This homemade spicy snack mix recipe will satisfy your cravings with loads of crunchy crackers, pretzels and tortilla chips tossed in a mix of spicy seasonings, then lightly baked. Super easy to make!
It's snack time, my friends! Do you have a go-to snack mix in your home? We do. We enjoy many different snacks in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, but often we're in the mood for something crunchy that has a nice level of spice to it.
There are many options available for purchase from the grocery store, but we've personally found many of them lacking. So, we've used some of those brands and have doctored them up a bit with extra seasonings to make a Homemade Spicy Snack Mix of our own.
It's a great mixture of crispy, crunchy crackers with tortilla chips and mini pretzels that we toss in oil and a flavorful blend of many different seasonings.
The result is a wonderfully spicy and salty snack mix you can enjoy while you're binging your favorite shows or hanging out in general. It's also the perfect party food, so whip some together as a party mix and serve it to your guests.
They will love you for it! This is Patty's recipe, actually. She invented it after being extremely dissatisfied with the many offerings out there, so being the converted chilihead that she is, she went to work in the kitchen and experimented with several batches.
The result is this awesome Spicy Snack Mix that is her current favorite. I think you're going to love it!
Let's talk about how we make our homemade spicy snack mix, shall we?
Homemade Spicy Snack Mix Ingredients
- Goldfish Crackers or Other Crackers. We love the different flavors available and the level of crunch. We use several bags, though Patty prefers Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar and Flavor Blasted Cheddar Jack’d for this recipe.
- Tortilla Chips. Nice crunch factor.
- Mini Pretzels. Great for a crunchy addition and flavor.
- Oil. We usually use an olive oil blend, though any neutral oil will work, like vegetable oil.
- Seasonings. We use lots of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne pepper and hot paprika. Great mix! You can very easily customize.
How to Make Homemade Spicy Snack Mix - the Recipe Method
Preheat Oven. You'll be baking the snack mix for maximum flavor. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
Toss the Crunchy Bits. Toss all of the crackers, tortilla chips and pretzels together in a large bowl.
Coat with Oil. Pour in the oil a bit at a time, tossing to coat, until all of the oil is added.
Add the Spicy Seasonings. Sprinkle in the seasonings and continue to toss until the spicy snack mixture if evenly coated.
First Bake. Spread the spicy snack mix out over a couple of baking pans and bake for 20 minutes.
Second Bake. Toss the mix or stir it up, then bake for another 20 minutes, or until the mix is dry.
Time to Snack! Remove, cool and enjoy!
Boom! Done! Your new homemade spicy snack mix is now ready to serve. Looks wonderful, doesn't it? It is so awesomely crunchy and spicy and hugely satisfying. We just love this recipe. It is definitely Patty's favorite.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Crunch Factor. You can very easily use other crackers and crunchy snacks here, like Chex cereal for a version of your own Chex mix recipe (wheat Chex, rice Chex), Cheese-it crackers and others. It's very easy to customize. Add in some peanuts or other mixed nuts for a variation.
- The Seasonings. You can also easily include other spices and seasonings to your preference, like ghost pepper powder for extra heat, Italian herbs, brown sugar or white chocolate chips for a sweet and salty combination and others. Make it your own!
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Spicy Snack Mix in an airtight container may allow you to store it for up to 1-2 weeks. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate the mix promptly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Homemade Spicy Snack Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 6.6 ounce bags Goldfish Crackers Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, though you can use others
- 1 6.6 ounce bag Goldfish Crackers Flavor Blasted Cheddar Jack’d, though you can use others
- 2 cups crumbled tortilla chips
- 2 cups crumbled mini pretzels
- ½ cup olive oil or use any neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon old bay
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- Toss all of the crackers, tortilla chips and pretzels together in a large bowl.
- Pour in the oil a bit at a time, tossing to coat, until all of the oil is added.
- Sprinkle in the seasonings and continue to toss until the spicy snack mixture if evenly coated.
- Spread the spicy snack mix out over a couple of baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes.
- Toss the mix or stir it up, then bake for another 20 minutes, or until the mix is dry.
- Remove, cool and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Kathryn Luffman says
Made these today. Added a little more cayanne pepper (doubled) kinda made it my own like you suggested in the post. So yummy! I love your recipes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Thanks, Kathryn! These are Patty's favorite. She makes it all the time. Glad you enjoyed it.
andrew Stashek says
Fantastic!
Paul says
Mike,
Great recipe, I love just about everything you present to us. Keep the fantastic recipes coming. Also, Happy New Years to you and your family!
Paul
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Paul! I appreciate it! Happy New Year to you and yours!
patrick says
perfect idea!
the amount of times i've grabbed a bag or two of "hot n spicey" snacks...only to be a little annoyed by the let down!
there does'nt seem to be a proper standard here in the uk-anything with black pepper can be called exotic or spicey.....
all the best to you both,
have a happy and healthy new year...and keep them spicey recipes coming!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Patrick! Greatly appreciated!
col says
have done similar with peanuts and cashews but it'll be pretzels, tortilla chips and strange cheese things later this week.
served with beer.
cheers Mike (and Patty).
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love it, Col. Sounds great!