Featured Recipe

Honey Nut Snack Mix

Name: Honey Nut Snack Mix
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups Rice Chex cereal; 1 cup mini pretzels; 2 cups oat clusters cereal; 1 cup roasted almonds; 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup Reese's Pieces; 1 cup autumn candy mix (candy corn, candy pumpkins)

By Kate

Created on 27 January 2026

A crunchy nut and cereal snack with a sticky sweet coating. Uses mixed cereals and nuts. Baked low and slow for caramelization, then cooled to break apart clusters. Incorporates Reese’s Pieces and seasonal candy for bursts of chocolate and autumnal colors. Adjusted ingredient amounts and swaps peanuts for almonds, Cheerios for oat clusters, adds pumpkin seeds for a seasonal twist. Heating blend melts sugars into a shine glaze. Flipping mid-bake prevents burning and ensures even crisping. Finished mix combines textures and flavors—crunch, sweet, salty, nutty. Simple tweaks yield elevated snack mix variety.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 55 min

Total: 70 min

Serves: 20 servings

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Introduction

Sweet, salty, sticky crunch. Not your average snack mix hack. Take common pantry staples like cereal and nuts, transform them with a warm honey-butter glaze that clings and caramelizes. Low oven temp bakes are key — slow heat draws out sweetness without bitter scorch. Flip often for even crisp. Timing and texture cues more reliable than clock alone here. Chunks form as cool-down turns sugar tacky, perfect to shatter by hand. Adding in pumpkin seeds and chewy oat cereal bumps texture profile, while swapping almonds for peanuts smooths flavor balance for most palates. Finish with Reese’s Pieces and candy corn for chocolate hits and fall vibes. Efficient. Repeatable. Deep layers of flavor without fuss. What you sense: sticky fingers, nutty crunch, warm aroma filling kitchen, that snap as you bite. Snack elevated.

Ingredients

3 cups Rice Chex cereal

1 cup mini pretzels

2 cups oat clusters cereal

1 cup roasted almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup Reese's Pieces

1 cup autumn candy mix (candy corn, candy pumpkins)

About the ingredients

Ingredient swaps done with practical kitchen sense. Almonds swap peanuts: milder, less oily, less allergenic for some. Oat clusters swap Cheerios for a chewier piece, closer to granola. Pumpkin seeds add seasonal earthiness and extra crunch. Brown sugar quantity slightly reduced to prevent too sticky a batch yet enough caramel develops. Honey acts both as sweetener and binder, low moisture content vs corn syrup. Butter must be unsalted—salt level controlled explicitly. Vanilla adds floral notes but not essential if you’re out. Autumn candy is flexible; candy corn and pumpkin shapes for visual punch. Reese’s Pieces folded last to avoid melting into warm mix. Balancing sweetness, salt, and fat crucial here. Switching darker brown sugar yields deeper flavor if available. Parchment lining prevents gluey mess on sheet and preserves pan life.

Method

Oven at 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Low temp needed to slowly crisp without burning sugars. Line baking tray with parchment paper to catch sticky glaze and avoid cleanup headaches.

In large bowl mix Chex, pretzels, oat clusters, almonds, pumpkin seeds. Combine dry components. You want even distribution so glaze coats uniformly.

Small saucepan over low heat. Butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, salt. Stir constantly. Watch melting happen — glossy, smooth, no graininess. If you see sugar crystallizing, pull off heat briefly before continuing.

Pour hot glaze onto dry mix all at once. Toss vigorously but gently. Use two spoons or hands if cooled slightly. Coat thoroughly. Crucial. Uncoated bits go stale or bland.

Spread mixture evenly on sheet in a single layer for uniform baking. Too crowded? Takes longer to crisp.

Bake 55 minutes. Every 12 minutes, pull tray out, flip pieces thoroughly with spatula or toss gently. Smell deepening aroma honey and caramel coming to life? Check color—look for golden sheen without burnt edges.

Cool completely on tray at room temperature. Mix will harden and crisp as it cools. Clumps form naturally. Break apart carefully by hand — fingers warm to soften glue but don’t crush pieces.

Transfer to bowl. Fold in Reese's Pieces and autumn candy. Do this last so no melting or stickiness.

Storage: Airtight container keeps texture crisp at room temp for days. Refrigerate if longer but candies might get firm. If mix soggy next day? Happens if glaze undercooked or exposed to humidity—re-bake briefly at low temp.

Substitutions: Almonds switch for peanuts when allergy or preference. Oat clusters for Cheerios add heft and chew. Pumpkin seeds bring earthy bite compared to plain nuts. Swap brown sugar for coconut sugar for deeper caramel notes and less moisture.

Avoid loading tray too thickly. Stirring frequently prevents burnt spots and undercooked clumps. Don’t skip parchment—cleaning sticky sugar residue is a nightmare.

Glaze timing critical. If you walk away too long, glaze cools and won’t coat well. Work fast but steady. Heating on low prevents scorching sugar which tastes bitter.

Technique Tips

Low and slow baking builds caramel slowly. High heat burns sugars, bitter aftertaste results—fail fast here. Mid-bake stirring is about uniform glaze drying, preventing burnt edges and underdone clumps. Smell is your ally—when honey browns slightly, sweetness is deepening, not burning. Work quickly tossing glaze mix so sugar stays molten enough to coat evenly; if it cools too much glaze clumps or falls off, uneven coating. Cooling fully before mixing in candies prevents melting and sticky mess. Breaking clusters apart by hand preserves crunch; tool breakage risks powdery debris. If snack feels soggy day after, either moisture trapped or glaze underdone—reheat briefly to crisp. Airtight storage keeps crunch; fridge changes candy texture and can dull aromas. Efficiency tip: use two spoons or clean hands for tossing glaze so coating is fast and comprehensive. Double-check parchment placement before baking—no wrinkles or folding which trap glaze in pockets or cause uneven baking.

Chef's Notes

💡 Low temp baking is key. Around 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid burning sugars. Equipment matters—ensure even layer on tray. Parchment paper makes cleaning easier.
💡 For best chew, choose oat clusters instead of Cheerios. Almonds swap for peanuts if allergies arise. Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar for less moisture.
💡 Keep an eye on that oven! Smells transform—caramelizing sugars are fragrant. Visual cues too. Look for a nice golden brown. Wait for that crunchy, sticky texture.
💡 Don’t overmix when adding glaze—toss gently. Let the heat remain in that bowl. If cooled too much, sugar hardens too early. Aim for even coating.
💡 If clusters aren’t breaking apart easily after cooling, run fingers warm. Hand warmth helps loosen. Avoid smashing—keep chunks intact for crunch.