You guys.
I ate snack mix for dinner. In fact, that night I had it for lunch, a snack and dinner. It was that addictive.
This homemade mix is dangerously good.
Full disclosure: during a very pregnant week I also devoured a lot of bacon popcorn for dinner. No regrets.
Last year I experimented with several snack mixes — some winners and some that turned soggy or were just okay. This year I set out to create a truly exceptional batch: salty, sweet, smoky, crunchy, and perfect for parties, gift jars, or late-night snacking during the busy season.
The mix has two main parts: the seasoned mix made from Chex, pretzels, Cheez-Its, nuts and seeds, and the popcorn that’s popped in bacon fat. I like combining them because the popcorn soaks up some of the seasoning and adds a lighter, airy crunch that contrasts with the denser pieces. Plus, popcorn popped in bacon fat tastes incredible.
And yes, popcorn counts as a whole grain, so we’ll call this snack at least semi-healthy.
Sometimes I really like my own food ideas.
When serving, I recommend popping the popcorn just before mixing it in so it stays crisp. You can even microwave popcorn in a pinch. If you need to package this as a gift, consider keeping the popcorn separate with instructions to combine right before serving. And try not to eat the whole thing on the drive to your friend’s house.
Or make a gigantic batch and eat it at home—alone or with friends. Either way, you won’t be sorry.
The Most Addicting Homemade Snack Mix
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Ingredients
- 6 cups rice Chex cereal
- 4 cups pretzel twists
- 3 cups Cheez-It crackers
- 2/3 cups cashews
- 2/3 cup peanuts
- 1/3 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat
- 1/3 cup corn kernels
- 3/4 cups wasabi peas
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, combine the Rice Chex, pretzel twists, Cheez-Its, cashews, peanuts and pepitas.
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Warm a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the butter. Whisk constantly until the butter sizzles and brown bits form on the bottom, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper until smooth. Pour the seasoned butter over the cereal mixture and toss thoroughly for at least five minutes so everything is coated. Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
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To make bacon-fat popcorn, heat a large nonstick skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the bacon fat; when melted, add the corn kernels. Shake the pan gently and cover as the kernels begin popping, continuing to shake occasionally until popping stops. Remove from heat. As soon as the Chex mixture is out of the oven, stir the popcorn in by batches so it picks up a little seasoning. You can also drizzle extra bacon fat or melted butter on the popcorn with a pinch of salt and pepper.
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Toss the seasoned cereal mix, popcorn and wasabi peas together to combine. Serve immediately. Once cooled, the mix can be stored in a resealable bag for about a week, though it may lose some crispness after that.
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The crunchiest.