Maple Pecan Snack Mix
This homemade Maple Pecan Snack Mix is the ultimate fall treat. It's crunchy, sweet, salty, and makes a festive snack for any occasion. Easy to make and completely irresistible!
Recipe slightly adapted from Plain Chicken
A Highly Addictive Snack
Warning: once you taste this Maple Pecan Snack Mix, you won't be able to stop. The light crispiness of the cereal, the toasted buttery pecans, and the caramelized maple-brown sugar coating hit all the sweet and salty notes. It's oven-baked, easy to prep in under 10-minutes, and will disappear fast!
I love sharing new snack ideas that double as perfect party munchies for any occasion. Once you've made this irresistible pecan snack mix, you have to try my Sweet and Spicy Fall Chex Mix. It's another fall favorite packed with bold flavor and just the right amount of heat. This one's especially perfect for Halloween-themed gatherings or any autumn celebration!
What You'll Need
- Crispix cereal for that light crunchy texture.
- Pecans- We use plain halved pecans.
- Maple butter sauce- Butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, maple extract, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Baking soda creates a light, crisp, slightly airy texture on the cereal and pecans.
Easy Step By Step
See the full details in the recipe card below.
- Combine cereal and pecans in a large mixing bowl.
- Melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan then bring to a simmer and bubble until deep golden brown.
- Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda, salt, maple extract, and vanilla extract.
- Pour butter sauce over cereal and pecans and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven at 250℉ for one hour stirring every 20-minutes.
- Evenly spread mixture onto parchment paper and allow to cool. Break in to pieces and store in an airtight container.
Variations and Helpful Tips
- Swap pecans for walnuts or almonds.
- Stir in a handful of butterscotch or white chocolate chips once the mix cools.
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes for a salty finish.
- Stir every 20-minutes to avoid burning and ensure even coating.
- Let it cool completely before storing to keep it crisp.
- Want more toasty flavor? Leave it in the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers will last several days in an airtight container in a cool dry place. You can also freeze this snack mix to extend the shelf life. Make sure it's in a freezer safe bag with as much air out as possible. Freeze up to 4 months. You can enjoy it straight from the freezer or allow it to thaw at room temperature. Unlike the freezer, It is not recommended to store in the refrigerator as the moisture will cause the mix to be soggy.
Maple Pecan Snack Mix
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- saucepan
- sheet pan or 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 cups crispix cereal
- 2 cups halved raw pecans I use unsalted
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250℉.
- In a large mixing bowl toss together Crispix and pecans.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a medium boil, stirring occasionally and allowing to boil for 2-3 minutes or until the color is a dark amber. Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda, vanilla extract, maple extract, and kosher salt.
- Pour mixture over cereal and pecans. Working quickly, use a spatula to toss the ingredients until well coated. Transfer to your baking dish and spread out to form an even layer.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour tossing every 20-minutes. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and spread out. Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
More Snack Mix Varieties to Try
We love to make a batch of snack mix, especially for festive occasions like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Make sure to try these next! Oven Baked Chex Party Mix, Sweet and Spicy Frito Snack Mix, Sweet Heat Texas Trash, White Christmas Chex Party Mix, and Spring Chex Party Mix.
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