St. Patrick’s Day Snack Mix
Festive, sweet and a little salty, this St. Patrick’s Day Snack Mix is the perfect treat to put together in March. All you need are seven ingredients and 30 minutes to make sweet Chex mix recipe. Makes 12 servings.
You can’t beat a sweet-salty snack mix, right?
This one is all kinds of perfect and easy to make for St. Patrick’s Day festivities, whether you’re hosting a party, celebrating with your little family or just want something colorful for March 17th.
We’re working our way through the holidays with these Sweet Chex Mix recipes (see Chex Mix Puppy Chow, Bunny Bait Easter Snack Mix, Christmas Chex Mix and Valentine’s Day White Chocolate Chex Mix).
This St. Patrick’s Day recipe is a fun twist on the classic.
Why I love this recipe:
This snack mix recipe is perfect for crunching, and it has a white chocolate base. (Unlike puppy chow, we don’t involve peanut butter or milk, bittersweet or dark chocolate.)
This Chex mix recipe starts with the classic sweet Chex mix base—your favorite Chex cereal.
But then we add in Lucky Charms—both the cereal plus extra marshmallows for color and flavor—to give it a distinctly St. Patrick’s Day feel.
Green M&M’s (sort those out of the bag or purchase a bag of the green ones only) and St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles complete the effect.
One thing I love about this snack mix recipe is that it’s easy to customize to your tastebuds, too, so more on that below.
Other St. Patrick’s Day foods to enjoy: Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting | No Churn Fudge Brownie Ice Cream | St. Patrick’s Day Oreo Truffles | Salted Caramel Guinness Beer Float | Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Cake
Need St. Patrick’s Day food inspiration? Check out my St. Patrick’s Day Recipe Index for more ideas.
What you need to make this sweet snack mix recipe:
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Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need:
- Chex Cereal — you can use rice, corn or any combination of the two. I used the Rice Chex in these photos.
- Lucky Charms — we need the cereal and some extra marshmallows. The regular-sized box should be completely fine to do both, but you will have to sort out the marshmallows for the extra marshmallows in this recipe. It’s worth the hassle.
- Mini pretzel twists — you could also use small pretzel rods if you like those better, but I personally like the shape of these!
- Lightly salted roasted peanuts — these add such a nice salty crunch!
- Green M&M’s (or other colorful chocolate-coated candies) — while you could use all the M&M colors, the green ones are extra perfect for this snack mix. You can sort them out (which is what we did) or purchase a pre-made St. Patrick’s Day mix, like this one.
- White chocolate melting chips — I like these better than white chocolate chips because they melt more easily. These Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers are my favorite.
- St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles — these add some pops of color and crunch to the snack mixture!
Substitutions for this St. Patrick’s Day snack mix recipe:
Because you can definitely make ‘em, here are a few thoughts on what swaps would still yield an awesome result.
- Chex Mix: You can use a combination of Rice Chex and Corn Chex or all one variety.
- Pretzels: You may use pretzel twists, as shown here, or rods!
- Sprinkles: Use your favorite! While this is a St. Patrick’s Day-themed Chex Mix recipe, you can change up the colors of the sprinkles and candies and make it for any holiday… or just because!
How to make St. Patrick’s Day Chex Mix
Gather your products and tools. This means finding an extra large mixing bowl, as well as getting out the boxes and bags of ingredients.
Also, you need to sort out the extra Lucky Charms marshmallows and green M&Ms at this point. This is a great task for little helpers, if you have them around.
Mix the ingredients together. Do this in an extra large bowl because there is a lot of Chex cereal, Lucky Charms, pretzels, marshmallows and roasted peanuts to stir together.
Pour onto a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle on the M&Ms on top.
Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 60 seconds. Give them a stir to help them finish melting and smooth out the chocolate.
Pro tip!
White chocolate burns easily, so keep an eye on it. If any large chunks of white chocolate are remaining after the initial 60 seconds and stirring, melt for 15 seconds more and stir until smooth.
Drizzle on the white chocolate to the cereal mixture.
Sprinkle the holiday sprinkles onto the white chocolate. This will ensure they don’t fall off!
Stir to combine. Use a spoon, rubber spatula or clean hands to mix and toss the mixture to evenly distribute the white chocolate. Work quickly so that you can coat everything before the chocolate sets.
Keep in mind that the white chocolate will be hot, so if you’re using your hands, proceed with caution.
Let sit. This snack mix needs to hang out for at least 15 minutes so the chocolate can set and cool completely.
Break it up. If there are any large chunks, break them apart using your hands.
Serve and enjoy!
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This St. Patrick’s Day White Chocolate Chex Mix recipe would be an excellent snack item to serve at any gathering.
It’s perfect, whether you’re attending a parade with friends and need a portable snack, or if you’re hosting a school party OR just friends to mark the day.
You don’t need an occasion to make this goodness, though.
Here are some things you can do if you want to serve these to a crowd:
- Make the snack mix in advance. The beauty in this is it can be stored for up to four days at room temperature, so you can make it in advance, then set it out for guests without needing to sweat.
- Serve it in a big bowl… or pack it up individually! You could put a serving in a small bakery box or individual to-go baggies.
- Involve your kids. Kids can easily sort marshmallows, as well as separate out the green M&Ms. Measuring, mixing, combining, decorating and serving are all fun activities, too. Prepare to get a little messy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I’ve included them in the recipe card because there are a lot you can make.
No. This snack mix recipe does not need to be refrigerated.
Make sure to spread yours out on a baking sheet (or between two if you don’t have a large one) to ensure the surface area for them to cool and crisp up. If they’re left in a bowl, they could become soggy.
I’ve read that they sell them online, but we just sorted out an extra cup from the box of cereal. My girls’ helped me separate the cereal from the marshmallows.
The best tricks and tips for sweet and salty Chex mix
- Want those sprinkles to stick? Evenly sprinkle on the sprinkles as soon as you are done drizzling the white chocolate. This will ensure that the sprinkles stick to the chocolate. Otherwise, the white chocolate will begin to set, and the sprinkles will fall off.
- How to mix in the melted chocolate. The easiest way to mix the melted white chocolate into the mixture is on a large tray or baking sheet. You quickly and evenly distribute the melted chocolate before it starts to set.
- Make it with kids. This is a kid-friendly recipe, from the measuring and stirring to the melting of the white chocolate. Keep an eye on your kid(s) and give them age-appropriate tasks!
- How to store: Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.
Other St. Patrick’s Day recipes:
- Mashed Potato Beef Hand Pies
- St. Patrick’s Day Dunkaroo Dip
- Irish Cream Biscuits with Boozy Chocolate Gravy
- Lucky Charm Vodka Jello Shots
- How to Make Irish Coffee
St. Patrick’s Day Snack Mix
Ingredients
- 6 cups Chex cereal
- 3 cups Lucky Charms cereal
- 3 cups mini pretzel twists
- 1 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows
- ½ cup salted roasted peanuts
- 1 cup green M&Ms
- 20 oz. white chocolate melting chips
- 4 tablespoons St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Sort out the Lucky Charms marshmallows and the green M&M’s. Set aside.
- Toss together the Chex cereal, Lucky Charms, pretzels, Lucky Charms marshmallows and the peanuts in an extra large mixing bowl.
- Pour the mix onto a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Sprinkle on the M&Ms on top of the mixture.
- Melt the white chocolate melting chips. Place the chips in a microwave safe-bowl and heat on high power for 60 seconds. Stir well to finish melting and smoothing out the chocolate. (If any large chunks remain, melt for another 15 seconds and stir, stir, stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Keep an eye on it because white chocolate burns easily.)
- Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture immediately.
- Sprinkle the sprinkles on top of the white chocolate to ensure it sticks.
- Use a spoon, rubber spatula or clean hands to mix and toss the mixture to evenly distribute the white chocolate before it sets. Work quickly because the chocolate sets up faster than you might imagine.
- Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes so that the chocolate can finish cooling and setting.
- Use your hands to break up any large chunks of the mixture.
- Transfer to a large serving bowl, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
•Chex Mix: You can use a combination of rice and corn or all one variety. These photos show all Rice Chex.
•Pretzels: You may use pretzel twists, as shown here, or rods!
•Peanuts: I love the saltiness and crunch that they add to the snack mix, but you can leave them out if you do not like peanuts. Other tips and tricks:
●Evenly sprinkle on the sprinkles the moment you are done drizzling on the white chocolate so that it sticks to the chocolate. Otherwise, the chocolate will start to set and the sprinkles will fall off.
●The easiest way to mix the melted white chocolate into the mixture is on a large tray or baking sheet. You quickly and evenly distribute the melted chocolate before it starts to set.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Seriously one of the easiest, tastiest snacks ever. We are absolutely making this again.