Buttery Ranch Snack Mix — The Dangerously Easy Snack I Made for 30 College Kids
Some Recipes Are Just Dangerous to Have Around the House
This ranch snack mix is one of them, y’all. Mini pretzels, Cheez-Its and mini saltines get tossed in melted butter, avocado oil and ranch seasoning, then baked low and slow until they’re toasty and crispy, and it is not going to last long. I made a double batch for the fall goodie bags I put together for the college kids at our church (you can see everything that went into my care packages for college students), and my own teenagers made sure there was plenty left over for them.
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Watch me make this buttery ranch snack mix from start to finish — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
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Buttery Ranch Snack Mix
Start CookingIngredients
- 16 oz pretzels mini twists, 1 bag
- 1 box mini saltine crackers
- 12 oz Cheez-It crackers 12 to 16 oz, about 1 box
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
- ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup ranch seasoning or 3 packets
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper more if you like it spicy
Don’t Want to Plan? I Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week’s Weekly Meal Plans!Equipment
Method Start Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- Whisk the melted butter, avocado oil, ranch seasoning, garlic powder and cayenne pepper together until smooth. Break up any clumps of ranch seasoning as you go.
- Add the pretzels, mini saltines and Cheez-Its to an extra large mixing bowl. Pour the ranch butter over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated. Clean hands work best for a big batch.
- Spread the snack mix in a thin layer on a large sheet pan, or two pans if you’d rather bake it all at once. Don’t pile it too thick.
- Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, until toasty and lightly browned. Start checking at 10 minutes. Stirring halfway through is recommended, but mine turned out fine without it.
- Let the snack mix cool completely on the pan, then store it in an airtight container or bag it up for gifts.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what’s in the cookbook →Why This Buttery Ranch Snack Mix Works
This ranch snack mix is a take-off on one I found online by Brooklyn’s Bites on Instagram. I just modified it a little bit. It’s three things from the cracker aisle (a bag of mini twist pretzels , a box of mini saltines and a box of Cheez-Its ), plus a ranch butter you whisk up in about two minutes. The butter and avocado oil carry the seasoning into every little nook of those pretzels, and a slow bake at 250° turns everything toasty and crispy instead of greasy.
The flavor comes from Hidden Valley ranch seasoning , with garlic powder and a little cayenne because you gotta have a little kick. Half a cup of ranch is the same as three packets. I buy it in bulk, since I’m usually making snack mix for a crowd. Hidden Valley has the Original Ranch seasoning shaker on their website if you want to see what to look for at the store.
My goodie bags were a little sweet and a little salty. Every bag got a mini loaf of pumpkin bread or Mama’s banana bread, plus a bag of this ranch snack mix. College kids are always hungry, and this is the kind of snack that disappears during a late study night.
A Few Things That Make Buttery Ranch Snack Mix Even Easier
- Break up the ranch before you whisk. That’s one disadvantage of buying in bulk when you live in Florida. The seasoning gets a little clumpy, and a big clump of ranch would not taste very good. Mash it with a fork first.
- Use the biggest bowl you own. One batch fits in my big stainless steel mixing bowl . When I doubled it, I washed out my Halloween candy bucket and used that. Whatever works!
- Get your hands in there. Wash them real good and toss everything together by hand. It coats the crackers more evenly than a spoon. You can also shake smaller batches in zip-top bags.
- Spread it thin on the pan. Don’t pile it too thick, or the bottom layer stays soft. I use my extra large baking sheets and bake in batches when I’m doubling.
- Let it cool all the way before you bag it. Warm snack mix steams in the bag and loses its crunch. Once it’s completely cool, it’s ready for baggies, gift bags or an airtight container.
Ranch Snack Mix FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
What temperature and how long do I bake ranch snack mix?
Bake it at 250°F for 10 to 20 minutes. Start checking at 10 minutes, and take it out when the pretzels and crackers look toasty with a few brown bits. My batches went the full 20 minutes.
Do I need to stir ranch snack mix while it bakes?
Stirring halfway through is recommended, but I didn’t, and mine turned out just fine. If your pan is crowded, a stir helps everything crisp evenly.
How many ranch packets do I need for ranch snack mix?
Three packets of ranch seasoning, or half a cup from a bottle. For a double batch, use a full cup, which is the same as six packets.
Can I use vegetable oil instead of avocado oil?
Yes. Vegetable oil works just fine. I happen to like avocado oil, so that’s what I use.
How do I make ranch snack mix spicier?
Add more cayenne. The butter and oil mellow the heat more than you’d expect. At a quarter teaspoon I didn’t get much heat at all, so if you like it spicy, I would definitely add more.
How do I store buttery ranch snack mix?
Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container or seal it up in baggies. That’s how mine went into the care packages, one bag for every student.
How do I make ranch snack mix for a crowd?
Double everything. A double batch is two bags of pretzels, two boxes of mini saltines, about one and a half big boxes of Cheez-Its, and a full cup of ranch. Toss it in your biggest bowl and bake it in batches on a couple of sheet pans. That’s how I made enough for thirty college kids, plus a stash for my own crowd.
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Ingredients
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More Party Snacks and Appetizers You’ll Love
- 4-Ingredient Sausage Cheese Balls — the easiest party appetizer, with only four ingredients
- Loaded Hashbrown Balls — the dangerously good appetizer everyone asks for
- Cranberry Pecan Cheddar Crackers — the one savory thing on a table full of sweet
- Candied Pecans — a little jar, a little ribbon, and something homemade inside
- Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies — the meat candy that disappears first
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Ranch Snack Mix — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.