A bowl filled with a colorful snack mix, including rice crackers, pretzel sticks, wasabi peas, and various crunchy cereal pieces, sits on a wooden table.

Recipe Highlights

Furikake Chex Mix is one of my favorite treats to make during the holiday season. I always prepare a big batch, pour it into small jars or bags, and hand them out to neighbors and friends—my kids’ friends love it! This crunchy snack mix keeps well, travels beautifully, and everyone asks for the recipe without fail.

Just remember to toss the mix often while it bakes and cools so the pieces stay crisp, glossy, and separate—you don’t want them to clump and stick together!

  • A homemade gift everyone loves – It’s perfect for holiday gifting, school treats, and snack swaps.
  • Flexible and fun – Customize the cereals, nuts, and seasonings to create endless variations.
  • Great for parties and snacking – It disappears fast at gatherings and potlucks. People can’t stop eating it!

If you love Hawaiian recipes, try my Butter Mochi, Poke Bowl, and Spam Onigirazu for a fun party spread!

Four jars filled with snack mix are decorated with red plaid fabric, pinecones, faux pine, and holiday tags, set against a festive background with blurred Christmas lights.
A bowl of snack mix featuring Chex cereal, pretzel sticks, rice crackers, and green wasabi peas sits on a wooden table next to a napkin and a chessboard, with warm natural lighting.

What is Furikake Chex Mix?

Furikake Chex mix is Hawaii’s creative riff on the classic American snack mix. Locals combine cereals and crackers with a buttery soy glaze, then toss everything with furikake, the savory Japanese rice seasoning. It bakes low and slow until crisp, fragrant, and lightly sweet with a delicious nori aroma.

Ingredients for Furikake Chex Mix

  • Breakfast cereal – I used Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, and Honeycomb cereals
  • Bugles corn snack
  • pretzel sticks
  • Japanese roasted green pea snack
  • butter, brown rice syrup (or use corn syrup), sugar, neutral oil, and soy sauce – for the glaze
  • “Nori Komi Furikake” rice seasoning (nori, sesame seeds, and sea salt) and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) – for the seasoning

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Furikake Chex Mix

  1. Make the glaze. Melt butter in a saucepan, then add brown rice syrup, sugar, oil, and soy sauce. Stir until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
A metal measuring cup pours dark soy sauce into a saucepan containing melted butter and sugar, beginning the process of making a sauce on a stovetop.
  1. Prepare the party mix. Add the cereals, Bugles, pretzels, and green peas to a large baking pan.
A large tray filled with an assortment of crunchy snacks, including different shapes and colors of Chex cereal, pretzel sticks, puffed snack pieces, and green wasabi peas.
  1. Coat with glaze. Whisk the glaze again, pour evenly over the mix, and toss well to coat.
A foil tray filled with various snack mix ingredients, including cereals, pretzels, and green wasabi peas, with a measuring cup pouring brown sauce over them.
  1. Add seasonings. Sprinkle the furikake over the mixture, then toss again. Add shichimi togarashi for spicy heat.
A hand sprinkles seasoning from a can over a tray of homemade snack mix containing pretzels, Chex cereal, crackers, and rice crackers, all laid out in a foil tray.
  1. Bake. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour, tossing every 15 minutes.
Two foil trays filled with seasoned Chex mix snacks bake in an oven. The mix includes cereal pieces, pretzel sticks, and seasoning, all distributed evenly in the trays.
  1. Serve. Cool completely, breaking up any clusters as it cools. Enjoy, or package in airtight jars.
A bowl filled with Japanese snack mix, including rice crackers, coated cereal squares, pretzel sticks, and green peas, sits on a wooden table.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

These simple tips will help you make the crispiest Furikake Chex Mix every time.

  • Use silicone spatulas or gloves – They help coat everything quickly and evenly.
  • Use tall-edged aluminum pans – They make tossing easier without spilling.
  • Distribute the syrup evenly – Pour over the whole surface instead of one spot.
  • Toss often – Mix at least three times while baking and three times while cooling.
  • Break up clusters as they cool – Toss every 15 minutes to separate the pieces so they don’t stick together and clump.
  • Cool completely before storing – Even slight warmth creates steam and softens the mix.
  • Most Furikake Chex Mix recipes use corn syrup, but I use brown rice syrup that is a bit healthier and neutral in flavor.
A bottle of Karo light corn syrup and a jar of GloryBee organic brown rice syrup are placed side by side on a white marble surface.

Variations and Customizations

Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!

  • Switch the snack cracker. Try Cheez-Its, goldfish crackers, or sesame sticks for a different flavor.
  • Try different cereals. Swap in Crispix, Kix, or Rice Chex cereal for variety.
  • Add nuts. Peanuts or salted almonds bring delicious texture.
  • Use honey or maple syrup. Please note that the flavor becomes stronger.
Glass jars filled with snacks are topped with red and black plaid fabric, pinecones, and greenery. Each jar has a holiday gift tag, with festive lights and decorations blurred in the background.
A mason jar filled with homemade snack mix, including Chex cereal, pretzels, and nuts, sits on a rustic wooden table next to another jar, a bowl of mix, and a beige napkin.

Storage Tips

To store: Once the Furikake Chex Mix is cooled completely, store in airtight containers or jars and keep in a cool, dark place for 2–3 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. If the mix softens over time, re-crisp it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for 10–12 minutes.

FAQs

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! It stays crunchy for weeks when stored properly.

What can I use instead of brown rice syrup?

Most Furikake Chex Mix recipes use corn syrup, but I wanted something a bit healthier and more neutral in flavor, so I used brown rice syrup. You can try honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup, but keep in mind that the flavor and texture will change.

How do I adjust the recipe for a large group?

Simply double or triple the ingredients and use multiple baking pans.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

A bowl of snack mix featuring Chex cereal, pretzel sticks, rice crackers, and green wasabi peas sits on a wooden table next to a napkin and a chessboard, with warm natural lighting.
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4.65 from 126 votes

Furikake Chex Mix

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Make this Hawaiian favorite—Furikake Chex Mix—for a holiday gift exchange, movie/game night, or potluck. It‘s such a fun, irresistible treat that will keep everyone snacking!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 (makes enough for five 32-oz mason jars or four 6″ x 11″ treat bags)

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 cups Corn Chex
  • 4 cups Wheat Chex
  • 4 cups Honeycomb cereal
  • 4 cups Bugles corn snack
  • 2 cups pretzel sticks
  • 1 bag Japanese roasted green pea snack (2.5 oz, 73 g per bag)

For the Seasoning

For the Syrup

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 8 Tbsp)
  • ½ cup brown rice syrup (most recipes use corn syrup, but I use brown rice syrup for a healthier option with more neutral flavor)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ cup neutral oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 250ºF (120ºC). Gather all the ingredients.
    Nami's Tip: This recipe is flexible and forgiving, so feel free to use the cereal blend or party mix of your choice.
    Various baking ingredients, including butter, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings, are displayed in bowls and measuring cups, alongside cereal boxes, pretzels, brown rice syrup, and corn syrup on a light background.

To Make the Syrup

  • In a medium saucepan, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Then add ½ cup brown rice syrup, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup neutral oil, and 2 Tbsp soy sauce.
    Two images show hands pouring ingredients into a saucepan: on the left, oil is poured over sugar and butter; on the right, soy sauce is added to the mixture.
  • Lower the heat to avoid boiling and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat to cool slightly. Meanwhile, prepare the party mix blend.
    Two side-by-side images show a hand stirring thick, golden-brown caramel with a white spatula in a metal saucepan on a stovetop. The caramel is glossy and partially melted.

To Prepare the Party Mix

  • Add 4 cups Corn Chex, 4 cups Wheat Chex, 4 cups Honeycomb cereal, 4 cups Bugles corn snack, 2 cups pretzel sticks, and 1 bag Japanese roasted green pea snack to a large baking pan with high sides.
    A hand pours bugle-shaped snacks into a large aluminum tray filled with assorted cereals, pretzels, and snack pieces; the right image shows the mixed snacks evenly distributed in the tray.
  • Whisk the syrup again to blend well, then evenly distribute it over the party mix. Toss well with two silicone spatulas until evenly coated.
    Two images side by side: on the left, caramel sauce is being poured over a mix of cereals, pretzels, and nuts in a foil tray; on the right, the mixture is being stirred with tongs in the tray.
  • Sprinkle 1 jar nori komi furikake on top and toss well until all pieces are evenly coated. If you like it spicy, sprinkle with 2 tsp shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), to taste.
    Two images show a snack mix in a foil tray being seasoned. In the first, a hand sprinkles seasoning from a bottle. In the second, a hand scatters dry spices from a small bowl over the snack mix.

To Bake

  • Bake at 250ºF (120ºC) for 1 hour. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and toss the mix, then return it to the oven to continue baking. Toss the mix every 15 minutes (3 times total).
    Two aluminum trays of snack mix baking in an oven (left); hands using tongs to mix the seasoned snack mix, including cereal pieces and pretzel sticks, in a tray (right).
  • After 1 hour, remove from the oven and let it cool completely. As it cools, toss it every 15 minutes (at least 3 times) to break up the clusters so they separate and don't stick together.
    Nami's Tip: If you skip this step and your party mix clumps, bake it for another 15 minutes until the syrup melts and the mix becomes loose again. Then take it out and be sure to toss it every 15 minutes this time!
    Two foil trays filled with homemade snack mix, including pretzel sticks, cereal pieces, and seasoning, sit in an oven. A close-up on the right shows the mix being stirred with a wooden spoon.

To Serve

  • Enjoy! Serve right away or package it into airtight bags or containers for gifting.
    A close-up of a spoonful of savory snack mix in a blue bowl on the left, and the same snack mix in a mason jar on the right, featuring cereal, pretzels, and crunchy vegetables.

To Store

  • You can keep in an airtight container or mason jars and store it in a dark, cool place for up to 2–3 weeks or in the freezer for 2–3 months.

Notes

Variations and Customizations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!
  • Switch the snack cracker. Try Cheez-Its, goldfish crackers, or sesame sticks for a different flavor.
  • Try different cereals. Swap in Crispix, Kix, or Rice Chex cereal for variety.
  • Add nuts. Peanuts or salted almonds bring delicious texture.
  • Use honey or maple syrup. Please note that the flavor becomes stronger.

Nutrition

Calories: 643kcal, Carbohydrates: 116g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 983mg, Potassium: 424mg, Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 2368IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 164mg, Iron: 26mg

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 26, 2021. It’s was updated with a new video on December 8, 2023, and republished with more helpful information on November 23, 2025.