This is it! One week until Santa Claus comes to town! If you are looking for a last-minute quick and easy, no-bake treat to make for friends, family, the mailman, whoever! This recipe for Santa Claus Snack Mix is for you! It’s full of sweet and salty flavors, thanks to salted pretzel twists and holiday M&M’s! It packs a ton of crispies and crunchies from Cheerios and Corn Chex cereals! And it is drenched with sweet melted white chocolate chips! It’s the perfect addition to a holiday movie night, packaging for gifts or stocking stuffers. And, let’s not forget about the big guy and the eight tiny reindeer that need some treats for all their hard work Christmas Eve night!
Do you make food gifts for the holiday season?
Jeff and I gift our neighbors and friends with trays of cookies ( Cozy Hot Cocoa Cookies, anyone?) and tubs of Santa Claus Snack Mix every year. The snack mix is always, without fail, the very first thing each recipient of our food gifts opens immediately and begins shoveling handfuls into their mouth! I really don’t blame them for not being able to wait until we leave before enjoying a few handfuls. If they only knew how many handfuls I enjoy at home during the holiday season!
Thank you, Doreen!
I have to thank a former co-worker for introducing me to this recipe. She gifted Jeff and me a tub at the holidays years ago. I was so in love with it. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me. Over the years, we have taken the liberty of customizing it in a myriad of ways.
- If you don’t like peanuts, substitute roasted and salted cashews or almonds. Even honey roasted cashews are delicious! Or you can omit the nuts altogether and throw an additional handful of cereal or pretzels into the mix.
- I’ve even substituted ridged potato chips or Bugles for the pretzels on occasion!
- If you prefer, plain M & M’s may be substituted for the peanut variety. I use red and green candies for Christmas.
- Save this recipe to use for holidays next year! Use the Valentine’s variety of M & M’s in February. And, the pastel candies available at Easter! There are even cool M & M’s for Halloween that are black, neon green, and purple! They’re super cute!
One last thing!
I’m going to take a break from blogging for the remainder of this year and for the first few weeks of January. I’ve told you guys all about my love for food photography, and I invested in some photography courses that I need to devote some time to actually using. I’ve never been one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I’ve already made several for 2021.
- More laughter, less fretting!
- Stop overthinking, and just do it!
- Cooking recipes from different countries that I’ve never tried!
- Practice, practice, practice food photography. I truly love it! I want to elevate my skill level in the new year.
- I used to make homemade pastries and decorated cakes regularly at home. I want to get back into it.
What are your resolutions for the New Year?
Since this will be my last post for the year, I want to wish you all a joyous holiday season! And thank you for your unwavering love and support of me and my humble little corner of the internet. I love you all!
XO~ Heidi
Santa Claus Snack Mix
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: approximately 40– 1/2 cup servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Santa Claus Snack Mix! If you love a good no-bake sweet and salty treat, this recipe is for you! Salted pretzel twists, Cheerios, Corn Chex, M & M’s, and Honey Roasted Peanuts are coated with melted sweet white chocolate chips! Perfect for gift-giving and holiday get-togethers!
Ingredients
24 ounces Holiday Peanut M & M’s
1 cup Honey Roasted Peanuts
5 cups Cheerios
5 cups Corn Chex
10 ounces Salted Mini Pretzel Twists
2- 12 ounce packages White Chocolate Chips
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Optional:
Additional Mini Pretzel Twists
Additional White Chocolate Chips
Vegetable Oil
Holiday Sprinkles
Instructions
- Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper
- In an extra-large bowl, combine everything except the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil.
- Combine the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the snack mix ingredients in the bowl.
- Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir to coat the ingredients with the melted chocolate.
- Immediately divide between the two lined cookie sheets.
- Let rest at room temperature for an hour or so to set the chocolate.
Optional:
- If you would like to dip extra pretzels to scatter throughout the mix. Melt additional white chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Individually dip the pretzels into the chocolate and use a fork for fishing them out of the chocolate. Tap the fork against the rim of the pan to drain excess chocolate from the pretzel. Place the dipped pretzels on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- After the chocolate has formed a shell on each pretzel, you can dip the fork’s tines in melted chocolate and quickly flick the fork back and forth above the pretzels to form a decorative pattern.
- Alternatively, sprinkle the freshly dipped pretzels with small holiday sprinkles of your choice!
Notes
- Honey roasted cashews or roasted, and salted cashews may be substituted for the honey roasted peanuts
- If you prefer, plain M & M’s may be used.
- I have even omitted the pretzels and replaced them with Bugles or potato chips with ridges.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: santa claus snack mix, edible gift, m & m’s, sweet and salty, sweet snack mix, christmas
