Nut-Free Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix
Elevate your snacking game with this Nut-Free Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix—a perfect blend of crunchy, chewy, and boldly flavored ingredients that cater to nut-free diets without compromising on taste. This easy-to-make trail mix features puffed rice cereal, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pretzel sticks, and coconut chips tossed in a maple syrup glaze enhanced with warm cinnamon and a hint of cayenne for a playful kick. Dried cranberries and chopped apricots bring natural sweetness to complement the spice, creating a perfectly balanced bite in every handful. Ready in under 30 minutes, this oven-baked treat is ideal for school lunches, road trips, or anytime snacking. Plus, it’s vegan-friendly and stored conveniently at room temperature for up to a week. Satisfy snack cravings with this ultimate nut-free option!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups Puffed rice cereal
- 0.5 cup Pumpkin seeds (shelled)
- 0.5 cup Sunflower seeds (hulled)
- 0.5 cup Dried cranberries
- 0.5 cup Dried apricots (chopped)
- 1 cup Pretzel sticks (broken into smaller pieces)
- 0.5 cup Coconut chips
- 3 tablespoons Maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground cayenne pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the puffed rice cereal, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pretzel sticks, and coconut chips. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir regularly until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Use a spatula to toss the ingredients until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the mixture is golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to let it burn.
Remove the tray from the oven and let the mixture cool completely on the baking sheet. It will become crisp as it cools.
Once fully cooled, add the dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots to the trail mix. Toss to combine.
Transfer the trail mix to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to one week.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2700 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 121.4 g | 156% | |
| Saturated Fat | 44.1 g | 220% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 3666 mg | 159% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 377.9 g | 137% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 37.0 g | 132% | |
| Total Sugars | 174.8 g | ||
| Protein | 46.4 g | 93% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 222 mg | 17% | |
| Iron | 20.4 mg | 113% | |
| Potassium | 2276 mg | 48% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
