All right my foodie friends, I can hear you sniffing at me right now. Chex Mix? Really? Well suckas, Chex Mix happens to be a) delicious, and b) filled with gluten. So put away your organic wine from the Willamette Valley and pay attention. ‘Cuz we made some gluten-free Chex Mix to help ring in the holidays and . . . gluten-free Muddy Buddies. Oh yeah! That’s how we snack.
Since I didn’t want to sully my rep as an amazing chefs-tress (ahem), I decided to employ my family in the making of the holiday Chex snacks. First up, my husband who insists on having Chex Mix starting November 23rd and running all the way into the new year. Look at my man go!
He’s handsome, no? Luckily he didn’t have to ditch his favorite snack this year since Chex went gluten-free, and Glutino makes some amazing gluten-free pretzels and they also just added gluten-free bagel chips which are just as good as the norms. Which is why he was willing to add them into his traditional mix. (This is where I admit my better half begged his mother to bring us a bag of gluten-filled Chex Mix complete with Cheerios. You know, I love that guy but he’s kind of a Benedict Arnold.)
My committment to Muddy Buddies this year was just as simple. Using the gluten-free Corn and Rice Chex in this recipe was so easy a 5-year-old could do it. In fact, I totally made my 5-year-old make these Muddy Buddies for Thanksgiving. This is how she makes sure they’re evenly covered:
This is also where I enlighten you with our enlightened-ness: We’re a mixed religious family. And while I may connect Muddy Buddies with Thanksgiving and Christmas, clearly the Jewish half has other ideas. I mean, Sukkot has been over for like 41 days. Really.
Regardless, I think you can see how you can make rad holiday snacks while still being g-free. Just in case you don’t want to buy the box and get these gluten-free Chex Mix recipes (although you realize you have to buy the box, right?), let me fill you in on how you do it:
Gluten-Free Chex Mix
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups gluten-free Corn Chex® cereal
4 1/2 cups gluten-free Rice Chex® cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size gluten-free pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size gluten-free bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1. Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven.
2. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
3. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.
Makes: 18 servings
Gluten-Free Muddy Buddies
Prep time: 7 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes
Ingredients
9 cups gluten-free Rice Chex®, Corn Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
Makes: 18 servings
Gluten is my Bitch 
I actually made this a couple of weeks ago and it tasted the same as regular Chex Mix to me! Plus, I’ve never liked wheat Chex anyway bleh!
That’s right, screw that wheat chex!
Btw, what brand of gluten free pretzels do you use/prefer? I bought the Glutino ones when I first went g-free and while I think Glutino makes a lot of g-free stuff that tastes pretty good…the pretzels…not exactly the best, lol. For this Chex Mix I looked for a different brand and found these Ener-G Wylde Pretzels (they’re circle-shaped) that I think taste waaaaay more like regular pretzels. I bought them at Sprouts Farmers Market (formerly called Henry’s I think) in case you have one in LA somewhere, the one I go to is in Corona.
You know, I really love the Glutino pretzels because they taste so buttery. When did you last try them? I just went g-free this year so I wonder if they changed the recipe? Or if I just love butter so much I don’t notice. But I’m going to check out the Ener-G. I’m guessing they’re also dairy-free?
I do believe they are, and I just started trying them within the past few months. Also, I saw on (I think) glutenfree.com…or some online store where you can buy gluten free food that Snyder’s makes a gluten free pretzel which I hope would be delish! Have yet to see it in the store though.
Worchester sauce includes barley in it so if you are true celiac this recipe is not totally gf!
There is Worcestershire that is gluten-free.
I made muddy buddies 2 weeks ago! I forgot how good they are. My gluten -loving sister ate handfuls.
Muddy Buddies rule. That is all.
I can buy gluten free cereal, but I would really like to make my own mix. So far I have crushed nuts, raisins, dried fruit and coconut in mind. Any ideas?.
Uuummmmmm love it! We make it all the time and use chocolate, cinnamon and rice g.f. Chex. Cinnamon chex are the bomb digity! Who needs gluten anyway?!, not us suckas!!! Love your site. We just found outour 4 year old is Celiac. Lucky for her…both myself and my husband love to cook/bake and experiment. Here’s something yummy for you….peanut butter cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Mix and drop onto parchment paper…smash down and bake at 350 for 8-10 min. Can I say OUTSTANDING?!?!
And here I am with a brand new jar of peanut butter. That does sound unbelievably RAD. Thanks Kelly!
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Speaking of great PB Cookies, you can also add a cup of chocolate chips to that sugar-egg-peanut butter mixture. Yum!
Just a small heads up, worshteshire sauce contains gluten! Unless you’ve found a gluten free alternative. If so, I’d love to know where, because I used to love the stuff in everything!
Yep, my worchestershire (sp?) sauce is gluten-free. I buy it at Whole Foods, and it’s clearly marked. It is Annie’s naturals, but even Lea & Perrins says it’s gluten-free.
Kraft’s Worcestershire Sauce is gluten free, too.
I just made both today as well. By the way, April, if you’re one of those people who can handle oats, Van’s company (of the GF frozen waffles) has started making a Say Cheese! oat-based cracker that I put into my chex mix rather than the bagel chips (which I have to be in the mood for).
I need to try those! I’m unclear about how I am with oats because I eat only small amounts with no problems.
Love GF Chex mix. Snyders does make GF pretzels that are also Dairy, Egg, and Casein free, and they taste like normals. I just completed my second batch of GF White Trash–with the GF pretzels, honey-nut GF Chex, rice crispies, pecans, cashews, and Craisins, covered in Almond Bark vanilla chocolate. The first batch lasted 1 day and it makes a HUGE batch.
2 c. GF honey nut Chex (generous)
1 c. rice crispies (generous)
1 8 oz. bag Snyders GF pretzel sticks, broken in half
Nuts rough-chopped (I use about 1/2 – 2/3 c. each of pecans and salted cashews, totally optional)
1/2 c. Craisins (again, optional)
1 entire bag of Dairy-free Almond Bark vanilla white “chocolate”
Melt the Almond bark in a double boiler and pour over all of the dry ingredents. Mix well, drop onto waxed paper to cool and munch away!
Why does it take an hour? I should be able to buy this already fix and gluten free……
Because store-bought Chex mix has gluten in it. You have to check your worch sauce to make sure it’s gf, you can’t have the bagel chips that come in the pre-packaged, and so on.
Thanks we are going camping this weekend with the cub scouts. My son probably won’t be able to eat the food. We will have to take our own just in case. My cooking skills are AWFUL. During Lent we eat fish so we will be ok Friday. I am planning to take some P&J, vienne sausages, I think plain yogurt is out of the ?. I really wanted to take chex mix so during each stations if he gets hungry he could have a snack. Fruity Pebbles has a snack. I am also looking for a gluten free recipe book. Please email me if you or anyone else have any ideas. My address is sewintime40@yahoo.com. Thank you in advanced!!!
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Was just wondering if you knew that Worcestershire sauce contains gluten unless they have changed that very recently Or if you have found a gf brand. Just don’t want anyone getting Sick.
Both Annie’s and Lea & Perrins are gf!
Lea and parrins has malt vinegar contains gluten
Nope – http://www.leaperrins.com/products/the-original-worcestershire-sauce.aspx
I never heard of “muddy buddies” until moving to NC…grew up calling it “puppy chow” LOL
Every time one of my friends calls it “puppy chow” I gag a little. It’s definitely a regional thing!
Thank you! I think that name is disgusting. I always knew this recipe as “muddy buddies” and refuse to call it anything else.
I agree. I don’t like to think about sitting around and eating dog food.
Thanks for posting this. Looks awesome, totally going to make it but the old Worcestershire has gluten in it. There are some gluten free varieties out there that will have to do.
Yum!
Yes, some are most def gluten-free. Which is very exciting. Good luck!
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