I’ve always been a big fan of trail mix ever since I was a kid. I loved how there were so many different things included in a mix, making snacking on it a very enjoyable experience. But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that trail mix isn’t as healthy of a snack as I once thought, especially if you’re not really sure what ingredients are in the mix. So, whenever I get the craving for trail mix, I usually make some using leftover ingredients I already have in the pantry, which allows me to customize the mix exactly to my liking as well as save some money, since pre-made trail mix can be limited in terms of variety and can be quite expensive as well.
Speaking of customization, the ingredients I used in this recipe are a great mix of salty, sweet, and spicy which makes for a very delicious trail mix. But, you are more than welcome to add or swap out anything you wish. For example, you could mix together the nuts and chocolate with graham cracker pieces and mini marshmallows to make a s’mores inspired trail mix, or you can use dried pineapples, dried coconut flakes, and banana chips to make a tropical trail mix, or you can mix together some pumpkin spice popcorn with your pumpkin seeds as well as some candy corn and m&ms to create a fun fall trail mix. Really, anything that’s shelf stable will go great in a trail mix, so the possibilities are endless.
As the name implies, trail mix is actually a great snack for when you’re hiking on trails since it’s a great source of quick energy from the carbohydrates, as well as sustained energy from the fats of the nuts, which also provide some protein, keeping you satiated while on your long walks in the woods. Though, the exact nutritional value of each trail mix depends on the ingredients you use, of course.
Also, because the ingredients used are all from the pantry, trail mix will last a long time in your bag and is ready to eat whenever you want to take a break on your multiple hour or even multiple day hike. Just store them in individual plastic bags or in mason jars and they should last at least a couple of months or longer for any future hiking endeavors.
But, regardless if you plan on hiking 100 miles or walking 100 feet to your pantry, trail mix is a great recipe to make if you want a snack that’s ready-to-go and has enough delicious variety to keep you entertained on your long, or short, trek through the forest, or your house.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup or so dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 cup or so dried fruit (such as cherries or raisins)
- 1/2 cup or so of seeds (like pepitas or pumpkin seeds)
- 2 cups or so nuts (like peanuts and almonds)
- Honey Roasted Peanuts
- 1 cup of peanuts
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Candied Almonds
- 1 cup of almonds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Honey Roasted Peanuts
Step 1: Preheat Oven for Roasted Peanuts
First, for the honey roasted peanuts, preheat the oven to 325°F. While we wait, we’ll prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: Prepare Seasoning & Honey Butter Coating for Peanuts
In a mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. Then, in a saucepan, combine the honey and butter and heat and stir this over medium heat until the butter has melted, and the mixture is bubbling.
Step 3: Mix Peanuts & Half of Seasoning into Honey Butter
Once it’s ready, turn off the heat and to your honey-butter mixture, add in your peanuts as well as half of the spice mixture and give this a good mix.
Step 4: Transfer Peanuts to Baking Sheet
Once it’s mixed to your liking, transfer the coated peanuts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread them out into a single layer.
Step 5: Bake Peanuts & Stir Every ~5 Minutes
Your oven should be done preheating by now, so once your peanuts are ready, bake these for 20-30 minutes, making sure to give these a stir every 5 minutes or so, so that they bake evenly and don’t burn.
Step 6: Prepare Candied Almond Syrup
While we wait for our peanuts, we’ll make our candied almonds. So, in a saucepan, add in your sugar, water, cinnamon, salt, vanilla bean paste or extract, and nutmeg and heat and stir this over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble.
Step 7: Add in Almonds & Stir for 10-15 Minutes
Then, add in the almonds and continue to stir this constantly until all of the liquid evaporates and the mixture turns into a caramel or until the sugar crystallizes on the almonds if you want a grainier texture, about 10-15 minutes or so. And don’t forget about your peanuts!
Step 8: Transfer Almonds to Baking Sheet to Cool
Once your almonds are ready, transfer them to another baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread them out into a single layer as well to keep them from sticking to each other as they cool.
Step 9: Remove Peanuts from Oven, Toss it in the Rest of the Seasoning, & Let it Cool; Break Almonds into Pieces
Your peanuts should be done by now, so remove them from the oven and transfer them to a metal bowl. Before they start to cool, add in the rest of the spice mixture to the roasted peanuts and toss to evenly coat each peanut.
Then, let this cool, tossing every so often to keep the peanuts from sticking to each other.
And then, for your almonds, once they’ve cooled, you can break the almond mixture into bite-size pieces.
Step 10: Mix Everything Together
Once your almonds and peanuts are ready, it’s time to mix everything together, so in a large bowl, add in your almonds, peanuts, dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, and/or anything else you wish to add and then give this a mix until everything is evenly distributed. And with that, your homemade trail mix is ready to eat.