Spicy Crunchy Nut Blend (Printable)

Crunchy mix of nuts, pretzels, and cereals seasoned with a spicy, flavorful blend perfect for snacking.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Mix

01 - 2 cups mini pretzels
02 - 1 cup roasted peanuts
03 - 1 cup roasted cashews
04 - 2 cups rice cereal squares (e.g., Chex)
05 - 1 cup corn cereal squares
06 - 1 cup cheese crackers

→ Seasoning

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce, adjusted to taste
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
12 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
13 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 275°F.
02 - In a large bowl, combine pretzels, peanuts, cashews, rice cereal, corn cereal, and cheese crackers.
03 - Whisk together melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper until fully blended.
04 - Pour the seasoning over the dry mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Spread the mixture in a single layer on a parchment-lined large baking sheet.
06 - Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to toast evenly.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like the fancy snack mix from specialty shops, but costs a fraction of the price and comes straight from your oven.
  • The smell while it's toasting is honestly better than any air freshener, and people will ask you to make it again the moment they taste it.
  • You control exactly how spicy it gets, so it works whether you're feeding friends who like a gentle kick or heat-seekers who want to sweat a little.
02 -
  • The low oven temperature is not a suggestion—higher heat will burn the seasoning and create bitter spots faster than you'd expect.
  • Stirring every 15 minutes sounds tedious until you realize it takes literally 30 seconds and prevents frustration when some pieces turn dark while others stay pale.
  • Let it cool completely even if you're impatient; cooling is when the coating hardens and becomes that addictive crunch.
03 -
  • Make your seasoning mixture in advance if you're batch-cooking multiple recipes; it actually tastes better when the spices have time to meld.
  • Use parchment paper—seriously, it saves your baking sheet and makes cleanup instant.
  • If you're sensitive to heat, add the cayenne tablespoon by tablespoon instead of all at once; you can always add more, but you can't take it out.

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