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 everyone will love!
I have received numerous requests for one Furikake Chex Mix recipe, and I always wondered what it tasted like. This is not a snack we eat in Japan, but rather a Japanese-inspired American snack popular in Hawaii.
A few years ago my neighbor gifted us a batch of her special Holiday Chex Mix. Although I’ve tried store-bought bags of Chex Mix many times, this was a delicious combination of cereal, bagel chips, salty pretzels, and mixed nuts. It was super addictive!
When my local boba shop started selling bags of homemade Furikake Chex Mix earlier this year, I knew I had to try it right away. Although it was a little too sweet for my taste, I loved the concept of a seaweed snack!
Long story short, I decided to try making it myself at home.
What is Furikake Chex Mix?
Chex Mix is one of those classic American snacks made from various crunchy cereals and chips. It can be sweet, salty or both, but always crunchy. Since it’s the ultimate DIY snack, people in Hawaii decided to make their own riff by adding soy sauce to the rich butter syrup and a generous amount of furikake rice seasoning to the mix. Sounds good? It is certain!
Since I have never tried this iconic snack in Hawaii, my source for the recipe is the Furikake Chex Mix bag purchased from San Francisco’s Boba Guys and the following websites:
I created an Excel sheet to compare everyone’s ingredients. I quickly realized that everyone uses the exact same ingredients for the seasoning (with a small difference in quantity).
Everyone’s frosting:
- Butter
- Glucose syrup
- Sugar
- Boiling oil
- I am willow
- Furikake (Nori Komi Furikake – see below)
I also learned that most recipes use very similar cereals and chips.
Everyone’s party mix:
- Corn Chex
- Rice Chex
- Wheat Chex
- Honeycomb cereals
- Bugles
- Pretzels
Some added a few other additions to put their own spin on it.
Popular additions:
- Crispix cereal
- Kix
- Goldfish
- Cheez Its
- Fried
- Peanuts
- Salted almonds
Like any homemade Chex mix, this Japanese-Hawaiian version is also flexible and forgiving. After finalizing my ingredient selection, I compared and tested the spice combinations. Now let me share what I decided!
How to make Furikake Chex mix?
Ingredients you need
Party Mix
- Czech horn
- Wheat Chex
- Honeycomb cereals
- Bugles
- Pretzels
- Japanese green pea snack
My opinion: I tried a few different things, but I wanted to keep it simple and straightforward so you can always experiment with your own preference. So here I added roasted green peas.
You know, Japanese party mix often contains those crunchy green peas. I also thought it would add a pop of color to an otherwise mostly brown snack.
A side story: When I saw a bag of Bugles, I was shocked! For the past twenty years that I lived in the US, I actually didn’t know that Americans eat too Tongari corn (とんがりコーン) – the Japanese name for this snack. I didn’t want to buy overpriced imported Tongari corn at a Japanese market. Who knew I could just grab a bag of Bugles!
Glaze
- Butter
Glucose syrupBrown rice syrup- Sugar
- Boiling oil
- I am willow
- Furikake (Nori Komi Furikake)
- Shichimi togarashi
My opinion: I have never purchased corn syrup before making this recipe. I thought you might ask me for an alternative option, so I went ahead and tested it with agave, honey, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup. For the best results in terms of texture and taste, brown rice syrup wins!
It’s a healthier alternative (although this snack does come with a knob of butter!). You can buy brown rice syrup at the local supermarket or buy rice syrup at Korean supermarkets.
The Furikake Chex Mix from Boba Guys had a little spicy kick to it and my family loved it. That’s why I included shichimi togarashi in my recipe.
Overview: cooking steps
- Make the glaze in the sauce pan and let cool.
- Mix all ingredients for the party mix.
- Pour over the glaze and sprinkle with furikake.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
- Allow to cool and store in airtight containers/jars.
Helpful tips for making Furikake Chex Mix
- Use aluminum prep containers with high edges; one large container (size of a half baking pan) or two containers (size of a quarter baking pan) that fit in the oven. They have high edges and are perfect for tossing the mixture without spilling.
- Spread the syrup evenly. Be sure to drizzle the syrup over the entire mixture (rather than just one area) so that it is easier to distribute and toss evenly.
- Use plastic gloves or two utensils (silicone spatulas are great!) to stir and coat with syrup, and once baked, loosen the party mix that is sticking together into large chunks.
- Mix the grain mixture at least 3 times during baking and 3 times during cooling.
- Let the Chex mix cool completely after baking. If you pack even a slightly warm snack into containers, the steam (moisture) will eventually make it less crispy.
The ultimate party snack
This is definitely an all-star party snack, perfect for any occasion and holiday fun. My son brought it to school to share with his friends, and they asked for the recipe. Thank you to those who requested the recipe! I’m so glad you asked, and now it will be a regular item on our holiday menu.
I hope you give it a try!
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Furikake Chex Mix
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 everyone will love!
Portions: 8 (or 5 32 oz mason jars or 4 treat bags (6″ x 11″) filled to the top)
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 120ºC (250ºC). Gather all ingredients. This recipe is very flexible and forgiving. Use approximately the same amount of party mix of your choice.
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Melt in a medium saucepan ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup brown rice syrup, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup neutral oilAnd 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
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Stir to mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to prevent boiling. Remove from heat to cool slightly while you prepare the party mix.
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Add to a large baking pan 4 cups corn Chex, 4 cups Wheat Chex, 4 cups Honeycomb Cereals, 4 cups of flugelhorn, 2 cups pretzelsAnd 1 bag of Japanese roasted green pea snack.
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Whisk the syrup again to make sure it doesn’t separate. Then divide the syrup evenly over the party mix. Use two silicone spatulas and stir the party mixture well until it is evenly coated.
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Bake for 1 hour at 120ºC (250ºC). Remove the pan every 15 minutes (3 times total) to toss everything together.
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Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. Toss the party mix every 15 minutes (at least 3 times) to loosen it as it cools. If you skip this step, the party mix will stick together as it cools. If that happens, place the pan back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The syrup will melt again and release. Make sure to toss the party mix every 15 minutes this time!
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Serve and enjoy! If you are not going to eat it right away, divide the party mix into airtight bags/containers.
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Nutrition facts
Furikake Chex Mix
Quantity per serving
% Daily Value*
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 26, 2021. It was republished with a video on December 8, 2023.
Reference By: www.justonecookbook.com
