Satisfy your sweet tooth with a bowl of this Sweet and Salty Trail Mix. Pretzels, peanut butter cups, peanuts, and mini cookies combine to make an irresistible homemade snack mix that’s perfect for movie nights, road trips, or an easy party nibble.
We made a big batch of this for a recent family trip and it disappeared fast. A homemade mix lets you control the balance of sweet and salty, and it’s easy to customize based on what you already have in the pantry. It’s an ideal snack to toss into reusable bags for the car, plane, or beach.
A few days before heading out, I almost grabbed a prepackaged bag from the store, but decided to mix my own. It took a little more time and money up front, but the large bowl of fresh, crunchy goodness was well worth it for the trip home and for entertaining at home.
What is in a Sweet and Salty Trail Mix:
- Peanut butter filled pretzels
- Salted pretzels
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
- Reese’s Pieces
- Mini Oreos
- Mini Chips Ahoy cookies
- Mini marshmallows
- Reese’s Puffs cereal
- Nutter Butter bites
This mix is wonderfully flexible—you can swap or add anything you prefer. Try adding M&M’s, caramel corn, dried fruit, other cereals, nuts, seeds, or savory chips to create your ideal flavor and texture combination.
Tips for making a Sweet and Salty Trail Mix
- Measure or pour each ingredient into a large bowl so you can see proportions as you add them.
- Gently toss everything together with your hands or a large spoon to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Adjust the balance: add more salty elements (nuts, pretzels) if you want it saltier, or more candy and cookies to lean sweeter.
- Store leftover mix in an airtight container or resealable bag to keep it fresh and crunchy.
Pro tip: If you want the mix to stay crunchy longer when packed for travel, separate any especially soft or sticky items (like marshmallows or very soft cookies) and add them just before serving.
Recipe
Sweet & Salty Trail Mix
Yield: about 12 cups | Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanut butter filled pretzels
- 1 cup salted peanuts
- 1 cup mini Chips Ahoy cookies
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup Reese’s Pieces
- 1½ cups mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (about an 8 oz bag)
- 1 cup mini Oreos
- 2 cups Reese’s Puffs cereal
- 1 cup Nutter Butter bites
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Toss gently until the mix is evenly distributed.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for snacking later.
Notes
Feel free to substitute with whatever you have on hand—this recipe is designed to be flexible. For gift-giving, divide into mason jars or decorative bags and tie with a ribbon.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
- Calories: 372
- Total fat: 24 g (saturated fat: 10 g)
- Carbohydrates: 36 g (sugar: 21 g)
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 303 mg
Other ideas and serving suggestions
This trail mix makes a thoughtful homemade gift for holidays or a quick hostess present—package it in mason jars or cellophane bags. It also pairs well with movie nights, game nights, or as a snack for road trips and outdoor activities.
If you enjoy creating snack mixes, try other sweet-and-salty combinations like white chocolate coated cereal mixes, popcorn mixed with candy and nuts, or themed mixes using seasonal candies and sprinkles. These variations are easy to scale up for parties or to prep in individual snack portions for lunches and outings.
(Original photo from June 2012.)
*This Sweet and Salty Trail Mix post was originally published in June 2012 and updated later with refreshed photos and notes.