Nuts and Bolts snack mix is a twist on a classic homemade Chex mix recipe with the addition of Cheerios, goldfish crackers, bugle chips, cheese crackers, and additional nuts.
This snack mix pairs perfectly with mulling spices mix for when you want to give an amazing homemade food gift.
This recipe makes a HUGE batch and is what I keep on hand to snack on all holiday season. I love to have this recipe on hand for when you need to put together a last-minute food gift or just need the perfect snack. Other snacks I make to have on hand are my seasoned ranch cheese crackers, and dill pickle chex mix for some out-of-the-box snack options.
Ingredients you need for this nuts and bolts recipe:
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
What can I use instead of bugles?
If you don't have Bugles or prefer an alternative for you when you make this recipe, you can substitute them with another type of crunchy snack or chip. Some good alternatives include corn chips (such as Fritos), mini ice cream cones (without the ice cream, of course), or even rolled tortilla chips. Choose an option that you enjoy and that will provide a similar crunchy texture to complement the mix.
- Party Hit: Ideal for holiday gatherings, this snack mix's diverse textures and flavors please a crowd with its savory appeal.
- Versatile Delight: Its adaptability allows for endless flavor variations, catering to individual taste preferences and occasions.
- Thoughtful Gift: Perfectly packaged, this snack mix makes a heartfelt homemade present, sharing joy during the festive seasons.
- Convenient Crunch: With its make-ahead nature and long-lasting crispiness, it's a convenient snack ready to satisfy cravings or unexpected guests throughout the holiday season.
Top Tip
Perfectly packaged, this snack makes a heartfelt homemade present, sharing joy during the festive holiday seasons.
Remember, the possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative and tailor the Nuts n' Bolts to your taste or the occasion you're serving it for. Enjoy experimenting with these variations!
How to make nuts and bolts snack mix:
- Heat oven to 250° F
- Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add the seasonings.
- Stir together the dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
- Pour the seasoned butter mixture over the cereal mixture and nuts.
- Stir to coat the cereal and butter mixture.
- Portion out the nuts and bolts mixture onto baking sheets, about 6 cups per sheet. Or, use a very large roasting pan and stirring every 30 minutes.
- Bake for 90 minutes, rotating and stirring the mixture on the pans every 30 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Repeat until all the mix is baked. It took me 3 rotations of 90 minutes to bake this recipe.
- Store in airtight container.
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Make This Nuts And Bolts Recipe In The Slow Cooker:
This slow cooker method allows for easy preparation, and it's a convenient way to make a large batch of this delicious holiday party mix. Enjoy!
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, and then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, seasonings and sugar.
- In a large slow cooker, combine the Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Cheerios, Wheat Chex, Crispex, pretzel sticks, mixed nuts, pecan pieces, cashew pieces, goldfish crackers, and cheese nips.
- Pour the seasoned butter mixture over the dry ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Gently stir the mixture in the slow cooker to coat everything evenly with the seasoned butter.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to the "Low" heat setting.
- Cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring the mix every 30 minutes to ensure even coating and prevent sticking.
- After cooking, spread on a baking sheet or parchment paper to cool and dry.
- Once completely cooled, keep your Nuts n Bolts snack mix stored in an airtight container.
Homemade Nuts and bolts recipe variations:
You may want a different flavor profile when it comes to your chex party mix. Whether you crave a spicy kick, a sweet and savory combo, or unique flavors like ranch, BBQ, or even a chocolate lover's delight, these tweaks will add a delightful twist to this classic holiday snack. Discover endless possibilities to suit your taste and occasion.
- Spicy Nuts and Bolts: Add a bit of cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce to the seasoned butter mixture to give the mix a spicy kick.
- Sweet and Savory: Mix in some sweet ingredients like M&M's or dried cranberries to balance the savory flavors.
- Ranch Flavor: Use a ranch dressing mix packet in place of some of the salt and other seasonings for a tangy, ranch-flavored twist.
- Sesame Soy Nuts and Bolts: Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds to give the mix an Asian-inspired flavor.
- BBQ Nuts and Bolts: Mix in some barbecue seasoning or sauce to give it a smoky BBQ flavor.
- Italian Herb Blend: Add Italian spices and grated Parmesan cheese for an Italian-inspired variation.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Nuts and Bolts: Replace some of the salt and seasonings with cinnamon and sugar for a sweet and spiced mix.
- Chocolate Lover's Mix: Add chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and pretzel M&M's for a sweet and salty chocolate mix.
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
FAQ's and Tips
Make sure it has cooled completely before storing it. Any residual heat can create steam in the snack mix, leaving it not as crips as you would want it to be.
Store in zip top gallon bags or in metal cookie or potato chip tins. Just like the ones grandma would have at her house.
This recipe for nuts and bolts does make 30 cups so it is a BIG batch. It is able to be doubled but I don't because I don't have containers large enough to stir all the ingredients together. Go for it if you have the space and materials.
You are welcome to substitute in other nuts. This recipe does not have peanuts in it because I found that the peanuts are always the thing that is left in the bottom of the bowl in my family. So I left them out. If your family is not a fan of a certain nut, just switch it out in equal portions for a nut you do like.
Appetizer Recipes
- Blueberry Salsa Recipe
- Chipped Beef Dip Recipe (Hot Dried Beef Dip)
- Classic Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip)
Nuts and Bolts Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 250° F
- In a heavy bottom pot, over medium heat, melt the butter.1 lb Butter
- Add the seasonings and the sugar to the butter and stir until the sugar dissolves.3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 2 teaspoon onion salt, 2 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon season salt, 2 tablespoon Sugar
- In 2 large roasting pans, stir together the dry ingredients.4 Cups Corn Chex, 4 Cups of Rice Chex, 4 Cups Cheerios, 2 Cups Wheat Chex, 2 Cups crispex, 2 Cups bugels, 2 Cups of pretzel sticks, 2 Cups mixed nuts, 1 Cup pecans, 2 Cup cashews, 1 bag gold fish, 1 bag gold fish pretzels, 1 box cheese nips or cheese bites
- Once the butter is melted, pour the seasoned butter equally between the two roasting pans.
- Stir to coat the cereal and but mixture. Continue to stir until there is no longer any butter pooling in the bottom of the pan.
- Portion out the nuts and bolts mixture onto baking sheets, about 6 cups per sheet.
- Bake for 90 minutes, rotating and stirring the mixture on the pans every 30 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Repeat until all the mix is baked. It took me 3 rotations of 90 minutes to bake this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition Discolure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Notes
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 15 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Lorna Boucher says
Wow! This recipe is huge!...and expensive, but would be great for hostess gifts, or small homemade gifts for the Christmas season! If too big for anybody, just quarter it. No need to buy whole boxes for partial recipe...just go to the Bulk Barn and get enough ingredients for partial recipe. I probably would add more spices, but will taste after a few minutes in oven and decide. Sounds like a great recipe and I am going to give it a try. Thanks for the recipe!
Sarah Mock says
Thanks for the suggestions Lorna. I have never heard of Bulk Barn. What part of the country are they located? I would love to have one near me!
Zanna says
I found it needed more flavour. Might add more spice next time.
Sarah Mock says
Thanks for the feedback Zanna. What spice would you add? I am open to suggestions.
Sarah
Autumn says
The most expensive snack in the world lol
Patricia Kyle says
Can the nuts and bolts mix be frozen? How long is it good for?
MP says
Probably would be great if substituted garlic powder, etc. for garlic salt.