Confession: I have a habit of developing a major crush on basically any trail mix, Chex mix, nut mix or granola that comes into my life. Whether you like to pick the peanut butter chips out and eat them last or love a good raisin-cashew combo, these 23 snack mix recipes are designed to be eaten by the handful—that’s great news, considering you won’t be able to stop after one mouthful. From pizza trail mix to sweet and salty nuts, you’ll want to make them all.
23 Snack Mix Recipes You Won’t Be Able to Put Down
From sweet to savory to pickle-inspired
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Published Apr 24, 2024
How Sweet Eats/Kristin Teig/Healthy Nibbles
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, low sugar, kid-friendly
It’s everything it sounds like: mixed nuts and sun-dried tomatoes, dusted in a savory blend of Italian seasonings. I'd consider hiking an actual trail for this one (but I'd be happy to eat it from the comfort of my couch, too).
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, low sugar, nut free
If salt and vinegar potato chips met up with dill pickles, this snack mix would be the result. It’s briny, herby and crunchy, thanks to pretzels, cereal and cheese crackers.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, no sugar
You can’t beat this classic snack mix recipe. These savory bar nuts would be at home at a cocktail soirée or portioned into snack packs for car trips and lunch boxes.
4. Cocoa Peanut Butter Granola
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
This granola is sweet and rich enough to taste decadent, even though it's sneakily packed with enough protein (ahem, 9 grams per serving) to keep you satisfied. A snack mix recipe gem, if you will.
5. Cranberry Walnut Grain-Free Granola
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, gluten free, dairy free
Not only is homemade granola less expensive than the store-bought stuff, it’s also way easier to customize. This one is gluten free and packed with healthy omegas, courtesy of pumpkin, sunflower and hemp seeds.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
My motto in life is “everything in moderation,” which is why I like the one-to-one ratio of chocolate candies to nuts and raisins in this snack mix recipe.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The combination of Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and onion powder is a standby for a reason, but you could also try something new. Cajun seasoning, garlic powder or hot sauce would all be good, too.
8. Double Dark Chocolate Muddy Buddies
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Whether you know it as muddy buddies or puppy chow, this sweet snack mix recipe is nearly impossible to put down. Gaby Dalkin's version uses almond butter, but you could use peanut butter in its place if you'd prefer.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Snack mix in the slow cooker? Yep, it’s a thing. Sure, the method frees up your oven for other purposes, but it also makes it possible to satisfy a craving when you don’t want to heat up your whole house.
10. Sweet and Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
I like to call this snack mix recipe “how to win the holiday party 101.” Fresh rosemary, maple syrup, vanilla and cayenne sound like an unlikely combo, but it tastes like wintry magic.
11. Coconut White Chocolate Muddy Buddies
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
Even so-called white chocolate haters will find this snack mix recipe hard to resist. The chocolate footballs are optional but would make a fitting addition for any game watch party.
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, one pan, <30 minutes
Want to seem fancy without too much effort? Make a batch of these cinnamon-y, cayenne-spiked nuts, divvy them into cellophane bags and hand them out as holiday gifts.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Watching a sporting event on TV is a tough sell for us…unless the promise of this spicy, herby snack is included in the deal. Leave it to a packet of ranch seasoning to make us like football.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, make ahead
If you’re all about sweet heat, be careful with this snack mix recipe. You’ll want to devour a whole sheet pan of the stuff. Choose whatever nuts and crackers you please; the real star is the brown sugar–chipotle glaze.
15. Sweet and Salty Chocolate Caramel Banana Snack Mix
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
This snack mix recipe hits all the right notes: salty, crunchy, creamy, sweet and chewy. You know what that means? You'll want to make a double batch.
16. Roasted Cashews with Coconut
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, gluten free, dairy free
I imagine it's impossible to grow tired of the subtly salty taste of this otherwise sweet snack mix, which only requires six ingredients to come together. One handful and you’ll understand.
17. Everything Bagel Snack Mix
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
I've put the cult-favorite seasoning blend on pigs in a blanket, bagels and chicken tenders alike, so why not snack mix? I just wish I’d thought of it first.
18. Browned Butter Furikake Snack Mix
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Furikake is a Japanese condiment that typically contains a mixture of toasted chopped seaweed, sesame seeds, sugar and other umami-rich seasonings. It also happens to be an excellent match for sweet maple glaze.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
I can totally see myself diving into this snack mix recipe of wasabi peas, popcorn and honey roasted cashews by the pool. All that's missing is a cocktail to wash it all down.
20. Sweet and Spicy Honey Snack Mix
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Wanna know a secret? When it comes to snack mix, it’s all about the sauce. This one combines butter, Worcestershire, hot sauce and honey for irresistible sweet-savory flavor.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, gluten free
If you're allergic to gluten, wheat-based additions like pretzels and crackers are off the table. Luckily, this crunchy mélange of seeds, nuts, dried fruit, chickpeas and chocolate is wheat-free, but still ridiculously crunchy and balanced.
22. Cranberry Orange Party Mix
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
This citrusy number tastes like Christmas. Sweet-tart dried cranberries, fresh orange zest and honey-roasted nuts are sure to satisfy your guests before the warm appetizers hit the table. Oh, and it comes together in a flash.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Odds are you have most of the necessary ingredients for this decadent snack mix recipe already in your pantry. Salty, nutty, buttery and sugary, this kid-friendly treat will check all your boxes at first bite.
