Description
A crunchy, sweet-and-salty snack mix featuring Chex cereal, pretzels, and peanuts coated in a glossy caramel made with browned butter and fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Ingredients
Scale
- 9 cups Chex cereal mix (Corn, Rice, and Wheat)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup mini pretzels or broken pretzel rods
- 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a large half-sheet pan (18×13 inches) with parchment paper.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, watching closely until it foams, settles, and develops brown specks with a nutty aroma (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat immediately if it starts to burn.
- Add light brown sugar to the browned butter and whisk constantly until combined. Let the mixture boil gently for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the hot caramel over the Chex cereal mix on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and gently fold to coat evenly.
- Add pretzels and peanuts, folding gently to combine without breaking the cereal.
- Spread the mix into an even layer and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Remove from oven. While still hot, drizzle with reserved caramel or melted white chocolate.
- Sprinkle with sea salt immediately while the drizzle is wet.
- Let cool completely on the pan (at least 30 minutes) until hardened, then break into clusters.
Notes
Browning the butter is crucial for flavor and texture. Do not crowd the pan, as this prevents moisture evaporation and leads to soggy mix. Stirring every 10 minutes during baking is non-negotiable for even coating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; do not refrigerate or freeze as caramel becomes tacky.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 190
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: fall snack, chex mix, caramel drizzle, brown butter, sweet and salty, party snack, homemade trail mix, autumn recipes