Description
This Sweet & Salty Party Mix is a delightful blend of crispy popcorn, crunchy pretzels, roasted peanuts, and rice cereal coated in a rich, buttery caramel sauce. Perfectly baked to create sweet clusters with a salty crunch, this snack mix is ideal for parties, movie nights, or anytime you want a delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn Mix
- 1 (3-3.5 oz) pkg microwave popcorn (about 5 cups popped)
- 3 cups miniature pretzel twists
- 2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts
- 2 cups rice chex cereal
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup corn syrup
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 300ºF to prepare for baking the party mix.
- Pop Popcorn: Prepare the microwave popcorn according to the package directions and set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the popped popcorn, miniature pretzel twists, dry-roasted salted peanuts, and rice Chex cereal; mix gently and set aside.
- Make Caramel Sauce: In a large saucepan, combine the butter, light brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils. Then, continue cooking without stirring for 3 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the baking soda, which will cause the caramel to bubble and become lighter in texture.
- Coat Party Mix: Pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure all pieces are evenly coated with the caramel.
- Bake and Stir: Spread the coated mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent clumping and ensure even baking.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and transfer the mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Allow it to cool completely, breaking it into clusters as it sets. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Be careful when stirring in baking soda to avoid splattering the hot caramel sauce.
- You can substitute peanuts with other nuts or seeds if preferred.
- Store the party mix in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the pretzels and cereals are certified gluten-free.
- Stirring every 10 minutes during baking is crucial to prevent burning and to ensure an even caramel coating.
