Winter Cozy Crunchy Mix (Printable)
Crunchy blend of cereals, nuts, dried fruits, and warm spices, perfect for sharing this winter.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cereals & Base
01 - 3 cups whole grain cereal squares (e.g., Chex or similar)
02 - 2 cups mini pretzels
03 - 1 cup plain air-popped popcorn, 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 Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine whole grain cereal squares, mini pretzels, air-popped popcorn, pecan halves, roasted almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt until smooth and evenly blended.
04 - Pour the butter and spice mixture over the dry ingredients. Toss gently with a spatula until all components are thoroughly coated.
05 - Spread the coated mixture evenly across the parchment-lined baking sheet.
06 - Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the mixture is golden brown and aromatic.
07 - Remove from the oven and allow the snack mix to cool completely for 10 minutes.
08 - Once cooled, fold in dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots evenly.
09 - Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to one week.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It smells incredible while baking, filling your whole kitchen with that cozy spice-and-butter aroma that signals comfort is coming.
- Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can make it on a random Tuesday and still feel like you've done something impressive.
- The texture stays crunchy for days in an airtight container, making it perfect for sneaky snacking when no one's watching.
- It's naturally vegetarian and feels fancy enough to gift to people without apologizing for it being homemade.
02 -
- Never skip the cooling time on the baking sheet. This is when the coating hardens and everything reaches maximum crunch—rush it and you'll have soft, oily snack mix instead.
- Stirring halfway through baking is non-negotiable because the edges brown faster than the center. I learned this the hard way with a batch that had burnt corners and a pale middle.
- Adding the dried fruit after cooling prevents it from getting hard and chewy. I used to bake it in and wondered why my mix felt leathery until I figured out this simple swap.
03 -
- Toast your nuts and seeds lightly in a dry pan before adding them if they've been sitting around. It wakes up their flavor and adds another dimension of crunch.
- Keep your spices fresh and aromatic. Sniff them before measuring—stale spices are the reason some batches feel flat and forgettable instead of magical.
- Double the batch and store half in the freezer in a sealed container. It thaws beautifully and means you're always ready for unexpected guests or your own 3 p.m. snack emergency.