Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix

Merry Christmas Eve! I can't even believe the time has already come to stay up late wrapping gifts and cursing my husband for his "not so handyman" skills. In fact, Ben is downstairs as I write attempting to piece together a tricycle for Emry. We'll see how that one goes. It's a good thing that toddlers are known to love boxes because that may be all that is intact to give her Christmas morning. Thank goodness none of Braelyn's gifts require any assembly.

Speaking of Braelyn, I have been feeling a little sad for her this year, having just found out about her Celiac diagnosis. With all the Christmas goodies my parents have been receiving from neighbors, she has only been able to taste a handful. She hasn't even been able to eat the special pancake and cinnamon roll breakfasts we've been making in the mornings. Thank goodness for Chex! Those cereals are a lifesaver!

Tonight we are going to our traditional Christmas Eve celebration with Ben's family. There is bound to be a delicious feast and goodies galore. I really wanted Braelyn to be able to eat something yummy that was also exciting and new, not just another piece of plain old milk chocolate or a leftover Halloween sucker tucked away in the back of my parent's pantry. Wait...Chex? Cinnamon rolls? Didn't I just mention those? How about a Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix?!

 

One word of warning: this stuff is extremely addictive! It has a cinnamon caramel crunch, candy coated pecans, soft plump raisins and a smooth cinnamon spiced white chocolate drizzle. This treat would be wonderful to give to neighbors. It stores nicely for up to five days in an air tight container...haha, as if it will even last that long!

 

 

Cinnamon Roll Chex Mix

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal

2 cups Rice Chex cereal

2 cups Corn Chex cereal

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

3/4 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup raisins

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine cereals and pecans. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter (cut into tablespoon size pieces), sugar,corn syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Continue stirring until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over cereal. Stir to completely coat cereal and pecans.

 

 

2. Spread cereal mixture in a large shallow baking pan. I lined mine with nonstick foil to prevent sticking and easy clean up. Place pan in oven and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in raisins and let cool.

 

 

3. While mixture is cooling, combine white chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Microwave in 15 seconds intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is smooth. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. For easy drizzling, pour chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag, cut a small hole in one of the corners, and squeeze mixture over the cereal.

 

 

4. Let cereal cool until chocolate is set. Break into pieces and eat by the fistful!

 

 

You can always improvise with the cereal you have on hand. If you only have plain flavors of Chex, just add 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the corn syrup mixture for enough cinnamon flavor. If you only have the Cinnamon Chex, just reduce the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon for the corn syrup mixture.

 

Isn't this a fun Holiday treat?! Now Braelyn doesn't have to miss out. Bring on the goodies!