Texas red ranch party mix 2DSC 6305

Texas red ranch party mix

When it comes to holiday treats, the ones I look forward to the most are those on the salty and savory side. Whether it’s sausage balls, cheese balls, cheese straws, or a crunchy snack mix, these are the things that keep me returning to the snack table, over and over.

My family does well with these. Perhaps the most favored nibble is Grandma’s seasoned oyster crackers. But my mom also whips up a tantalizing batch of cereal and nuts (commonly known as Chex party mix by most), which gets its addictive properties from a strong infusion of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.

This standard party mix recipe has been a Texan and American favorite since 1952, when Ralston Purina, the company that makes Chex, introduced it to the world in a series of advertisements. The company had recently launched Rice Chex, which was a woven-square cereal. It had also rebranded its shredded-wheat cereal with the name Wheat Chex. So, with two kinds of cereal to sell, I reckon it made sense to create a recipe that showcased both.

Texas red ranch party mix | Homesick Texan

Usually I’ll make batches of oyster crackers and party mix, but because I’m feeling less extravagant this season, I’ve been reluctant to have too much food on hand. Now, the crackers are flavored with powdered ranch dressing mix, lemon pepper, and dried dill, which gives them a creamy, herbal flavor. But I also love the variety of crunchy vehicles that are found in a party mix, as it has a medley of different nuts, woven cereal, and, for me, cheese crackers, too. To keep it simpler, I decided to combine the two into one.

After tossing together cereal, peanuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, cheese crackers, and corn nuts, I doused the blend in oil, then seasoned them with powdered ranch dressing mix along with garlic powder, lemon pepper, and dried dill. I also threw in a heaping spoonful of chili powder to give it that classic Texas-red kick.

Keeping with the original, however, I included Worcestershire sauce, which not only gives the mix a hit of savory flavor, but it also gives the party mix a distinctive, flavorful note. After evenly stirring everything together, I baked it until fragrant and crisp.

The party mix hit all the right notes, as it was salty, savory, spicy, tangy, and a bit creamy. It was certainly familiar, but it was also new, as my family had never used the ranch seasoning on cereal and nuts. Wondering what to call it, I decided to name it Texas Red Ranch Party Mix, as it combined those two flavors into one.

Texas red ranch party mix | Homesick Texan

While I love my family’s oyster crackers, I found having its flavor on a variety of vehicles extremely satisfying. And addictive. You’ll want to make this, and you may even want to double your batch. I couldn’t stop snacking on it, and I’m guessing you won’t be able to, as well.

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Print
5 from 7 votes

Texas red ranch party mix

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Southern, Texan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 2 cups woven cereal, such as Chex
  • 1/2 cup roasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup roasted almonds
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup corn nuts
  • 1 cup square cheese crackers
  • 1/2 cup safflower oil
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 (1.5-ounce) ranch dressing packet
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
  • Pinch cayenne
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. (If it’s nonstick, you can skip this step.) Add the cereal, pecans, almonds, cashews, peanuts, corn nuts, and cheese crackers. Stir everything until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Pour the oil and Worcestershire sauce evenly over the mix. Sprinkle the ranch dressing, chili powder, dill weed, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and cayenne evenly over the mix. (You could stir together the liquids before pouring and stir together the spices before sprinkling, but it’s not necessary.)
  • Stir until everything is well coated and blended. Taste and adjust seasonings and add salt if desired.
  • Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring once. Cool then serve. Will keep covered for a week.

Notes

For the cereal, I usually stick with either corn or rice, but you can use a combination of the any of the woven cereals. Also, I like the combination of different nuts, but you can substitute 2 cups of any nuts that you prefer. Basically, anything goes when it comes to party mix! 

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. Nick Olson says:

    Lisa,

    I love recipes like this because these are the type of foods that people think about when they think of the holidays. That’s special stuff. Quick question for you – I have some in my party you will really not enjoy the dill weed flavor. Do you have a recommendation on a substitute for the dill or would you recommend leaving it out?

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Nick–Yes, I agree! It’s not the holidays for me without tins and bowls of party mix on hand! I’d just leave it out of the mix, though if you’re looking for another herbal note, a dash of oregano would be good.

  2. Nona Myers says:

    Hi Lisa. Love your food ideas. I like my party mix with more Chex mixes and leave other bits to others. Since I am half Japanese, I am thinking of using togarashi mix. The mix found in US is ok, but I purchase some lively togarashi mix from Japan that rivals the complexity and aroma of Piment D’Espelette.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Nona–I love the idea to use togarashi mix! I’ll definitely have to try that!

  3. Mandy Fehlbaum says:

    5 stars
    This has already received raves from my husband and his family. The combo of spices is *chef’s kiss!*

    My mother in-law allergic to nuts, so I left those out of a batch I made for them and substituted pretzel sticks, oyster crackers, and bagel chips. I was able to find safflower oil that was not made in a factory with peanuts.

    I couldn’t find corn nuts in NE Ohio, but I know they’d be a great addition.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Mandy–Wonderful news! I’m so glad y’all are enjoying the party mix!

  4. 5 stars
    I love party mix … Lisa’s recipe is really good .. in fact, i could hardly stop eating it just now!!! Good job, Lisa.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Diane–Thank you! I’m biased but I also agree that it’s hard to stop eating!

  5. My family still uses the original (or at least a very old) chex mix recipe. It uses bacon grease, butter, Worcestershire, Tabasco (or Frank’s…or both), garlic salt and seasoned salt. Lately I’ve been adding smoked paprika for extra smokey goodness. The recipe is horrific in today’s heart smart world but hey…you know…cold dead hands…

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Hippo–Sounds good to me!