Spiced Pumpkin Chex Mix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A crunchy blend with Cheerios, toasted nuts, and mini marshmallows, all cloaked in a honey-maple butter drizzle. Cinnamon plus pumpkin pie spice lends seasonal warmth. Baked until marshmallows just brown. Sweet, salty, and nutty with texture. Twist includes pepitas swapped for pecans. Adjust bake time watching marshmallows bubble and brown like tiny clouds. Honey syrup holds it all together without sogginess. Serves 14. Nutrients include moderate calories from fat and sugar balanced by fiber and protein in nuts and cereal.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
32 min
Servings:
14 servings
#snacks
#fall recipes
#seasonal treats
#party mix
#marshmallow recipes
#pumpkin spice
Crunch meets sweet meets spice in this nutty medley. The marshmallows toast just right, puffing up then crisping at edges. A sticky coat of honey and maple syrup with melted butter wraps the cereal and nuts making each bite a contrast. Past tries with too hot ovens wrecked marshmallows—this one lowers temp to tease out gentle golden spots instead of charred blobs. Pepitas swapped for pecans—it’s an earthier crunch that sings of fall. I toss dry ingredients first so spice distributes, then drizzle slowly letting syrup pool in nooks. Expect sticky fingers and a sweet scent swirling cinnamon and pumpkin spice through the kitchen. A snack that’s part candy, part trail mix. Good luck keeping your hands out of the bowl.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cheerios
- 4 cups Chex mix - original or multigrain works
- 1 cup pretzel rods broken
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped pepitas (substituted for pecans for earthier crunch)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
About the ingredients
Cheerios as the base adds oats and mildness—you can swap for oat squares or granola if nuts-outs are preferred. Chex mix provides that light, crunchy structure; multigrain Chex adds nuttiness, rice Chex stays neutral. Pretzels bring salt and crunch—if you lack them, try broken wheat crackers or rye crisps. Almond slivers for earthiness, but toasted pecans, walnuts, or pepitas each shift the snack’s vibe. Mini marshmallows toast in the oven, so don’t replace with larger ones unless chopping first; white chocolate chips melt slightly into sticky pockets but you can skip or swap for butterscotch. The blend of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice is crucial for that fall punch—you can adjust amounts but be wary of overpowering. The glaze from honey, maple syrup, and butter binds and flavors—melt butter gently or glaze may separate. Measure accurately or glaze might get too sloppy or sticky.
Method
- Preheat oven to 340°F instead of 350°F to avoid burning marshmallows too quickly. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or use a silicone mat to prevent sticking.
- In a huge mixing bowl, dump Cheerios, Chex mix, broken pretzels, almonds, pepitas, marshmallows, white chocolate chips. Toss with cinnamon and pumpkin spice until evenly dusted.
- Use a small bowl to whisk together honey, maple syrup, and melted butter, creating a runny glaze that's not too syrupy or thick.
- Spread the mixed dry ingredients evenly out on the sheet to create one flat layer. Less crowding means even toasting.
- Drizzle the honey syrup evenly over the mix. Use a spatula gently to help coat but don't mash marshmallows.
- Bake for about 12-14 minutes. Listen for soft crackling and watch marshmallows puff and turn golden at edges. Remove when marshmallows are toasted with little crisp spots but not melted down completely.
- Cool the mix on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a bowl; this lets everything set and prevents clumps from sticking to the pan.
- If lacking pepitas, use chopped pecans or walnuts but watch toasting time - nuts vary in oil content and burn rate.
- Honey glaze tightens as it cools—too hot it drips, too cool won’t spread well. Make it at room temp.
- Avoid overbaking or the marshmallows will lose that pleasant chewiness and become hard. Timing is flexible; rely on color and texture.
- Store in an airtight container once fully cooled to keep crunch.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven moderately low to avoid burning the marshmallow sugar while toast is achieved. Spread everything in a thin even layer—crowding means uneven heat. Coat the dry mix with spices beforehand so no clumps of cinnamon hide. Drizzle warm (not hot) honey syrup slowly; don’t dump, or parts get overly wet. Bake watching closely after 10 minutes—listen for crackling tiny pops from marshmallows as they puff and brown. Pull once toasted with golden edges; too dark equals dryness and chew loss. Cooling before serving helps syrup firm up; warm mix will be sticky. If mix clumps up or marshmallows pool in spots, gently toss while cooling. Store airtight to retain crunch. This isn’t a snack for long waits after baking—the sugars harden and flavor dulls.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Low oven temp saves marshmallows from instant burn. 340°F works better than typical 350°F. Watch those marshy bubbles rise and edges brown golden not black. Oven temps vary - open door briefly if too fast. Line sheet pan well to prevent sticky mess; parchment or silicone mat both fine. Thin layer tho, crowd and you get uneven spots. Marshmallows might melt into lumps if layered thickly. Toss dry ingredients before to coat cinnamon and spice evenly; avoids clumps later in mix.
- 💡 Honey and maple syrup glaze needs runny flow but not watery mess or it soaks cereal. Melt butter slowly - too hot butter breaks glaze. Whisk all three well till silky. Cool slightly to room temp for better spread - overheats drip; too cold it clumps. Drizzle slowly over dry mix, use spatula gently to coat without smashing marshmallows. Important: marshmallows fragile when wet; mash ruins texture during bake. Let glaze pool selectively in nooks; sticky pockets with white chocolate chips become soft spots.
- 💡 Pepitas bring a distinct earthiness but swap options work. Pecans add sharp crunch, walnuts more robust oiliness. Toast nuts lightly first if preferred for deeper flavor, but watch burn risk; nuts scorch quicker than cereals. Pretzels add needed salt and crunch; broken rods blend better than whole sticks. Missing pretzels? Wheat crackers or rye crisps close substitutes but flavor varies. Cheerios base adds softer oatiness; switch for oat squares or granola if nut allergies or preference for chewier base. Adjust spices cautiously - pumpkin pie blend plus cinnamon can overpower fast.
- 💡 Watch and listen closely after ten minutes baking - marshmallows crackle softly with tiny pops, edges puff golden then edges crisp just right. Removing at this stage prevents hard marshmallow shells or melted goo. Let marshmallows cool on pan to firm glaze up and avoid clumping. If sticky lumps form, tossing gently while warm breaks clusters. Storage airtight is essential, or sugars absorb moisture and lose crunch fast. Avoid long wait before eating; sugars harden and flavors dull after hours. Cooling slowly but not quickly prevents glaze cracking too soon.
- 💡 Adjust bake time with mix contents and humidity. Pepitas or nuts with higher oil burn faster, sweeter marshmallows brown quicker if hot oven or crowding. If swap marshmallows for larger types, chop finely - thick marshmallow chunks don't toast evenly, turn gummy inside and char out. White chocolate chips melt partially adding soft pockets of sweetness; omit or replace with butterscotch bits if preferred. Timing less fixed, more sensory - aroma of warm spice and caramelizing sugars, visual golden patches on marshmallows, soft crackling sounds best cues during oven watch.
Common questions
Can I use different nuts?
Pecans, walnuts okay but oil content varies watch burn. Toast nuts lightly first improves flavor but shortens bake time. Pepitas earthier, subtle crunch. Swap with similar size pieces. Could affect baking timing and texture.
What if marshmallows melt too fast?
Oven too hot or crowding. Lower temp to 340°F or check earlier. Thin layer on pan essential. Large marshmallows not chopped stay gummy inside. Use mini marshmallows only or chop big ones finely. Drizzle glaze gently to avoid squishing.
How to store leftovers?
Airtight container mandatory to keep crunch crisp. Room temp okay few days. Fridge risks moisture softening sugar glaze. Freeze not ideal sugar hardens oddly. Re-crisp by briefly warming in oven at low temp but risk melting.
Can I change glaze ingredients?
Butter, honey, and maple syrup balance flavors and stickiness. Substitute melted coconut oil for butter but glaze thinner, less binding. Swap maple for agave or golden syrup for similar. Avoid thick syrups that soak cereal. Test small batch before full mix.
