It's that time of year - time for to keep the freezer stocked with Christmas Mix (aka Christmas Crack) so there's a little somethin' somethin' on hand when the sweet tooth strikes. It's Chex Christmas Mix and I am READY for it. Between these, Peppermint Oreo Truffles and M&M Cookies we are all set for the holidays.

Christmas Mix / Christmas Crack at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 10 minutes (5 min prep + 5 min mix)
- 👪 Servings: ~24 people (large batch)
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: American / Holiday Treat
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Sweet and salty crunch — mix of Chex cereal, pretzels, M&M’s and white chocolate for a festive, addictive snack
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains dairy (white chocolate), gluten (some cereals / pretzels), and candy ingredients; vegetarian (but not vegan)
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store in an airtight container in fridge for short-term snacking or in freezer for long-term freshness; even tastes great frozen
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A festive, crowd-pleasing treat that’s lightning fast to throw together, perfect for holiday snack bowls, gift jars, or cozy movie nights
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Why I love this Recipe
Chex Christmas mix, is a holiday staple in our house. It's a crunchy, sweet, and salty mix that's absolutely addictive, and Thomas loves it! He always requests a batch when the holidays roll around. Bottom line - this stuff is seriously delicious. No matter what you call it, Chex Christmas mix is always a hit. So if you're looking for a festive snack to share with your friends and family, this is such a fun holiday twist of our favorite coconut white chocolate chex mix and 4th of July Mix.
If you're looking for a delicious and festive holiday snack, look no further than chex mix! This sweet and salty snack is made with a combination of cheerios, rice chex, wheat chex, pretzel sticks, M&M's and white chocolate. It's like trail mix on steroids - it's got everything! My mom's been making this mix for us for ages, especially during the holiday season because it's just so gorgeous and festive. I like to make big batches of this and pack it up so I can give it out as gifts around this time of year! Also - FYI - it keeps super well in the freezer. So what are you waiting for? Give chex mix a try this holiday season!

Ingredients

Substitutions
🍫 Chocolate Options
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips — Gaby’s go-to balance of flavor.
- Milk chocolate — sweeter and nostalgic.
- White chocolate — fun for a swirl or drizzle on top.
- Peanut butter or butterscotch chips — for a nutty or caramel twist.
- Mix and match — swirl two types of chocolate together before it sets!
🧈 Toffee Layer Variations
- Brown sugar + butter — the OG combo that caramelizes perfectly.
- Add a splash of vanilla or a pinch of sea salt — enhances the caramel flavor.
- Try maple syrup or honey in place of part of the sugar for a richer sweetness.
🌰 Topping Idea
- Crushed candy canes — festive and minty.
- Chopped nuts (not for me but if you love nuts go for it) — almonds, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts for crunch.
- Flaky sea salt — balances the sweetness beautifully.
- Mini M&Ms, sprinkles, or crushed toffee bits — for color and fun.
- Toasted coconut flakes — a little tropical twist.
🎁 Fun Add-Ins & Serving Tips
- Add peanut butter between the toffee and chocolate layers for a Reese’s-style version.
- Drizzle with caramel or white chocolate before breaking into pieces.
- Break into shards and package in jars or cellophane bags for easy homemade gifts.
- Store in the fridge or freezer — it keeps beautifully and tastes even better chilled.
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Christmas Mix

Step 1: In a large bowl combine the Cheerios, Chex, Pretzels.

Step 2: Add In M&Ms. Mix them up a bit, making sure that everything is evenly distributed.

Step 3: Meanwhile, over a double boiler, melt the white chocolate according to the directions on the package. Once the chocolate has melted and is a smooth consistency, drizzle the chocolate over the cereal mix.

Step 4: Combine with a wooden spoon or hands. Make sure all the cereal is covered in chocolate.

Step 5: If you need to melt the extra white chocolate to cover all the mix then go right on ahead! Once the entire batch has been combined, lay it out to dry on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.

Step 6: Let dry for 1 hour so the chocolate is cooled and hard. Break it up into medium pieces and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
How to Store Christmas Mix
For one you are eating in the next few days, store it in an airtight container in the fridge or outside if its just a few days.
How to Freeze Christmas Mix
I store it in an air-tight plastic bag in the freezer. I actually like it best right out of the freezer - and this way it lasts forever and doesn't go stale.
🎄🍫 Tips + Tricks for the Best Christmas Mix
- Line your sheet pan really well. Use parchment if you want a truly easy cleanup. This stuff is sticky in the best way, so a double layer saves your sanity.
- Spread the chocolate quickly. Once you pour it over the mix, work fast. It firms up as it cools, so go right in with an offset spatula to smooth it into every nook.
- Finish with something crunchy. M&Ms, candy cane pieces, flaky salt, festive sprinkles anything that adds texture and makes it feel holiday-special.
- Freeze or chill before breaking. Don’t try to break it while it’s warm. Pop the whole tray in the fridge or freezer until it’s totally set, then crack into big shards.
- Use a sharp tap to break it. Lift the parchment edges and give the candy a firm bend or little smacks with the back of a spoon. Very therapeutic.
- Store it in the fridge for max crunch. Christmas Crack stays snappier and lasts longer when chilled. Plus it tastes even better cold.
- Make extra. Seriously. This is the treat people inhale. It’s the one they ask for every year. Double the batch and thank yourself later.
FAQs
What does Chex Christmas Mix taste like?
It's sweet and salty with a perfect crunch!
How long does it take to make Chex Christmas Mix?
It takes about 10 minutes - the same amount of time to melt white chocolate and mix everything together!
Can you sub different cereals in Chex Christmas Mix?
Absolutely. Any chex cereals are fantastic. You can even add nuts to the mixture if you dig it.
What is Chex Christmas Mix made of?
Cherrios, rice chex, wheat chex, pretzel sticks, M&M’s and white chocolate.
How long does Chex Christmas Mix last?
This is a trick question. In my house, it lasts no more than a few days. But if you freeze it... it can last up to 4 weeks.
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If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Looking for more amazing breakfast ideas? Check out my 100 favorite breakfast recipes here

Chex Christmas Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cheerios
- 3 cups Rice Chex
- 3 cups Wheat Chex
- 2 cups Corn Chex
- 1 cups Pretzel Sticks
- 2-3 cups m&m’s
- 24 oz White Chocolate plus an extra 4-8 oz if needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the Cheerios, Chex, Pretzels and m&m’s. Mix them up a bit, making sure that everything is evenly distributed.
- Meanwhile, over a double boiler, melt the white chocolate according to the directions on the package.
- Once the chocolate has melted and is a smooth consistency, drizzle the chocolate over the cereal mix and combine with a wooden spoon or hands. Make sure all the cereal is covered in chocolate. If you need to melt the extra white chocolate to cover all the mix then go right on ahead!
- Once the entire batch has been combined, lay it out to dry on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper. Let dry for 1 hour so the chocolate is cooled and hard. Break it up into medium pieces and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Line your sheet pan really well. Use parchment if you want a truly easy cleanup. This stuff is sticky in the best way, so a double layer saves your sanity.
- Spread the chocolate quickly. Once you pour it over the mix, work fast. It firms up as it cools, so go right in with an offset spatula to smooth it into every nook.
- Finish with something crunchy. M&Ms, candy cane pieces, flaky salt, festive sprinkles anything that adds texture and makes it feel holiday-special.
- Freeze or chill before breaking. Don’t try to break it while it’s warm. Pop the whole tray in the fridge or freezer until it’s totally set, then crack into big shards.
- Use a sharp tap to break it. Lift the parchment edges and give the candy a firm bend or little smacks with the back of a spoon. Very therapeutic.
- Store it in the fridge for max crunch. Christmas Crack stays snappier and lasts longer when chilled. Plus it tastes even better cold.
- Make extra. Seriously. This is the treat people inhale. It’s the one they ask for every year. Double the batch and thank yourself later.
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson



I made a similar version last year but instead of the cereals did freshly popped white popcorn and added green and red sprinkles after I laid it out to dry! I’m definitely going to try this version since my littles have problems eating popcorn hulls.
I make this every year ,Most can't wait ,I will only make it for Xmass I also put raisin and honey coated peanuts
So now It's the end of March and I'm having game night tonight. I'm making this for the crowd. Guess I will call it Spring Crack......Thanks, Gaby
Made this yesterday and loved it! I used the white chocolate almond bark and melted in the microwave and it worked perfectly! I think it's a little easier to work with then the chips. After it cooked I packed in mason jars and it was so pretty!
I just made the Christmas Crack!! It is delicious!!!
love it!
Can you make this with dark chocolate?
sure!!
I agre that this stuff is kind of a PITA to make, which is why I only make it every 2-3 years, but the results are always so worth it.
One tip to make the mixing in white chocolate a lot easier is to mix it all up in a roasting pan. Don't have to dig down so far to incorporate the chocolate through, and coating gets more evenly distributed with less breakage.
Just made 3 batches!!!! Yummy!! I'm excited to try this and use peanut butter m&M's!! I'm a pb freak and try to add pb to just about every recipe I can!!!!
This recipe is a big hit everywhere I take it, but oh my gosh it was so aggravating to make. I made a big mess trying to coat everything with the chocolate!! Not sure I will attempt this again!!
I'm doing a FB live about it on wednesday if you want to tune in. I'll have some tips and tricks
Tell me how to melt white chocolate morsels in microwave. What I've read it takes awhile. I have 4 cup glass measure cup. Will this melt all the chocolate I need at one time?
if you put all the white chocolate chips in a glass bowl, melt them at 30 second intervals in the microwave and stir between each interval until smooth
How to melt my 2 12 oz bags of white chocolate morsels in microwave?
I'm making this for a party for 60+ fifth graders this Friday the 16th. Substituting Teddy Grahams for wheat chex and doubling everything! Can hardly wait to see their faces 😀
omg they are going to FREAK out
What size canning jars are featured here? Trying to find the right size to make a batch for Christmas gifts. Thank you!!
oh goodness, I'm so sorry but I don't remember! I'd venture to say 8-10 ounces!
I prefer not to freeze it. How long can it keep in an air tight container? I want to make it now but serve it on Christmas.
in the fridge its good for 2 weeks! on the counter, more like 7-8 days!
Thank you
Quick question for you: Do you prefer white choc chips or white almond bark? Which works better? Can't wait to try!
chips!!
Good! Thanks for the reply. 🙂