This Christmas trash recipe will be your number one requested treat this year.
Why? Because it’s snackable, crave-able, and oh-so-colorful. (Psst: it’s also insanely easy to make!)
In my opinion, the perfect snack is both sweet and salty.
And this holiday snack mix delivers in spades! It’s full of white chocolate, candy, crunchy nuts, and crispy cereal.
Make a big batch and serve it at your next festive party. Or portion it out as edible gifts.
Either way, this Christmas trash recipe is way more scrumptious than its name suggests.
Easy Christmas Trash Snack Mix
Now, let’s really get into it. Why would I be raving about a recipe that’s called “trash?”
Despite its ironic name, this sweet treat is anything but garbage. Instead, it gets its name from the thought that it’s made up of leftover pantry items.
Pretzels, cereal, nuts, and candy come together to make one scrumptious snack.
So rather than throwing all of these ingredients in the trash at the end of the year, combine them with white chocolate.
The white chocolate firms up, and you get little clusters that will satisfy any craving.
Call it Christmas trash but keep in mind, this can (and should) be made any time of year!
Ingredients
- Chex Cereal – This recipe calls for both rice and corn Chex. Rice Chex are light and crispy and corn Chex has a bit more crunch.
- Cheerios – For even more crunch and a little bit of flavor, use Honey Nut. However, you can also use frosted or plain if you prefer.
- Pretzels – Salty pretzels are the perfect match for all of the sweet ingredients in this recipe.
- Salted Peanuts – Peanuts provide a nutty crunch and a little more salt for contrast.
- M&Ms – Using plain and peanut M&Ms will give you lots of variety. You can always stick to one or the other if you like. Try to find whatever holiday colors suit your needs.
- White Chocolate Chips – White chocolate is what holds all of the ingredients together. I like to use good-quality Ghirardelli melting wafers for the best flavor.
Variations
This Christmas trash has all of the basic ingredients.
Add more of your favorites or swap out what you already have in your pantry.
Here are a few of my favorite substitutions and additions.
- Marshmallows
- Pretzel Sticks
- Almonds
- Popcorn
- Kix cereal
- Frosted Flakes
- Walnuts
- Potato Chips
- Graham Cracker pieces
- Milk or dark chocolate drizzle
How to Store Christmas Trash
The best part about this no-bake treat is that it’s low maintenance from start to finish.
Once the white chocolate is firm, this can be left at room temperature for quite a while.
At the end of the night, place it in an air-tight container so that it doesn’t get stale.
Alternatively, divide it into cellophane bags for gifting.
This snack can be safely stored in a cool, dry location for up to a month.
White Chocolate Christmas Trash Recipe
3
servings15
minutes5326
kcalTry this Christmas trash recipe for a holiday snack everyone will love! Made with Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, peanuts, and M&Ms, it’s a must for every season!
Ingredients
3 cups Rice Chex
3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups honey nut Cheerios toasted oat cereal
2 cups small pretzels
2 cups salted peanuts
1 bag holiday M&M’s plain chocolate candy (red & green)
1 bag holiday M&M’s peanut chocolate candies
2 bags white chocolate chips or melting wafers
Instructions
- Combine the Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, peanuts, and all of the M&M’s in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. If using a microwave, start with 1 minute, then stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again. Repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture. Toss all of the ingredients together until everything is coated in chocolate.
- Prepare a space on your countertop with enough waxed paper to hold all of the mixture.
- Spread the mixture onto waxed paper. It should be a thin layer rather than a mound of ingredients. Let it sit until the white chocolate hardens.
- Store your Christmas Trash in an airtight container or divide it into individual bags. If you’re serving right away, just toss it into a serving bowl or your preferred presentation.
- Enjoy!
Sounds better than the traditional Chex mix! Would make wonderful gifts for those you want to remember but don’t want to go overboard on a gift. Thanks for sharing!