This Bunny Bait is the perfect sweet and salty Easter snack mix filled with all your favorite things: pretzels, cereal, M&M’s and more! This quick Easter treat is great for munching on or for party favors for your easter gathering or for goodie bags.

Pastel-colored treats are always fun to make this time of year! Be sure to make my Sugar Coated Cookies for some super fun colored cookies for the spring! My Sugar Cookie Bars are another fun dessert recipe to make during this Easter season. 

A black rimmed bowl full of "bunny bait" trail mix against a white background.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Easter bunny bait. This bunny bait recipe is the perfect snack for Easter! Make it with your favorite chocolate Easter egg candies (such as easter colored M&Ms or Cadbury eggs) and it is the ultimate holiday treat. 
  • Perfect for parties or Easter baskets. If your family does any Easter parties or if you do Easter baskets for your kids, family members, or friends, then put some of this bunny bait trail mix into little cellophane bags and tie them for the perfect individual treat! 
  • No bake treat. Not only does this easy bunny bait snack mix use simple ingredients but it comes together easily and doesn’t require any baking — the perfect treat! 

Ingredient Notes

Bunny Bait ingredients on a white background: Cheerios, Chex cereal, M&M's, white chocolate chips, pretzels, nuts, and coconut.
  • Cheerios: The regular kind is fine (or can use the multi-grain or honey nut Cherrios) for this since we’ll be adding additional flavors.
  • Rice Chex Cereal: I also use rice Chex for my favorite muddy buddies recipe! 
  • Pretzels: You can use the traditional pretzels, pretzel sticks, mini pretzels, or the thin pretzel crisps.
  • Salted Cashews: This adds a healthy aspect of the mix and a yummy nutty flavor. Feel free to substitute peanuts if you’d prefer. 
  • White Chocolate Chips: Or you can use white candy melts.
  • Coconut Oil: This will be added to the chocolate to create our white chocolate drizzle. Using coconut oil makes the chocolate easier to melt and so silky smooth!
  • Easter M&Ms: I used PB M&M eggs because they are my favorite Easter candy and I’m literally obsessed with them. Use the easter m&ms because the bright pastel colors make this the perfect easter treat. Another delicious option is Cadbury mini eggs. 
  • Toasted Coconut: This is optional but it makes this fun snack mix extra good!

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Combine Cherrios, Chex, pretzels and cashews. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. To a large bowl add 3 cups Cherrios, 3 cups Rice Chex, 1 1/2 cups pretzels and 1/2 cup cashews. Mix to combine
  2. Add the melted chocolate. Add 2 cups white chocolate and 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until fully melted and smooth. Pour into the bowl with the cereal mixture and stir to combine.
White chocolate being stirred into a glass bowl with pretzels, cashews, cheerios.
  1. Add m&m candies and coconut. Add 1 1/2 cups Easter-colored M&Ms and 1/2 cup toasted coconut. Mix to combine. 
Easter (pastel) colored M&M's being stirred into a cereal trail mix in a glass bowl.
  1. Let set. Immediately spread the bunny bait mixture onto the rimmed baking sheet and let the white chocolate coating set. Once set, break the Easter bunny bait snack mix into pieces and store or serve. Enjoy!
A baking sheet with white chocolate covered cereal easter trail mix dispersed on it to help it set up.

Recipe Tips

This is a great recipe to make and then portion into individual treat bags for gifting! 

Feel free to use regular Cherrios, honey nut, or multi-grain for this yummy easter recipe. 

Variations:

  • Nuts are optional, I like adding them for a sweet and salty treat. Great options are almond slices, cashews, peanuts, or chopped hazelnuts. 
  • Coconut is optional as well (my son loves coconut so I add it whenever I get the chance), you don’t need it but it adds a subtle flavor that is really good. 
  • I’m obsessed with the Easter M&M PB eggs, so I will find any excuse to use those!
  • Add some Easter sprinkles to the easter snack mix recipe.

I like toasted coconut because it brings out the flavor and adds a slight crunch. Here is a how to toast coconut guide if you want to know how to toast coconut. 

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Store leftover bunny bait in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.

Since it stores for so long, I don’t really think there should be a need to freeze it — but if you want to, store it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Remove and let thaw. I’ve never done this so I don’t actually know if the cereal will go soggy, but keep that in mind as a possibility! 

Small hands grabbing a bowl of bunny bait.

Recipe FAQs

What is bunny bait?

Bunny bait is a popular Easter Chex mix that is made up of chocolate candies, different cereals, pretzels, nuts, and additional mix-ins topped with a chocolate drizzle. It’s kind of like a trail mix but specifically fit for the Easter holiday — or the spring season, in general!

Is bunny bait gluten free?

No. You’ll need to get gluten free pretzels to this bunny bait recipe to be gluten free. Otherwise, the rest of the ingredients are gluten free. 

A black bowl full of Easter cereal mix against a white background that has been lightly covered in toasted coconut.

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Bunny Bait with peanut butter M&M's, nuts, Cheerios, and coconut, in a black bowl.
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5 from 6 votes

Bunny Bait

This sweet and salty snack is loaded with pretzels, nuts, cereal, peanut butter M&M's and covered in delicious white chocolate. This is such a great snack mix to make around the Easter holiday, we are obsessed with it!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Melt Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups Cheerios
  • 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
  • 1 1/2 cups pretzels
  • 1/2 cup salted cashews - or dry roasted peanuts (optional, you can omit if you don't want nuts)
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips - can also use white candy melts
  • 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 cups Easter colored M&M's - I LOVE the peanut butter M&M eggs so I always use those! You'll need 1 – 9 oz bag (but you can always add more M&M's so add more or less to your liking!)
  • 1/2 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl combine the cheerios, Chex cereal, pretzels and cashews. 
  • In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt on half power stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
  • Pour the melted chocolate into the large bowl full of the mixed cereal. Stir to combine. Add the M&M’s and shredded coconut and stir to combine once more. 
  • Spread mixture on a baking sheet to let set. This is a great recipe to make and then portion into bags for gifting! 

Notes

Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. 
Nutritional information is based on 1 serving. The numbers are an estimate. 
Recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats. 

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 68g (23%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 25g (38%)Saturated Fat: 14g (70%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mg (4%)Sodium: 370mg (15%)Potassium: 227mg (6%)Fiber: 3g (12%)Sugar: 44g (49%)Vitamin A: 439IU (9%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 169mg (17%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
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