Spicy Sichuan Chex Mix

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Sichuan Chex Mix is a sweet, spicy, and savory snack mix featuring Sichuan peppercorns, chile flakes, and five-spice powder.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Cooling Time15

Total Time1 25

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Chinese, Universal

Keyword: chex, chex mix, dairy free, gluten free, Sichuan, snack, snack mix

Special Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 128kcal

Author: Carissa Serink

Equipment

Coffee Grinder
Small saucepan
Baking sheet use 2 baking sheets to avoid crowding
Parchment paper or silicone baking mats

Ingredients

8 cups mixed bite-sized snacks see note
¼ cup unsalted butter substitute a dairy-free butter alternative to make this recipe dairy-free and/or vegan
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce substitute gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to make this recipe gluten-free
1-2 Tablespoons Sichuan chile flakes or coarse gochugaru (see note)
1 teaspoon five spice powder
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon MSG optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 275°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Mix together your choice of 8 cups mixed bite-sized snacks in a large bowl.
Mix together ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1-2 Tablespoons Sichuan chile flakes, 1 teaspoon five spice powder, ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon MSG in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often until butter is melted and the ingredients are uniformly mixed, about 3-5 minutes. Pour the seasoning mixture over the snack mix and stir gently until evenly coated.
Divide the mixture between the two prepared baking sheets and spread evenly. Bake until the mixture is dry, about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool completely (the coating will become crunchy as it cools) and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Notes

Choose neutral-flavored bite-sized snacks like cereal (Chex, Shreddies, Cheerios, etc.), small rice crackers, pretzels, nuts, or crackers. You can also use gluten-free snacks (rice or corn chex, gluten-free cheerios, rice crackers, etc.) to make your snack mix gluten-free.

I used 2 Tablespoons of coarse gochugaru, which is milder than Sichuan chile flakes. You could also use regular red pepper flakes, which are spicier than both. If you use either Sichuan chile flakes or red pepper flakes, I recommend reducing the amount to 1 Tablespoon, or perhaps less if you don't want your snack mix to be too spicy.

Nutrition