Chex Mix snacks have been around for years and they offer quite a number of varieties including the Hot & Spicy version (which has a decent kick). But these days Ghost Pepper and Carolina Reaper are the buzzwords that advertising people are looking for as they try to appeal to an ever-increasing love of spicy food among consumers. So the Hot & Spicy Chex Mix has received a Ghost Pepper variant that is now available on the shelves (though you may have to hunt for them), and they refer to this one as scary hot.
The mix is based on the popular holiday snack that includes Chex cereal combined with other snack items and cooked together into a savory and tasty treat. The Hot & Spicy mix in the stores includes two types of Chex cereal (Wheat Chex and I believe the other is Corn Chex), rye chips, hard breadsticks, and pretzels. Some of the varieties include nuts, but apparently those didn’t make the cut for the spicy mix.
The Ghost Pepper version basically has very much the same taste as the regular Hot & Spicy mix, just kicked up in the heat department (and with just a little bit of ghost chili taste in the background). The snacks have a smokey and sweet flavor with just enough saltiness as a counterbalance. If you called these spicy BBQ, nobody would argue. The best bites are the Chex cereal pieces because they tend to collect the most seasoning. The rye chips, pretzels, and breadsticks tend to not have as much seasoning, but they still add a nice variety of textures and flavors.
Now lots of snack makers are adding Ghost Pepper and Carolina Reaper and other hot chilis to the names of their products, but since they market to the average consumer, the heat level tends to disappoint us chiliheads. That said, the regular Hot & Spicy mix has a nice kick and comes in around the medium heat level. And the Ghost Pepper version amps up the heat even more and quickly gets to the Hot level after several bites. And this is a burn that will stick with you for a bit. If you are looking for a snack on the shelves that will bring the heat, this is certainly a good option.
Unfortunately, finding these may be a challenge. I didn’t even know the Ghost Pepper version existed until I stumbled upon them at Arlan’s Market in Hempstead, Texas. That is a local chain that is usually found in small towns, and interestingly I have found quite a number of spicy items in that store that I have not seen elsewhere. I don’t know if the chain itself tends to have more options that bring the heat, or if the manager of the location in Hempstead just happens to love spicy food. But I definitely appreciate the selection they have and I happen to really like that store in general.
The Hot & Spicy mix is a decent option in case you can’t find the Ghost Pepper version, and it is much more readily available. The Ghost Pepper mix is available from Amazon.com, though you have to order it from their “Fresh” service that does grocery delivery and that requires a minimum order size. If you happen to have an Arlan’s near you, then you can check to see if they have these in stock, otherwise you might be hunting them. But this snack does bring the heat and may just be worth the effort. (If they have the family size, snatch those up!) Hopefully these will become more widely available at some point. (And bring back the Peanut Lovers flavor as well!)
Tale of the Tape:
Ingredients: Whole wheat, degermed yellow corn meal, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (soybean, canola and/or rice bran), sugar, rye flour. contains 2 % or less of: salt, spices, maltodextrin, dextrose, dried garlic, yeast, yeast extract, dried onion, paprika extract (color), distilled monoglycerides, baking soda, yellow corn flour, trisodium phosphate, calcium carbonate, citric acid, natural flavor, caramel color, barley malt syrup, fumaric acid, caraway, sodium diacetate. freshness preserved by bht.
Serving Size: 29g (½ Cup)
Calories: 130
Fat: 4g (0.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 22g
Sodium: 210mg