Smoky Cheddar Chex™ Party Mix

*This post is sponsored by Chex Cereal, but all opinions are my own.*

If we’re being totally honest, I never really understood what “game day” was until I married my husband! You can imagine with six girls growing up we didn’t celebrate too many football weekends.

Now that all of us are married, I have a whole new love and appreciation for game days! Especially when they involve food.

We typically let the boys go downstairs to watch the game while us wives stay in the kitchen “monitoring” the snacks. It’s my favorite tradition and one that gets better and better tasting every single year.

This year I decided to put a twist on the classic Chex Party Mix and try putting it in my husbands smoker. Oh. My. Goodness. The flavor was UNREAL and I knew I needed to share!

Using Chex Cereal in our party mixes is so easy and there are hundreds of different recipes you can make! We also LOVE that they are gluten free, making it so much easier when hosting any gluten intolerant guests.

How to Make Smoky Cheddar Chex Party Mix in the Oven:

There are two, equally delicious ways, to make this Smoky Cheddar Chex Party Mix. Roasted in your oven, or smoked in a smoker.

We’ve tried it both ways, and while we prefer the smoker, we know it’s not an option for everyone!

There’s one secret ingredient that will give your oven roasted Chex Party Mix a delicious smoked flavor, Liquid Smoke.

You’ll leave this ingredient out if you choose to cook it in your smoker, but it’s essential while cooking inside! Just a little goes a long way, so stick to the recipe. You can always add more if it’s not smoky enough for your liking.

Mix your Chex Cereal, pretzels, cheese crackers, gold fish, and Bugles in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, melt butter and stir in onion powder, garlic salt, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.

Pour mixture over dry mix and stir until completely coated.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet, and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or until dry, stirring every 15 minutes to avoid burning.

Let cool and store in an airtight container.

How to make Smoky Cheddar Chex Party Mix in the Smoker:

Prepare Chex Party Mix as described in oven directions, leaving out the liquid smoke.

We found it easiest to smoke in a large foil Pasta Pan (like THESE ones).

Smoke at 225 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.