whole family likes it. Don't like pretzels? Leave them out! Love cashews? Double them up! This recipe gives you complete control over your snack mix with savory flavors everyone will love, and the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro makes the whole process practically hands-off. No more babysitting a conventional oven for hours!
Suggested Kitchen Tools for Chex Mix
- Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro (or slow cooker with bake function)
- Large Bowl for mixing sauce
- Small Bowl for measuring spices
- Rubber Spatula for stirring
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Sheet Pan (optional, for cooling)
- Airtight Container for storage
Ingredients & Substitutions
The beauty of this easy recipe for homemade Chex Mix is how flexible it is. While I'll share my favorite combination of Chex cereals, you can easily swap ingredients based on what you have in your pantry or your personal preferences. Check out the Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker community and inspiration guide for even more variations!
Various Cereals and Cereal Pieces
I use a combination of Chex cereals for variety in texture and flavor: Corn Chex, Rice Chex, and Wheat Chex. You can use all of one type if you prefer, or any cereal mixture that adds up to 8 cups total. The different cereal pieces each bring their own subtle flavor and crunch to the mix. This traditional Chex Mix base is what makes it so beloved!
Nuts
My mix includes cashews, Virginia peanuts (or dry roasted peanuts work great too), and whole almonds. The almonds are particularly important because they're your best indicator of doneness - when they're crunchy after cooling to room temperature, your mix is ready! Feel free to use any combination of nuts you love, or even all of one type. Just keep the total amount to about 3 cups.
Crackers, Pretzels, and Bagel Chips
Cheese crackers (like Cheez-Its) and small pretzels add great flavor and texture. This is also where you can use up any crackers that are about to go stale - Triscuits, bagel chips, or any other savory crackers work wonderfully. For a touch of sweetness, some people even add chocolate chips after baking (think Muddy Buddies style!). Keep your total crackers and pretzels to about 3 cups for the right ratio with the butter mixture.
The Baking Sauce with Worcestershire Sauce
The magic is in the sauce! A combination of neutral oil (I love avocado oil, though some use olive oil) and melted butter creates the perfect coating. Worcestershire sauce adds umami depth, while onion powder, garlic powder, and Lawry's seasoned salt provide classic savory flavors. A few dashes of hot sauce (I use Cholula) doesn't make it spicy but adds incredible depth of flavor. You could even experiment with chili powder or other spice blends - just avoid anything with too much sugar that might burn.
How to Make Chex Mix in the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro
The process is incredibly simple - mix, coat, bake, and stir occasionally. The deep inner pot of the Possible Cooker Pro on the bake function creates perfect conditions for evenly toasted Chex Mix. It's much easier than the conventional oven method.
Mise En Place
The first thing to do is measure out all your various cereals, nuts, and crackers. Have your oil, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings ready to go. This easy recipe comes together quickly once you start, so having everything prepared makes the process smooth and enjoyable.
Step One: Combine the Dry Ingredients in the Inner Pot
Add all your cereal mixture, nuts, cheese crackers, and pretzels directly into the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro inner pot. Give everything a good stir with your rubber spatula to mix it all together. The deep pot is perfect for this - plenty of room to toss and mix without anything spilling over the sides.
Step Two: Make the Butter Mixture Sauce
In a large bowl, combine your neutral oil with melted butter. Add the Worcestershire sauce, then mix in your spice blend: 2½ teaspoons onion powder, 2½ teaspoons garlic powder, and 2½ teaspoons seasoned salt. Don't forget those few shakes of hot sauce!
Whisk everything together until well combined. The mixture will be thick at the bottom with all the spices - that's exactly what you want.
Quick Tip:
Pour the butter mixture sauce over the cereal mix in quarters, stirring thoroughly with a rubber spatula after each addition. This ensures every cereal piece gets evenly coated with those delicious savory flavors!
Step Three: Coat the Cereal Mixture
Pour about a quarter of your sauce over the cereal mixture and stir thoroughly with your rubber spatula. Repeat this process, adding more sauce and stirring well each time. Use the spatula to scrape every bit of that flavorful sauce from your bowl - you don't want to waste any of that garlic powder and onion powder goodness! Keep stirring until everything is evenly coated.
Step Four: Bake in the Possible Cooker Pro
Turn on your Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro and select the BAKE function (not the slow cooker function). Set the temperature to 250°F/120℃ and the timer for 60 minutes to start.
Press START and let it begin warming up. Here's the crucial part: leave the lid OFF during the entire baking process! We want the moisture to escape so everything gets nice and crispy. This is different from typical slow cooker recipes!
Quick Tip:
Stir your Chex Mix every 15-20 minutes, bringing the cereal pieces from the bottom up to the top. This ensures even baking and prevents anything from getting too dark on the bottom of the inner pot.
Step Five: Test for Doneness
After 60 minutes, remove a small portion of the mix and let it cool to room temperature for a minute or two. The best test? Try an almond - if it's completely crunchy when cooled, your mix is done! If things are still a bit soft, add another 30 minutes and continue stirring every 15-20 minutes. My batch typically takes about 90 minutes total to reach perfect crispiness.
The whole family will love having this on hand for snacking.
Other Cooking Methods
While this easy recipe is optimized for the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro, you can also make Chex Mix in a conventional oven (spread on sheet pans or put mix in roaster pans and bake at 200℉-250°F for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes) or try my air fryer recipe.
Storage Instructions
How to Store Homemade Chex Mix
The key to keeping your Chex Mix fresh and crispy is proper storage in an air-tight container. Make sure the mix is completely cooled to room temperature before storing - any residual warmth can create condensation that will make your perfectly crispy snack go soft.
Room Temperature Storage
Store your completely cooled Chex Mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I like to use large glass jars or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.
If you're giving it as a gift, mason jars or decorative tins work beautifully! I like to put the cereal mix into a plastic sealable bag and then put the bag into the tins for gift giving.
Freezer Storage
While not typically necessary, you can freeze Chex Mix in an air-tight container for longer storage. Place in freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Let it come to room temperature before serving - it will crisp right back up! Perfect for making ahead for football games or holiday parties.
Quick Tip
If your Chex Mix loses its crispness (maybe from humidity or not being sealed properly in the airtight container), you can re-crisp it! Spread it on a baking sheet and pop it in a conventional oven at 250°F for 10-15 minutes, or use the Possible Cooker Pro on bake at 250°F for the same time.
How to Serve Chex Mix
Party Serving
Set out in multiple bowls around your party space for football games so guests don't have to crowd around one spot. Small individual cups or bags also make great portion-controlled servings for parties. The savory flavors are perfect alongside other game day snacks!
Gift Giving
Package in decorative bags, jars, or air-tight containers for holiday gifts. Add a festive ribbon and a tag with storage instructions. This traditional Chex Mix makes an excellent teacher gift, neighbor gift, or stocking stuffer that the whole family will enjoy! Consider adding chocolate chips or making Muddy Buddies variation for those who prefer a touch of sweetness.
Chex Mix in Ninja Possible Cooker Pro
Equipment
- Ninja Possible Cooker Pro
Ingredients
Seasoning Blend
- ⅓ cup neutral oil avocado oil recommended
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce Cholula or your favorite
Cereal Mix
- 3 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 2 cups Wheat Chex cereal
- 1 cup cashews or your preferred nuts
- 1 cup Virginia peanuts or dry roasted peanuts
- 1 cup whole almonds
- 2 cups cheese crackers like Cheez-Its
- 1 cup pretzels
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Instructions
- In the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro pot, combine the cereals.3 cups Corn Chex cereal, 3 cups Rice Chex cereal, 2 cups Wheat Chex cereal
- Add Add the remaining dry ingredients.1 cup cashews, 1 cup Virginia peanuts, 1 cup whole almonds, 2 cups cheese crackers, 1 cup pretzels
- In a separate bowl, combine ⅓ cup neutral oil (avocado oil recommended) with 3 tablespoons melted butter.⅓ cup neutral oil, 3 Tablespoons butter
- Add 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce to the oil mixture.2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Add the spice blend: Add 3-4 dashes of hot sauce if using.2 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt, 2 ½ teaspoons onion powder, 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 3-4 dashes hot sauce
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the cereal mixture in quarters, stirring thoroughly after each addition to ensure even coating. Use a spatula to get all the sauce and spices from the bowl.
- Turn on the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro and select the BAKE function. Set the temperature to 250°F and the timer to 60 minutes. Press START. Important: Leave the lid OFF during the entire baking process.
- Every 15-20 minutes, stir the mixture thoroughly, bringing the cereal from the bottom to the top to ensure even baking.
- After 60 minutes, test for doneness by removing a small portion and letting it cool. Taste an almond or cashew - if it's crunchy, the mix is done. If not, add another 30 minutes and continue stirring every 15-20 minutes.
- Once done (typically 90 minutes total), turn off the cooker and let the Chex Mix cool completely in the pot or spread on a sheet pan for faster cooling.
- Store in an airtight container once completely cooled. Enjoy your homemade Chex Mix!
Notes
- Use up any crackers that are about to go stale - Triscuits, bagel chips, etc. work great!
- For different flavor profiles, try using a barbecue rub instead of the spice blend (avoid ones with too much sugar to prevent burning)
- The almonds are the best indicator of doneness - they should be completely crunchy when cooled
- This recipe can also be made in an air fryer or traditional oven (see thesaltpepper.com for alternative methods)
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can make this traditional Chex Mix in a conventional oven by spreading the coated mix on large sheet pans and baking at 250°F for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. I also have an air fryer recipe on my website. The Possible Cooker Pro method is just faster and more convenient than the conventional oven method.
Leaving the lid off is crucial for getting crispy Chex Mix! If you put the lid on, the steam gets trapped inside the inner pot and your cereal pieces will stay soggy instead of getting that perfect crunch. The open pot allows moisture to escape while the mix bakes. This is different from typical slow cooker recipes where you keep the lid on.
The Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro inner pot has a large capacity, but doubling might be too much to stir effectively with a rubber spatula. If you need more for game day or football games, I'd recommend making two batches. You could potentially do 1.5x the recipe if your pot can handle it, but make sure you can still stir the cereal mixture thoroughly for even coating with the butter mixture and baking.
The best test is the almond test! Remove a few cereal pieces including an almond, let them cool to room temperature for a minute or two, then taste. The almond should be completely crunchy. If it's still soft or chewy, continue baking in 15-30 minute increments. The various cereals might seem done before the nuts, but trust the almond test! This easy recipe typically takes 90 minutes total.
Yes! The seasoning blend is very flexible. You could use ranch seasoning, barbecue rub (avoid high-sugar ones), cajun seasoning with chili powder, or even everything bagel seasoning. Some people reduce the garlic powder and onion powder to ½ teaspoon each and add other spices. Just keep the total amount of seasonings similar to the original recipe for the right flavor intensity.
While traditional Chex Mix focuses on savory flavors, you can add a touch of sweetness! If you want to add chocolate chips, wait until the mix has completely cooled to room temperature, then fold them in. For a Muddy Buddies variation, you'd make a separate sweet coating instead of using the Worcestershire sauce and savory seasonings. Store any version in an airtight container to maintain freshness!
More Snack Recipes!
This traditional Chex Mix is the ultimate party snack and pairs perfectly with other crowd-pleasers for game day, movie night, football games, or holiday gatherings.
Set it out alongside your favorite dips, cheese boards, or other snack mixes for an irresistible spread that'll keep the whole family happy! Store extras in an air-tight container for snacking all week long
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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