Pin It A festive, crunchy snack mix with a sweet apple-cider glaze, perfect for parties and holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- Dry Mix: 3 cups rice cereal squares (such as Rice Chex), 2 cups mini pretzels, 1 cup honey roasted peanuts, 1 cup dried apple chips broken into bite-sized pieces, 1 cup popcorn (plain, air-popped)
- Cider Glaze: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar packed, 1/4 cup sparkling apple cider (non-alcoholic), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Dry Mix:
- In a large bowl, combine rice cereal, pretzels, peanuts, apple chips, and popcorn. Gently toss to mix.
- Make Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, sparkling cider, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Coat Mix:
- Immediately pour the cider glaze over the dry mix. Toss gently with a spatula until evenly coated.
- Spread on Sheet:
- Spread the mix evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake:
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the mix is golden and crisp.
- Cool:
- Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet. The mix will crisp as it cools.
- Serve:
- Once cooled, break into clusters if needed and serve or store in an airtight container.
Pin It 
Pin It This sparkling cider snack mix is perfect for festive occasions and easy to prepare ahead of time.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → What makes this snack mix crunchy?
The combination of rice cereal squares, mini pretzels, and air-popped popcorn provides a satisfying, crunchy texture throughout the mix.
- → How does the cider glaze enhance the flavor?
The glaze, made with sparkling apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter, adds a sweet and subtly spiced coating that caramelizes during baking for a crisp, festive taste.
- → Can I substitute any ingredients for allergies?
You can replace honey roasted peanuts with candied pecans or omit nuts entirely to suit dietary needs. Always check for gluten if substituting pretzels or cereal.
- → How should I store this snack mix after baking?
Once cooled completely, store the mix in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain its crispness and freshness.
- → Are there any flavor variations suggested?
Adding a pinch of nutmeg or swapping dried apple chips with dried cranberries introduces new layers of flavor to customize the mix.