This Sweet and Salty Snack Mix is the ultimate crunchy snack—perfectly balanced with buttery sweetness, salty bites, and irresistible add-ins. Made with pretzels, cereal, popcorn, nuts, and chocolate, it’s easy to customize, great for parties and gifting, and stays crunchy for days.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 3 cups pretzels mini twists or sticks
- 3 cups Chex cereal corn, rice, or a mix
- 4 cups popcorn air-popped or lightly salted
- 1½ cups nuts peanuts, almonds, or cashews
- Flavor Base
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pantry Staples & Add-Ins
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips or candy pieces milk or dark
- Optional: coconut flakes dried fruit, mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Prep
- Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine pretzels, Chex cereal, popcorn, and nuts. Toss gently.
- Baking Method
- In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Pour butter mixture over snack mix and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until lightly toasted.
- Cool completely, then stir in chocolate chips or candy pieces.
- Texture Check
- Mix should feel dry and crisp once cooled. Crunch develops as it sets.
- Finish
- Let cool fully before storing to maintain maximum crunch.
Notes
- Add chocolate only after cooling so it doesn’t melt and clump.
- Stirring during baking ensures even toasting.
- If the mix feels sticky, spread it out and let it air-dry longer.