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Every winter, my grandma made Addicting Munchies Holiday Snack. The name is accurate as this is very addicting, and it’s the perfect snack to put out in a bowl when you have company come over during the holidays.

(Recipe modified on 11/2/23.)

At our house, we may go through 2-3 batches of this snack mix between Thanksgiving and New Years, to be enjoyed by all! But that works perfectly, because it gives me plenty of time to use up all of the crackers and cereal needed for this recipe.

A Few Shopping Tips to Save Money

When shopping for ingredients, watch for holiday sales on crackers and Chex cereals, and be sure to stock up when this happens. It will save you many dollars. If you aren’t able to find your favorite brand of crackers on sale, feel free to use store brand or generic crackers, cereal, or pretzels.

And from year to year, make special note of crackers that you enjoy in this mix. I have my favorite go-to’s that I always look for, but which are not always available. For instance, Kellogg’s made these lovely multigrain Club Minis years ago that were so yummy, but unfortunately, I have not been able to find them in our stores for the past several years. Another item that I always try to find is Gardetto’s Roasted Garlic Rye Chips. They are amazing.

Look for crackers that are small, and that will bring varied tastes to the mix. Chicken in a Biskit crackers are another favorite that are not your usual herb or cheese seasoned crackers. Remember to mix it up!

More Holiday Snacks to Enjoy

Ingredients for Addicting Munchies Holiday Snack

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

17-18 cups of “whatever” – You can vary this to your taste: Pretzels, Cheddar and White Cheddar Cheese-its, Ritz Sticks, Wheat Thins, Oyster Crackers, Rye Chips, Mini Crackers, Mixed Nuts, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, and Rice Chex, etc.
vegetable oil
dill weed
garlic salt
ranch dressing mix (See my Homemade Dressing Mix Here.)

A Few Notes about the Ingredients

My mom also makes this recipe, but I believe she only uses 15 cups of “whatever.” She likes to make this recipe in bulk and gives as gifts for the family at Christmas. It’s always fun to see what crackers she uses in her mix.

As noted above, sometimes I add in other flavors such as garlic, roasted tomato, or even chicken-flavored crackers. Really, anything goes in this recipe. And if you don’t like one of those listed in the ingredients, feel free to replace it with another or simply double up on a cracker that you enjoy.

I have found that upping the recipe to 17 or 18 cups will soak in the oil better, so that I don’t have a bunch wasted at the bottom of the pan. If you’d prefer to have more “seasoning” on your crackers, go ahead and follow my mom’s 15 cup rule.

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the table or counter.

Using a large roasting pan (with lid) measure out 2 cups of each: Pretzels, Cheddar Cheese-its, White Cheddar Cheese-its, Ritz Sticks (I like to buy the wheat kind, if I can find them), Wheat Thins, Oyster Crackers, and Mixed Nuts.

I always like to finish with the Chex cereal, so as not to crush them when mixing the ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold to mix.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the vegetable oil, dill weed, garlic salt, and ranch dressing mix. (If using my homemade mix, measure out 3 tablespoons of the mix).

Pour oil mixture over the crackers and gently stir to fully coat. You’ll want to dip your spoon all the way to the bottom to mix everything well.

Cover the roaster and bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, gently stirring every thirty minutes.

Allow to cool before serving. You may store in a covered container for 3-4 weeks. This will make 17-18 cups of cracker mix. It’s the perfect recipe to make for holiday entertaining or for gift-giving.

See more Appetizers Here. View more Snack Ideas Here.