25+ Snack Mixes & Munchies For Casual Entertaining

Are you always on the lookout for new munchie treats? Here are over two dozen tasty recipes that are a hit for movie nights, children’s parties, tailgating and casual entertaining…some sweet, some spicy and all crunchy…lots here to choose from! These are also great for gift-giving, just package in jars, boxes or bags, add a bit of decorative ribbon and label.

First, here are the instructions for making Monkey Munch that I originally had on its own page but have moved here for better organization (first published July 9th, 2008). If you watch the tv show Jon & Kate Plus 8 on TLC, you know what monkey munch is . If not, this is a snack that both the kids and parents just love (I also included a lemon buddies version below). Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

Bowls Of Monkey Munch - chex.com

9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
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

Stove Method:

Measure cereal into a large bowl & set aside.
Heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and the butter over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until evenly coated.
Pour the mix into a 2 gallon ziploc bag and add powdered sugar, seal bag.
Shake bag until everything’s well coated then spread the mix on waxed paper to cool.
Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Microwave Method:

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a microwaveable bowl and melt uncovered on High for 1 minute. Stir.
Microwave for another 30 seconds or until mixture is stirred smooth.
Stir in the vanilla.
Follow the rest of the directions as above in the Stove Method.

Source: Chex.com. Ready for more ideas? Here ya go…

chex.com

Lemon Buddies: Made with Rice Chex, white vanilla baking chips, butter or margarine, grated lemon peel, fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Crunchy Sweet: Made with crispy corn & rice cereal, brown sugar, butter, light corn syrup, baking soda, peanuts and/or candy-coated chocolate pieces.

landolakes.com

bhg.com

Chili-Corn: Made with corn cereal, tiny pretzel knots, almonds, dehydrated corn kernels, dried apricots or cherries, chili powder, lime juice and canola oil.

Graham Nut Clusters: Honey graham cereal, honey-roasted peanuts, pecans, butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, pretzel sticks and candy-coated chocolate pieces.

myrecipes.com

spoonforkbacon.com

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips: Oh my! You’ll need milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet, dark) and a bag of ridge-cut (ripple) potato chips.

Crunch-Crunch-Crunch: Made with dried cherries, whole-grain Rice Chex, pistachios and Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal.

cookinglight.com

cookiesandcups.com

Santa Party Mix: Ingredients include Bubles, red melting disks, mini-marshmallows, candy sprinkles, shortening, mini-pretzels, craisins, peanuts, Rice Chex, M&Ms, white chocolate.

Nutty with Cayenne: Made with Rice Chex, pecans, walnuts, pretzels, butter, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.

kumquatblog.com

houseonhilltop.wordpress.com

Round Pretzels with Chocolate: Baked in the oven and super easy to make, you’ll just need round pretzels, chocolate kisses and M&Ms.

Rolo Pretzel Bites: Another easy snack with just three ingredients: Rolo chocolates, pretzels and pecan halves.

glorioustreats.blogspot.com

cheerios.com

Cheerios All-Star Recipe: Made with Cheerios, raisins, tiny fish crackers, candy-coated chocolate candies and butterscotch chips.

Confetti: Made with Golden Grahams, dry roasted peanuts, dried banana chips, raisins and milk chocolate M&Ms.

tasteofhome.com

marthastewart.com

Nuts & Bolts: (Free clip art to download for labels) Chex, pretzels, peanuts, garlic, salt, butter, Worcestershire, paprika, cayenne & rosemary.

Spiced Glazed Nuts & Pretzels: Made wing mixed raw nuts, butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chile or red pepper powder, maple syrup, sea salt and pretzel twists.

davidlebovitz.com

tasteofhome.com

Harvest Snack: Pretzel sticks, mixed nuts, sunflower kernels, butter, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, popcorn, candy corn and chocolate bridge mix.

Sweet-Tooth: Pretzel sticks, Multigrain Cheerios, mini-marshmallows, milk chocolate M&Ms and raisins.

cookinglight.com

chow.com

Honey-Mustard: Made with bagel chips, pretzel sticks, sesame sticks, butter, honey, mustard (powder) and Kosher salt.

Oven Baked: Cheese crackers, pecan halves, roasted garlic ranch dressing, oat Os cereal, pretzel sticks, unsalted peanuts.

wholefoodsmarket.com

tablespoon.com

Caramel Apple Popcorn: Popcorn, brown sugar, light corn syrup, salt, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon chips, toffee bits, pecans, dried apple chips and butter.

Honey Roasted: Cashews, peanuts and almonds (unsalted), honey, butter, sea salt, mini gluten free pretzels, coconut sugar (or granulated).

naturalnoshing.wordpress.com

wherelifehappens.wordpress.com

S’mores: Ingredients include Golden Grahams cereal, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter or margarine and nonstick spray.

With Mini-Candy Bar Pieces: Made with mini-pretzels, brown sugar, granulaed sugar, dry milk, powder, butter and mini chocolate candy bars (Reese’s, etc.).

foodandwine.com

brachs.com

Candy Corn & Brach’s: Made with candy corn, mixed nuts, Brach’s Douple Dippers and Peanut Butter Poppins.

Coated With Ceasar Dressing: You’ll need oyster crackers, Chex cereal, pretzels, dried cranberries, cashews, butter or margarine and Caesar dressing mix.

bettycrocker.com

Roasted almonds are also a crunchy treat, here are 4 ways you can make it in the microwave:

Recipe #1:

Microwave Method For Making Roasted Almonds

1 cup almonds
1 tsp butter (melted)

Directions:

Toss almonds in the melted butter to evenly coat, microwave for 2 minutes. Cool, then eat.

Method #2:

Almonds
Vegetable oil

Directions:

Lightly coat almonds with oil and arrange on a plate (single layer). Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir almonds, sit for a minute and heat again until almonds are golden brown (approximately 2 minutes).

Topping Ideas (optional):

After cooking, try sprinkling hot almonds with a topping. Ideas:

salt
garlic powder
seasoning salt
mixture of cloves, cinnamon, allspice
white sugar, salt, cinnamon
brown sugar, cinnamon

With Honey – #3

3 cups almonds
1/2 cup honey
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated orange peel

Directions:

Mix ingredients and microwave 3 minutes on high, stir, then heat for another 3 minutes.

Sweet & Spicy – #4

1 cup almonds
2 TBS hot sauce
2 tsp white sugar

Directions:

Mix ingredients until almonds are well coated. Spread in a single layer on a microwavable dish and heat 1 minute. Stir, and heat again for 1 to 2 minutes.

(first published December 20, 2006 and moved to this page for better organization)