Patriotic 4th of July Chex Mix

Treat your family to the ultimate summer snack. This no-bake mix combines salty pretzels, crunchy popcorn, and sweet holiday M&Ms. It is coated in a warm, savory butter that makes it completely addictive.

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 4th of July, Chex Mix, No-Bake, Summer Snack

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 5

Servings: servings

Calories: 180kcal

Ingredients

1 box Chex Cereal (rice or corn varieties work best because they hold up to the butter)
3 cups Pretzels (mini twists or waffle grids work great)
4 cups Popcorn (air-popped or lightly salted microwave popcorn)
½ cup Butter (one full stick), melted
1 tsp Seasoned Salt (Lawry's is my personal go-to for this)
1½ cups Red, White, and Blue Chocolate Candies (grab the festive holiday M&Ms)
2 tbsp Patriotic Sprinkles (optional, but so fun for an extra pop of color)

Instructions

Mix the Crunch: Grab your biggest mixing bowl. Toss in the Chex cereal, the mini pretzels, and the popcorn. Stir them gently so they mix up well.
Make the Dressing: Melt your stick of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir the seasoned salt right into the warm butter until it dissolves.
Coat the Mix: Drizzle the warm butter over your cereal bowl. Stir it well. Make sure every single piece gets a little bit of that salty butter.
Add the Color: Let the mix cool for just a minute. You do not want to melt your chocolate. Dump in the red, white, and blue chocolate candies and the sprinkles. Give it one last gentle toss.
Let it Set: Allow the mix to cool completely before serving. Then pour it into a fun holiday bowl and watch it disappear.

Notes

Freshness Matters: Always use freshly popped popcorn to ensure the mix stays nice and crunchy instead of getting stale.

The Cool Down: Wait until the buttered cereal is completely cool to the touch before adding your M&Ms so the colors do not bleed.

Toss with Care: Mix everything with a gentle hand so you do not crush the delicate popcorn pieces into tiny crumbs.

Easy Swaps: If you cannot find Rice Chex, Corn Chex or Crispix cereal will work just as well for this recipe.

Salt Control: Seasoned salt can be strong, so start with a little bit and add more later if you like things saltier.

Holiday Versatility: You can use this exact same recipe for other holidays just by changing the color of the candy and sprinkles.

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