A little sweet, a little salty and with tons of crunch, this snack mix is totally addictive. Cook it low and slow to get that praline coating into every awesome nook and cranny.
Can’t you just tell it’s going to be good? Sweet and salty, crunchy and slightly sticky in the best way possible. This is the perfect, easy recipe to kick off the holiday baking season around here. It’s entirely likely that everything you need to make a bowl of this snack mix is already lurking in your pantry.
And it was for me…except for butter. When I went to make the first test batch of this mix, there was no butter to be found. I think that means I need to up my mom game. Pro moms always seem to have everything needed for baking. A fully stocked pantry. Extra butter in the freezer.
I’ve been failing at baking prep.
But with the holidays here, I’m getting it together. The oven is going to be cranking out delicious things all season long. And this is a good place to start.
This is the kind of thing that goes fast. A handful here, a handful there.
And thanks to the sponsor of today’s post – sturdy, festive Rubbermaid TakeAlongs – I sent plenty of handfuls of crunchy joy along to family and friends.
These containers are solid and can be used again and again. Dishwasher-friendly and in poppy holiday colors that practically beg to be filled with delicious bites.
Heads up friends and family. I just may be knocking on your door in the coming weeks. Bringing festive cheer and a batch of this crunchy goodness. And for more great holiday inspiration from our friends at Rubbermaid, click here!
- 6 cups Cereal (any mix will work)
- 2 cups Pretzels
- 1½ cups Chopped Pecans
- 1⁄2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1⁄2 cup Light Corn Syrup
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1⁄2 tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
- Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a large sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cereal, pretzels and pecans.
- In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Microwave until butter melts, about 1 minute. Continue microwaving in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until mixture is smooth and begins to boil. Stir in vanilla, baking soda and salt.
- Pour syrup over cereal mixture. Stir to coat. (I find it easier to mix this by hand, so I let it cool slightly and then mix.)
- Spread cereal over sheet pan and bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Cool completely. Once cooled, gently break cereal apart. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to a week.
Planning your own holiday baking in the coming weeks? The best advice I have is to make sure you’ve got plenty of butter.
And if you’d like to pack your holiday treats up in Rubbermaid TakeAlongs, you can find them in all sorts of shapes and sizes at Walmart now through December 24. Check the end cap for a display just like this one. (And don’t be like me…who knocked a whole bunch of them off the rack in pursuit of this photo.)
I have SUCH a weakness for anything sweet and salty! I’m sure this is always a hit! I also recently learned my own lesson on butter. You will always need it. Always. {client}
I would like to use maybe more nuts and possibly some different nuts. Would this change the baking time or texture if I increase the nuts and decrease the cereal?
Great idea, Marguerite. No – Changing the nuts and decreasing the cereal shouldn’t change the baking time. Just to be safe, you can pull out one of the larger nuts, let it cool slightly, and test it. I’ve varied the ingredients in this and usually find that the cook time is about the same every time.