Caramel Chex

If you are hosting a large gathering or just want to make a nice treat to share with friends, look no further! Caramel chex is an addictive, buttery snack that will please everyone. It is essentially rice Chex cereal coated in a perfect layer of caramel coating. It has a chewy yet crisp texture. You will find yourself going back for more and more and more! Plus, it is easy to make and requires no baking!

If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I love cereal treats. Well, I guess everyone reading this knows that now! I seem to have too many hobbies, so I love time-saving recipes that are fast but still taste delicious. As a stay-at-home mom of two, my free time is insanely limited. It doesn’t help that my two-year old rarely naps. He hasn't napped in the past 5 days! If you have suggestions, drop them in the comments below. Sometimes even going for a drive doesn’t work.

Here are some other great cereal treat recipes that you will want to check out on the blog!

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About Caramel Chex

This caramel chex is also known as sweet chex in my family. I figured “caramel” is a better descriptor of what this treat actually tastes like since “sweet” is pretty arbitrary. The instructions may seem a little odd since you cook the caramel mixture over the stove and then continue to “cook” it in the microwave. Trust me though, it works and it tastes absolutely amazing. The coating has some crunch but is still easy to eat and doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.

The nuts are completely optional but I highly recommend them since they add a nice texture and flavor. If you really want to make this recipe festive for fall, you could stir in some candy corn or candy corn pumpkins after the caramel chex has cooled completely. I personally do not care for candy corn, but I think it is cute and know that some people really enjoy it. Just a thought!

With that, I hope you can make some caramel chex soon!  

Caramel Chex

This sweet snack features Rice Chex coated in a buttery, caramel coating! To make it extra special, be sure to add the peanuts or cashews. One bite and you will be hooked!

5 from 2 votes

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Course Snack

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• 1 12.8-ounce Rice Chex cereal, see note below
• 1 cup salted cashews or peanuts, optional

Instructions

 

• Combine the cereal and nuts (if using) in a large, microwaveable bowl. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1½ minutes, stirring constantly.
• Immediately remove from heat and pour the caramel mixture over the cereal and nuts. Stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
• Microwave the caramel cereal mixture for 1 minute on full power. Stir well after heating and repeat this process 3 more times, stirring after each minute of heating. The mixture should be heated for a total of 4 minutes.
• Spread in an even layer on two large, rimmed trays lined with parchment paper. The caramel chex will harden as it cools. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Notes

Chex brand cereal has downsized from a 12.8-ounce to 12-ounce box, so you will want to purchase two boxes if using this brand. Add 1 cup extra rice chex cereal if using a 12-ounce box and use the remainder for cereal or a different recipe. I used the 12.8-ounce Aldi brand version of rice Chex, and it worked perfectly. Plus, the Aldi brand is much cheaper! 🙂 

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