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Home ยป What We're Eating ยป Snacks ยป “Crack Snack” 4-Ingredient Snack Mix

“Crack Snack” 4-Ingredient Snack Mix

Lasted edited October 27, 2018. Originally published October 27, 2018 by Blair

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โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹The ultimate crowd-pleasing party food, this "Crack Snack" is a 4-ingredient sweet and salty snack mix recipe that earned its name for a reason!


Total Time: 21 minutes
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The ultimate crowd-pleasing party food, this “Crack Snack” earned its name for a good reason! With just 4 simple ingredients, you can whip up this crunchy, sweet and salty snack mix in a matter of minutes!

Overhead image of bowl of 4-ingredient Snack Mix called Crack Snack!

My friend Kaci recently shared this cereal snack mix recipe with me, and I instantly knew that it would be a hit. It’s fast, easy, requires just a few ingredients, and it tastes amazing. So amazing, in fact, that it’s hard to stop eating. Hence the name!

This sweet and crunchy snack mix would go perfectly paired alongside other potluck munchies like my 3-Ingredient Queso Dip, Make-Ahead Ham and Cheese Sliders, and 3-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites. Packaged in a cute container, it’s also a great holiday snack mix for gift-giving, so grab these ingredients and whip up a batch STAT!

Bowl of easy holiday snack mix with cereal and pecans

HOW TO MAKE 4-INGREDIENT SNACK MIX:

Let’s start with the basics: a box of Crispix cereal, salted butter, chopped pecans, and brown sugar.

Ingredients for 4 ingredient party snack mix

First, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread the cereal and the pecans on the baking sheet and set aside.

Crispix cereal and pecans on baking sheet

Next, combine the butter and the brown sugar in a saucepan. Boil the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thick, creamy caramel sauce forms.

Butter and brown sugar in saucepan

Pour that sweet, buttery sauce over the cereal and nuts.

Pouring caramel sauce over Crispix and pecans

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to toss until the sauce coats the Crispix and pecans.

Stirring cereal snack mix with caramel sauce on baking sheet

Bake the snack mix in a 325-degree F oven for 16 minutes (stirring halfway through). The end result is this sweet and salty party mix that has a perfect balance flavors and textures!

Close overhead image of sweet and salty snack mix recipe in a white bowl

COOK’S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

  • Mix it up and use peanuts or almonds instead of the pecans.
  • Make it a Chex Mix by swapping out the Crispix and using a combination of different Chex cereals instead (such as Rice Chex, Corn Chex and Wheat Chex).
  • Use salted butter for this party mix recipe, which gives the dish a great sweet and salty flavor combination!
  • As the mix starts to cool, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up some of the larger clumps.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or package in cute bags or boxes and deliver to family, friends, and teachers for homemade holiday gifts!

Looking for even more easy snack mix recipes? Try these:

  • Winter Holiday Snack Mix
  • Birthday Cake Snack Mix
  • Slow Cooker Mesquite Smokehouse Chex Mix
  • Almond Joy Snack Mix
Did you try this recipe? Donโ€™t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!
5 from 1 vote
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"Crack Snack" 4-Ingredient Snack Mix

โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹The ultimate crowd-pleasing party food, this "Crack Snack" is a 4-ingredient sweet and salty snack mix recipe that earned its name for a reason!


Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Holiday Snack Mix Recipe, Snack Mix, Sweet and Salty Snack Mix
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes
Servings 14 cups
Calories 357.5 kcal
Author Blair

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 (12 ounce) box Crispix cereal (about 12 cups)
  • 1.5 cups chopped pecans (6 ounces)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an extra large baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets) with foil and spray with cooking spray.

  2. Spread cereal and pecans on prepared baking sheets. Set aside.

  3. Mix butter and brown sugar in a saucepan.
  4. Boil for two minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Pour caramel mixture over cereal and nuts; toss to coat.

  6. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake for an additional 8 minutes.

  7. Allow to cool, breaking apart any large clumps with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Nutrition Facts
"Crack Snack" 4-Ingredient Snack Mix
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 357.5 Calories from Fat 203
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22.5g 35%
Saturated Fat 9.2g 46%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.7g
Cholesterol 35.4mg 12%
Sodium 279.7mg 12%
Potassium 142.9mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 44.1g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1.3g 5%
Sugars 18.9g
Protein 3g 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe was originally published in January, 2014. It was updated in October, 2018.

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10 Comments
Filed Under: Snacks, What We're Eating
Tagged With: Appetizers, football, party, Snacks, Super Bowl, Sweets

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cathy says

    January 27, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    Oh my this looks so good, I would eat the whole bowl ๐Ÿ™‚ I pinned this and am checking it out from I should be mopping the floor link party!

    Reply
  2. Blair says

    January 28, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    Hi Cathy! Thanks for stopping by!

    Reply
    • Christy says

      January 31, 2019 at 3:15 pm

      Hi!!! I want to take this with me on a vacation flying as a gift in a gift bag. Does this stay fresh very long? Also can it be frozen?

      Reply
      • Blair says

        January 31, 2019 at 4:16 pm

        Hi, Christy! I’ve never tried freezing it, but I think it would work fine! And yes — it keeps well in an airtight container for at least a couple of weeks (maybe longer…it’s just always consumed faster than that)!

        Reply
  3. Elizabeth says

    July 31, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Yum!! I love chex mix!! Especially the sweet kind!

    Reply
    • Blair says

      July 31, 2014 at 2:48 pm

      Me too, Elizabeth! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Constance says

    December 2, 2018 at 7:40 pm

    Yum…I changed mine up, less chex. Added pretzel sticks, raisins, peanuts and M&ms

    Reply
    • Blair says

      December 2, 2018 at 8:07 pm

      Sounds awesome, Constance!!

      Reply
  5. Tiffany T says

    December 19, 2018 at 7:29 pm

    Thank you for this mix, some friends used to make this for me and college, and since losing touch with them, have yet to find the right recipe, but I think this is going to be perfect! Adding M&Ms, Reeseโ€™s pieces, peanuts, and pretzels to this. Thank you for this ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Blair says

      December 20, 2018 at 5:18 am

      Awesome! Your additions sound delicious!!

      Reply

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I'm Blair! I believe in the power of a simple homemade meal to bring a family together. That's why I share easy, quick-prep recipes that eliminate mealtime stress!

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