This Spicy Cheese Cracker Snack Mix is the perfect combination of crunch and bold flavor. It’s a savory party mix that’s a must for game days or casual snacking. Every bite is packed with just the right amount of seasoning, and it’s so much better than store-bought.
If you’re a snack lover, definitely try my Air Fryer Roasted Nuts, Salami Chips with Dip, or Fried Cheerios!
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5-Star Reader Comment
My family has a new favorite snack mix or ” trash” as we call. I am allergic to peanuts and have a son sensitive to tree nuts so this recipe is perfect.
Lisa
I’m a sucker for a good snack mix. Every fall, I come up with new combinations of ingredients and flavors that the family can munch on during football season. This year, I’ve kicked things into high gear and combined garlic, onion, chives, dill, and cayenne pepper with melted butter for an incredible mix of flavors!
What Makes This Cheese Cracker Snack Mix So Good?
- Bold and Spicy Flavor: The mix of cheese crackers with a spicy kick from cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes gives this snack a big, bold taste.
- Quick and Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and minimal prep time, this snack mix comes together fast, making it perfect for last-minute gatherings or game day.
- Perfect Balance of Crunch: A mix of cheese crackers, pretzels, and other crunchy add-ins always satisfies my snack attack.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- For the crunch, this snack mix has all the regular fixings plus one special addition – Fritos! This, plus square cheese crackers (Cheez-It’s), Goldfish Cheddar Crackers, and mini pretzels, make for an addictingly good bite.
- To make the sauce, you’ll need butter and Worcestershire sauce.
- For the seasonings, pantry staples like dried chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper are used.
Crunchy Snack Mix Recipe Variations
- Mix-In Variations: You can always swap or add in additional mix-ins like cauliflower crackers, spicy Fritos, ranch pretzels, etc. My favorites are peanuts, wasabi peas, Chex cereal, and Bugles.
- A Sweet Touch: Add honey to the sauce for sweet and savory notes.
- Add More Heat: Use Hot Honey for an extra sweet heat note!
Step By Step Directions
- Prepare: Heat oven and line 2 baking pans with parchment and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: To a small bowl, add melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, dried chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine.
- Mix it All Together: Add all the crackers and snacks to a large bowl. Pour seasoned butter over crackers and toss to combine. Divide the seasoned cracker mix between 2 prepared baking pans and place in the oven to bake. Bake for 10 minutes, toss, cook an additional 10 minutes, toss a second time, and continue baking for 10 minutes.
- Cool it Down: Remove pans from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
Storing and Keeping Spicy Butter Snack Mix
To keep this mix fresh and crunchy, store it at room temperature in a zip-top bag or a container with a lid. It will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this savory snack mix must be baked to get that crispy, crunchy bite. Baking also lets the spices set in the butter when cooled, giving you flavor with every handful.
Yes, definitely! It can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to four months. It will lose some of its crunch as it thaws, but it’ll still be delicious!
Serving Ideas For Homemade Snack Mix
This is the best homemade snack mix for parties served alongside drinks like Bourdon Basil Lemon or Spiced Pear Moscow Mules. It’s also ideal for road trips since it is stored well in zip-top bags or small plastic containers. Spicy snack mix for fall entertaining is always at the top of my list, along with Peanut Butter Dip, Brown Sugar Peppered Bacon, and Southern Caviar.
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More Easy Snack Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Spicy Cheese Cracker Snack Mix Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups square cheese crackers
- 4 cups Goldfish Cheddar crackers
- 4 cups Fritos
- 3 cups mini pretzels
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking pans with parchment and set aside.
- To a small bowl, add melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, dried chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine.
- Add cheese crackers, Goldfish crackers, Fritos, and pretzels to a large bowl. Pour seasoned butter over crackers and toss to combine. Divide seasoned cracker mix between 2 prepared baking pans and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes then toss mixture. Cook an additional 10 minutes then toss a second time. Continue baking for 10 minutes.
- Remove pans from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
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- Mix-In Variations: You can always swap or add in additional mix-ins like cauliflower crackers, spicy Fritos, ranch pretzels, etc. My favorites are peanuts, wasabi peas, Chex cereal, and Bugles.
-
- A Sweet Touch: Add honey to the sauce for sweet and savory notes.
-
- Add More Heat: Use Hot Honey for an extra sweet heat note!
Nutrition
5 Days of Southern Summer Comfort Food!
My go-to summer recipes!
Donya, this is hands-down the BEST snack mix recipe ever! I did leave out the Fritos, Goldfish, & pretzels and substitute bagel chips, square cheese crackers, & mixed nuts at my family’s request. What really makes this snack mix amazing is the butter sauce. It is so flavorful. I recently made it again and left out the cayenne pepper and added 2.5 oz of our favorite locally-made hot sauce. I have another batch of the same in the oven now. Your recipe for No Bake Spicy Ranch Crackers are delicious too! Thank you for so many delicious recipes on your site. 😊
Thank you so much, Lynn! So glad you are dooking with me.
~Donya
I made this for our City workers, Firefighters and police. I substituted chili cheese freetos and added half regular Chez-it and half grove. I also added some peanuts. Thanks for the great snack mix idea.
My family has a new favorite snack mix or ” trash” as we call. I am allergic to peanuts and have a son sensitive to tree nuts so this recipe is perfect.
Awesome! Thanks for the terrific rating.
~Donya
Sorry, but I’m totally confused by the “tossing” part of this recipe. You wrote, “Bake for 10 minutes then toss mixture.” Are you saying to set aside some of the seasoning and after we bake for 10 minutes re-toss it in the seasoning? Then you continue to write, “Cook an additional 10 minutes then toss a second time.” So again, are we to toss it in some of the mixture? I ask this because if you’re saying to just scoop up everything we just let bake for 10 minutes and toss it in a separate dry bowl, it seems like all the seasoning that we just baked will come off. Sorry, but I’m confused! Please clarify!
Tossing means toss/stir together, or mix, the dry ingredients with the seasoning mix. The seasoning does not “come off” it bakes in; that’s why you TOSS and BAKE.
Happy New Year,
~Donya
Thanks for the new recipe! Sounds Yummy. The pictures are so beautiful that they make me wish I could reach right through the screen for a sample! Will be making this recipe for sure.
Thank you, Rebecca! You’ve made my day.
I think you are really going to love this snack mix. Enjoy.
Have a great evening,
~Donya