Winter Cozy Crunchy Mix (Print)
A crunchy blend of nuts, dried fruits, and warming spices for cozy snacking.
# What You Need:
→ Cereals & Base
01 - 3 cups whole grain cereal squares (e.g., Chex or similar)
02 - 2 cups mini pretzels
03 - 1 cup plain popcorn (air-popped, unsalted)
→ Nuts & Seeds
04 - 1 cup pecan halves
05 - 1 cup roasted almonds
06 - 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
→ Dried Fruit
07 - 1 cup dried cranberries
08 - 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
→ Seasoning & Coating
09 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cereal squares, mini pretzels, air-popped popcorn, pecan halves, roasted almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
03 - Whisk together melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour the butter-spice mixture over the dry ingredients and toss gently with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Spread the coated mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the mix is golden and aromatic.
07 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
08 - Once the mix has cooled, stir in dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots.
09 - Transfer the snack mix to an airtight container and store for up to one week.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour, and most of that time is just the oven doing the work while you relax.
- The mix of textures and flavors feels special without requiring fancy ingredients or technique.
- It's perfect for sharing because people genuinely want more, and you can make it days ahead.
02 -
- The dried fruits go in last—this isn't just preference, it's physics, and adding them early means they soften too much in the residual heat.
- Stirring halfway through baking isn't optional; skip it and you'll have burnt edges with a soft center.
- 300°F matters more than you'd think; higher temperatures will char the spices before the mix fully toasts.
03 -
- Use a candy thermometer if you have one—it helps you know when your oven's actually at 300°F instead of guessing.
- Make a double batch and freeze half in a freezer bag; it thaws perfectly and tastes like you just made it fresh.
- Taste as you stir halfway through baking and you'll start understanding how your particular oven toasts things, which makes you better at this every time you make it.