Description
This Orange Snack Mix with Dried Cranberries is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors combined with a crunchy texture. Featuring Chex cereal, cashews, and dried cranberries all coated in a buttery orange juice glaze with brown sugar, this snack mix is ideal for on-the-go snacking or sharing at gatherings. The recipe is easy to prepare and bakes to a delightful golden crispiness that hardens as it cools for a satisfying treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 4 tablespoons butter
Dry Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 cups Chex cereal (any variety, corn used here)
- 8 ounces cashews
- 6 ounces dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Mix: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large roasting pan, combine the Chex cereal and cashews and mix them well to ensure even distribution.
- Melt Glaze: In a broiler or small saucepan, gently melt the butter along with the orange juice and brown sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Avoid boiling the mixture to keep the glaze smooth.
- Coat Mixture: Pour the warm orange juice glaze over the cereal and nut mixture. Stir thoroughly so that every piece is coated evenly with the sweet buttery glaze.
- Bake and Stir: Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and bake the mixture for 45 minutes. Stir the mixture every 15 minutes carefully to prevent any pieces from burning and to ensure even baking.
- Add Cranberries and Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately stir in the dried cranberries. Allow the snack mix to cool completely – it will harden as it cools, forming a delightful crunchy texture.
- Store: Once cool, break apart any large clumps, then store the snack mix in an airtight container or in resealable bags for convenient snacking anytime.
Notes
- Use any variety of Chex cereal; corn Chex provides a nice sweetness, but rice or wheat Chex work just as well.
- Keep a close eye during baking and stirring to avoid burning the sugar glaze.
- For a nut-free version, substitute cashews with sunflower seeds or omit them entirely.
- You can add other dried fruits like raisins or chopped dried apricots for more variety.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks to keep it fresh and crunchy.
- For extra zest, add a teaspoon of orange zest to the glaze before coating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: Orange Snack Mix, Dried Cranberries, Chex Mix, Sweet Snack, Healthy Snack, Cashew Snack, Orange Glaze Snack
