Here’s a delicious addictive Christmas Snack Mix that is perfect for the holidays! This mix is filled with cereal, pretzels, and M&M’s, and coated in melted white chocolate. No baking required.
Serve this Christmas snack mix as a snack or dessert for your holiday celebrations! Some of our other favorite Christmas treats including Reindeer Treats, Christmas Oreo Pops, Reindeer Chow, and Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies.
The holidays are busy and you might not always have the time to make chewy chocolate chip cookies from scratch or this brownie trifle, but this white chocolate Christmas snack mix?! There is definitely time for this; it can be ready in about 15 minutes total!
It’s totally addictive, sweet, and looks oh-so festive. It’s also so easy to customize! You can change up ingredients to based personal preferences as long as the quantities remain fairly consistent.
How to make Christmas Snack Mix
- Combine ingredients: Use a large bowl to mix all the ingredients. The bigger the bowl, the easier it will be to cover everything with white chocolate.
- Note on ingredients: This mix is best when made with ingredients that are about the same size. While most of the ingredients are similar sizes, regular-sized pretzels can easily overpower everything else; use itty bitty pretzels or mini pretzel rods. If you get the mini rods, break them in half!
- Melt white chocolate: Microwave the chocolate until melted and then immediately toss it with the mix. White chocolate hardens quickly, so work fast.
- Transfer the mix: Spread on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan to finish hardening.
- Let harden: Let the Christmas Snack Mix stand at room temperature to harden. If you’re in a rush, refrigerate it for about 10-20 minutes. Break apart and enjoy or package it up for a simple homemade Christmas gift!
Quick Tip
Substituting ingredients: Feel free to use a different type of cereal or different candies. Just keep the size similar as well as the quantities. You can even swap out milk chocolate for the white. And once you get the basic idea, you can customize this for other holidays or party themes!
Tips for melting white chocolate
- Use high-quality white chocolate for the best results. Good chocolate provides a better melt and a better flavor. (My favorite chocolate for this Christmas Sack Mix is Ghirardelli® or Guittard®.) Nestle® will also provide good results.
- The best tip I have for avoiding burned white chocolate? Stir the chocolate often during the melting process (every 30 seconds) and stir it for at least 20-25 seconds in between each microwave burst. Remember, the chocolate is still melting even outside of the microwave.
- Don’t allow any liquid near the white chocolate. If the chocolate gets wet it will seize and harden.
- Work quickly: White chocolate hardens quickly, so mix it with the other ingredients immediately after it is fully melted.
Christmas Snack Mix storage tips
- Store Christmas Snack Mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. We like this snack mix best within 2-4 days.
- You can freeze any leftover snack mix in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Variations
- Add some festive Christmas-colored sprinkles to the mix.
- Replace some of the cereal with plain popcorn.
- Use chocolate–covered pretzels instead of plain pretzels.
- Add in mini marshmallows (just make sure to eat the mix the same day!).
- Replace the holiday M&M’s with holiday (red and green) Cadbury® egg candies
More fun Christmas treats:
- 6 Easy Christmas Gifts {Free Printables}
- Microwave Mint Chocolate Fudge
- Christmas Oreo Truffles five different ideas!
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Kits
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Christmas Snack Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn or rice Chex cereal or other crispy cereal
- 1 cup miniature pretzel twists or pretzel rods
- 2 cups Cap'n Crunchยฎ cereal (with no berries)
- 2 cups Cheeriosยฎ or other toasted oat cereal
- 1 cup Christmas (green and red) M&M's
- 1 and 1/2 bags (~3 cups or 16 ounces total) white chocolate chips
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil or shortening
- Optional: Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- PREP: Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- COMBINE: In a large bowl combine the Chex cereal, pretzels (Note 1), Cap'n Crunch cereal, Cheerios, and M&M's. Mix together, making sure that everything is evenly distributed.
- WHITE CHOCOLATE: In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, add the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 25 seconds. Stir until melted and smooth. If needed, return to the microwave for a little longer. (Heat in bursts of 10 seconds, stirring for 10 seconds in between each burst). Pour the melted and smooth white chocolate over the snack mix.
- COMBINE: Gently stir until completely combined and all ingredients are coated in white chocolate (work quickly, because white chocolate hardens fast!) and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread into one even layer. If desired, add some Christmas/festive sprinkles before the white chocolate sets.
- FIRM UP: Allow white chocolate to set at room temperature or place in the fridge until firm, about 10-20 minutes. Break into pieces and serve.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi. So it turned out wonderful!!how do you store it when itโs done? Fridge? Or just room temp fine?
So happy to hear this! Yes I love storing in a gallon size ziplock just on the counter! ๐
Love the recipes.
Yay! Thanks so much Diane! ๐
Can I use candy bark instead of white chocolate??
Really great recipe. Big hit with everyone. Thanks.
Score! So happy to hear! Thanks Sheila! ๐
I got this recipe from my husband’s cousin. SO good! I mix mine in a large turkey roaster. I can’t even imagine just using a large mixing bowl! It takes ALOT of mixing!
Haha that’s awesome! It definitely is nice to have a big bowl to mix in! Thanks for your comment Barbara! ๐
If I use the mini marshmallows, when do I add them? And do I melt them before adding?
I’d add them with the whole mix before adding white chocolate. Don’t melt them, if you coat them well, the white chocolate should keep them from hardening! ๐
Just wondering if a person could spread everything out on sheets and then drizzle the white chocolate over the top evenly
Absolutely! ๐
Looks like I have something to crave about this Christmas! Thank you for the recipe! My husband is going to love it! Looks like it does get a bit messy while making it?
You’re welcome! It can get messy ๐
Mine doesnโt look this pretty. I need more white chocolate and mโnโmโs in after or something! What are the tricks?? Itโs good but doesnโt look like yours and I followed exactly. Thank you, Cheri
It’s honestly not very pretty! I moved pieces around to get the prettiest on top to take these photos. You can absolutely drizzle additional melted white chocolate over everything after it’s been tossed and press in a few more M&Ms. Hopefully that helps!
Yes thank you!! I love your blog and try lots of your recipes!! Thank you
Awe thanks Cheri!! ๐ <3
Hi!
It’s delicious .Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Eliza! ๐