Spicy Savory Snack Mix Recipe

If you thought snack mix is something reserved only for combining cloyingly sweet treats with cereal, then this spicy savory snack mix recipe is here to change your mind. I've become a convert to snack mix thanks to this version, which comes out of the oven smelling so good that people start congregating in the kitchen long before it has cooled.

As a recipe developer and blogger, I know what makes a good flavor combo, but I also love pushing the boundaries on it just a little bit. In this eclectic take on a savory snack mix, I took Middle Eastern nuts and spices and some traditional Asian flavors and put them together with two very American snacks: pretzels and Chex mix. Then, I threw in brown butter for next-level flavor.

The result was surprising at every turn, and incredibly umami-laden. The fish sauce may seem unexpected, but it blends into the mix and lends it a deep, savory quality that no one can quite identify, and that makes the snack mix very more-ish, leading people to grab handful after handful. Sumac, a Middle Eastern ingredient made from dried flowers, brings a bright, citrusy tang that lifts the whole recipe. And the hit of hot honey at the end? It's the final chef's kiss, giving the mix just enough sweetness and heat to balance all that savoriness. The result is a complexly layered mix you'll love snacking on during movies or during that afternoon lull at work, that will keep well in your cupboard for up to a week, though it's unlikely to last that long.

For the mix itself, I combine Rice Chex cereal, mini pretzels, whole roasted almonds, roasted unsalted peanuts, and raw pepitas, though you can use roasted ones as well. For the seasoning that truly makes this unforgettable, we'll combine unsalted butter, fish sauce, smoked paprika, sumac, garlic powder, cayenne, and kosher salt. And for the final fish, your favorite brand of hot honey and a touch of flaky salt.

Preheat the oven to 250 F.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the Chex cereal, pretzels, almonds, peanuts, and pepitas in a large bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately.

Whisk the fish sauce, smoked paprika, sumac, garlic powder, cayenne, and kosher salt into the brown butter.

Pour the seasoned butter over the snack mix and toss until everything is evenly coated.

Spread the mix in a single even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until dry, fragrant, and lightly crisped. Remove from the oven.

Immediately drizzle with hot honey and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with flaky salt.

Spread back out on the baking sheet and cool completely before serving. The mix crisps further as it cools.

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This recipe is a great blueprint for making the savory snack mix that you find most delicious. It's easy to adjust based on what you have or who you are feeding, or simply what you're in the mood for that day.

For my kids, I omit the hot honey in the end and swap it for regular honey. It will still give you that sweet touch at the end, without that extra hit that burns little tongues. For nut-free households, I replace the almonds and peanuts with more pretzels, additional Chex, or a mix of sesame sticks and little Goldfish crackers. The pumpkin seeds usually stay because they're safe for most tree nut allergies, though sometimes I switch them up with sunflower seeds.

If you want to experiment with different nuts, there are plenty of popular nuts to choose from, and I often buy mine in bulk at Costo. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pretzels, which are usually just as good. Sometimes, when I'm feeling especially playful, I throw in finely diced dried mangoes, just to give another sweet counterpoint to the fish sauce and spices, but those are not strictly necessary.

In the United States, what's known as snack mix traces back to 1952, when Ralston Purina began printing a party mix recipe on the back of Chex cereal boxes. The original formula was simple: Combine rice, corn, and wheat Chex and toss them with pretzels, mixed nuts, chips, butter, and seasonings. It was meant to do one thing, which is to get people to buy more Chex cereal of different kinds.

By 1985, commercially available Chex Mix brought the snack to a wider audience. It has since become iconic, and we happen to think it's the best store-bought snack mix you can buy (or make). It's hard to compete with the basic formula of a crunchy base, seasoned fat, and a slow bake, and the result satisfies nearly everyone. 

Now, snack mixes have evolved into a category all their own, with dozens of commercial and homemade variations. And I know I'm biased, but in my humble opinion, this spicy savory snack mix recipe beats them all.

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