Sweet and Salty Snack Mix
As I’ve said before, my recipes are often the result of “happy accidents” I’ve made in the kitchen.
One time I was making my usual granola and just wasn’t paying attention. I used way too much salt. I noticed it before I mixed everything together and took out what I could. When I made it, it was still saltier than normal. One of my friends tasted it and loved it, though! That got me thinking about making the more savory granola again and using it as a base for a snack mix (think Chex Mix but with granola). This is the result!
This recipe also contains both vegetable and sesame oil. There is more oil than the original version because I wanted it to stick together in bigger clumps that could easily be picked up by the handful.
You could try all kinds of add-ins in place of, or in addition to, the peanut butter pieces, peanuts and pretzels. I bet cashews and M&Ms would also be great- feel free to experiment!
The way this is made is fairly similar to the original granola I shared. First, whisk together the syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Mix together the sesame and vegetable oil in a separate bowl and then slowly whisk that in to the brown sugar mixture.
Add the oats and peanuts to that mixture and mix until the oats and nuts are completely coated in the liquid.
Spread on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press the mixture into the cookie sheet to really compress it. This step is really important, so make sure you don’t skip it! This step, along with the extra oil, will ensure you have large pieces that stay together.
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- Compressed
Bake for 25 minutes. Then rotate the cookie sheet and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Don’t worry if the granola doesn’t seem crunchy right when it comes out of the oven. That will happen as it cools for about an hour.
Once it’s cool, break the granola up into big pieces in a bowl. Add the peanuts, pretzels and Reese’s Pieces and stir gently. Some of the Reese’s Pieces may fall to the bottom of the bowl, so just make sure you dig to the bottom when scooping the mix out to serve 🙂
The mix will keep at least a week in an airtight container.
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Ingredients
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 5 cups old-fashioned oats (Quaker works just fine)
- 2 cups salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup Reese's Pieces
- 1 cup pretzels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, which together the first 4 ingredients until combined. Mix the vegetable and sesame oil together in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk in the oils until they are completely mixed in. Add the oats and peanuts and stir.
- Spread the mixture onto the cookie sheet in an even layer. With your hands, the back of a measuring cup, or spatula press down on the granola mixture compressing.
- Bake for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Once out of the oven let cool for about an hour. It will seem soggy when it comes out but have no fear. In that hour it’ll crisp up!
- Break the granola into pig pieces in a bowl and add the pretzels and Reese's Pieces. Gently stir.
- The mix will keep for at least a week in an airtight container.