Nothing says Christmas like homemade nuts and bolts and this particular homemade nuts and bolts recipe is my family’s favourite. I hope you like it!
I can’t believe that it’s taken me this long to share my family’s classic nuts and bolts recipe with you all.
You can actually thank these two in the photo below, for the kick in the pants this year for finally getting a homemade nuts and bolts recipe up for you guys.
Yes, my Mom and Dad. Who gleefully – and most deservedly – spend their winter in Phoenix now and are coming home for Christmas. This makes our Christmas ever MORE of a food fest of all of their favorite things to eat. I was talking to Dad on the phone the other day and was emphatically told :
“There’s NEVER enough garlic in homemade nuts and bolts! Make sure to double, no, TRIPLE the garlic!”
You can take the boy out of the Ukraine, but you can’t…you know. Take the garlic out of the Ukrainian.
Here’s the thing: I totally agree with Dad and that might be because I’m a Ukrainian girl, through and through. There is NEVER enough garlic or flavour in homemade nuts and bolts. You know how the store-bought versions of nuts and bolts burn your mouth? You are aiming for a wee bit shy of that flavour explosion.
There has to be a happy medium between the ho-hum recipes out there – man, you should see how little butter some of the other recipes for homemade nuts and bolts use! Sacrilege!- and the store-bought bags. I actually don’t even like the store-bought bags of bits and bites or nuts and bolts. It has to be homemade nuts and bolts or nothing!
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.
We aren’t making Chex Mix.
Mainly because we don’t get all of the different varieties of Chex mix that the original recipe calls for.
We are making Homemade Nuts and Bolts and Canadians use far different cereals than my American friends do. Homemade nuts and bolts are far different here in Canada, as the mix that I grew up with also included Shreddies. We always had Shreddies in our homemade nuts and bolts.
I don’t include them because those buggers always cut my mouth.
Is it just me? Those dang sharp cereal corners! BAH!!! Always cut me!
Please tell me that it’s not just me. I feel like such a freak just typing that. Shreddies in a homemade nuts and bolts mix totally remind me of cutting my gums as a kid. That’s all there is to it. I would always bite them the wrong way and stick those sharp corners into a gum.
Why do you guys even come here and read this stuff, seriously. Bleeding gums and homemade nuts and bolts recipe. Er, welcome to my website?
I use the Rice Chex that is available here in Canada, but my family has always had a love for Crispix cereal. To be honest, the Crispix works even better than the Chex does- more on that later.
Take a look at this finished homemade nuts and bolts. The Rice Chex appears to be the exact same colour as it was before, however the Crispix is loaded with salty, savoury homemade nuts and bolts goodness. It also crisped up and darkened slightly!
I might be inclined to change my entire recipe to all Crispix, I’m not sure. This was my first year making our homemade nuts and bolts recipe so I didn’t really sit and analyze what was going on before, I just, well, ate it. Now as the cook who’s making it, I am taking a second look.
Granted the Chex does give it a different shape and texture, so I’ll most likely keep it.
Happy holidays to us!
There is nothing like a homemade nuts and bolts recipe for the holidays. I’m rather excited for Christmas this year, we are home, Christmas is going to be at my house and everyone will be here.
The Nuts
You will notice that my nuts and bolts has no nuts – believe it or not it’s not called nuts and bolts because you used to be able to fit the pretzels and Cheerios together like nuts and bolts, now you can’t) and that’s because my nephew is allergic to them. You can certainly toss in a cup of peanuts if desired!
This is like Bits and Bites in the bag at the grocery store, those don’t come with nuts either, but you can add them!
Is it Christmas yet?
I’m ready.
I’m done my book tour, or at least the part that involves major travel. We’ve done a lot of rearranging in our house, because you know, this is my busy time of year so why not throw in some house projects as well, right?
Stay tuned for a post on that! The bonus room upstairs has been turned into a retro bar area…pinball machine included! I am so excited, it was worth every aching muscle. And every aching muscle to come, because we’ve been at it a week and my house is still topsy-turvy.
Well, I wanted a Mad Men Christmas party at my house… and I’ll be getting it!
So here’s the real question, what is in YOUR family’s homemade nuts and bolts recipe? I have found that recipes vary so much from family to family. As you can tell, ours has a lot of garlic and paprika, which actually isn’t usually found in homemade nuts and bolts. We just like our paprika, just like our garlic!
Happy baking everyone! Let me know what you think!
I think this is definitely a recipe that you need to try this holiday season, trust me. It makes SO much and stores for two weeks in an airtight container! Make it a week before Christmas and hide it so that it lasts until the big day! It’s also a big enough recipe to make for a party and since you make it ahead of time, it’s perfect!
Love you more than garlic,
Karlynn
Classic Homemade Nuts and Bolts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons garlic powder 3 is my dad’s level!
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 8 cups of Crispix Cereal plain corn and rice
- 4 cups of Rice Chex
- 4 cups plain Cheerios
- 4 cups of pretzel sticks
- 1 box cheese stick crackers
- Optional spices: 1/2 tbsp onion powder very good 1/2 tbsp dried dill, ( haven’t tried it but sounds great!)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.
- In a very large roaster, combine the cereals, nuts, crackers and pretzels. In microwave (or on stove) melt butter and mix in spices and Worcestershire. Pour over dry ingredients and stir gently to mix thoroughly.
- Bake at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring gently with a spoon every 25 minutes or so.
- The mix will be done when you can see that all of the butter mixture has been absorbed and is dry.
Video
Notes
- This recipe was originally called nuts and bolts because the pretzels fit into the cheerios like “nuts and bolts.” However you can add in 1-2 cups of your favorite nuts to the mixture.
Nutrition
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Alexaa says
I find your website very frustrating because of all the ads. Ridiculous how many you have! It covers up part of the recipe.
Megan says
Wrote this in the back of a Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook so all my Christmas recipes are in one place!
Laney says
Found this very, very bland. I followed the recipe exactly, yet there is little spice flavour at all. Disappointed to say the least. Won’t be making this again
Nora says
Delicious! Made exactly as directed. Used about 2 1/2 tbsp of garlic. Perfect!
Maria R says
Hi, just wondering how long these will keep? I would like to make a batch in next few days & split into a few gift bags, give them out in about 2 weeks. Or should I just go ahead & freeze them? Thanks!
GAIL Thrasher Herron says
Hi. Thank you. This is the first time I have heard this snack’s name as nuts and bolts outside my family. None of us as far back as I know are Canadian. My great aunt Gladys passed down the recipe, so I don’t know where she was born. We do not use as much garlic, but we do add chili powder. Add all 3 versions of chex cereal and you have it. My mother added in chow mien Chinese noodles ( bought in the can) and I like those. It adds a bit of volume and airyenss. Thanks again. Happy Holidays!
Beth B says
My mother made this for years with corn chex, rice chex, and wheat chex. The family picked through and left the wheat chex. She would also have a lot of left over cereal which none of us liked to eat except as nuts and bolts. Mom eventually switched to Crispix and everyone was happy. Thank you for this recipe – it’s inspiring me to make it again.
Linda Taylor says
Has a anyone tried it with roasted garlic instead of garlic powder?
Mary Bowling says
Rye chips are an extra special addition for my family!
Linda Alford says
I also use crispix not as available in my area but wort it
Peg says
I too whip up many batches for Xmas gifts for many years now & i prefer to use extra virgin olive oil as I feel its healthier!! Also more affordable as butter is very expensive for this endeavor!! I’m going to try adding in a tiny splash of liquid smoke with the worstershire sauce for a trial batch!
Sharon says
Has been a real hit!!
Pat says
what can you use Instead of Worcestershire
sauce? anybody
Jordan says
Maggie’s is another option, careful with the salt content as the cereals tend to have quite a bit.
It’s a very simple recipe that can be altered to your preference. Experiment and have fun with it, try alternate flavors in smaller batches.
Mary Bowling says
You could try coconut aminos.
Casey says
A1 or HP Steak sauce
Barb says
Soya sauce perhaps?
R u looking for less sodium?
Carolyn says
This has been my families go to for 3 years now! Best recipe ever. I can’t keep them in my house they are gone so fast! Yum!! I go for the dad garlic and the onion powder too!
Joanne says
Mine actually turned out greasy, even tried leaving in oven longer.
Exact measurements.
Kathy Limebert says
Sounds good but unable to keep the recipe page from rolling???
Wait copy and try it.
Kathy Limebert says
Sounds good but unable to keep the recipe page from rolling???
Elizabeth Goddard says
Is this recipe in your cookbook “A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook”?
Debbie Fisher says
I make nuts and bolts every Christmas. Usually a week before. This year I have to have surgery the first week of Dec. I will have to do all my treats early this year as I won’t feel up to it after surgery. I was wondering if I could freeze the nuts and bolts to keep them fresh. Have you ever tried it? TIA
Karlynn J says
Hi Debbie,
I do freeze them every year! just double bag them to prevent any freezer burn or them absorbing flavours from the freezer and they are fantastic once defrosted!
Shirley says
Are they still crispy/crunchy after being frozen?
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Yes! In fact, it preserves their crunchiness and best of all, you can eat them right away out of the freezer.
Carolyn Rollins says
This has been our go to recipe for a couple of years now. The family can’t get enough during the holidays. I go with Dads strength on the garlic powder and add the onion powder. So delicious! I follow the recipe a described. Sometimes I do substitute half shreddies half Crispin. Yum!!
Lisa S says
This has become our goto recipe for snack mix. I use a variety of cereals, corn chips, hoops, pretzels, cheese mini crackers and bites, and peanuts. It used to only be for Christmas but here it is Feb and I’m making more! Seems to be a favorite in gift baskets I give with baking, homemade jams and tins of snack mix. Big thing we do is smoke it on our Traeger at supersmoke for about 2 1/2 hours. Adds a nice but not overpowering smokey flavor.
Megan says
I always use this recipe, but modify just slightly- it’s a bit too salty for me.
instead of seasoning salt I use roughly 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp celery salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika and about 1/4 tsp black pepper.
I melt my butter in a large measuring cup, and add the seasoning directly in it. most recently I used 1/2 the butter, poured it all on & mixed, then melted the second half of the butter. I has far less wasted seasoning that way!
Judy says
Will try your variation. I don’t have seasoning salt and like you would prefer a less salty version 🙂
Sandra Dufresne says
Could you use sticks of garlic butter in this recipe? Lactancia?
Lisa says
I bet that would be great!