Description
A crunchy, sweet, salty, and slightly smoky snack mix made for road trips. Packed with pecans, almonds, cashews, pretzels, cereal, and chewy dried cranberries, this Tennessee-inspired mix is easy to make ahead, stores well, and delivers an irresistible handful of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
- Pecans: 1 cup
- Almonds: 1 cup
- Cashews: 1 cup
- Pretzels: 2 cups
- Cheerios or similar cereal: 2 cups
- Dried Cranberries: 1 cup
- Honey: 3 tablespoons
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
- Brown Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon
- Sea Salt: 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine pecans, almonds, cashews, pretzels, and cereal, tossing to mix evenly.
- Make Coating: In a smaller bowl, whisk together honey, olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth.
- Coat the Mix: Pour the honey-spice mixture over the dry ingredients and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Spread the coated mixture in an even single layer on the prepared baking sheet, breaking up any clumps so pieces roast evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the nuts are golden and fragrant.
- Cool and Add Fruit: Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then stir in the dried cranberries.
- Store: Transfer to an airtight container or resealable bags for travel. Pack into jars or cones to serve on the road.
Notes
- Toast nuts lightly before seasoning to deepen flavor and aroma.
- Cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.
- For extra crunch spread the mixture thinly on the sheet while baking.
- Adjust salt and sweetness to taste before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/2 cup (approx. 40 g)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Tennessee road trip snack, snack mix, trail mix, pecan mix, smoky snack, portable snack, travel snack, pecan trail mix