Maple Cheddar Trail Mix
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I love a unique twist on a classic hiking snack, and this Maple Cheddar Trail Mix is definitely delicious and different!
Sometimes the traditional hiking snack GORP (good old raisins and peanuts) just doesn’t cut it, and that’s where this trail mix recipe comes in.
The trail mix is:
- easy to make
- crunchy
- salty
- cheesy
- filling
- won’t melt in your pack
I’m sure this trail mix recipe will quickly become a favorite on your hikes.
Maple Cheddar Trail Mix Ingredients
- Pecans and Almonds – We use a mix of almonds and pecans in this trail mix. Start with raw nuts. Once we bake them, they’ll take on a delicious toasted nut flavor!
- Olive or coconut oil – Use whichever you have.
- Maple syrup – For the sweet crunchy coating on the nuts.
- Salt – Gotta have the salt!
- Cheese crackers – Such as Cheese-Its, Annies Cheddar Squares, or Goldfish.
- Cheddar sesame sticks – My local grocery store sells these in the bulk section. If you can’t find them, simply omit them from the recipe. No big deal.
- Raisins or dried cranberries – Use whichever you have, or do a mix of both!
How to Make Cheddar Maple Trail Mix
Step 1: Cook the Almonds and Pecans
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Add the pecans, almonds, oil, maple syrup, and salt to a bowl and mix well. Spread the nuts in an even layer on a bare baking sheet – no parchment paper.
I’ve noticed that the nuts don’t get as crispy when using parchment paper. I’m sorry, you’re going to have to clean the baking sheet after this one!
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and immediately use a spatula to toss the nuts. Then, let them cool completely.
Step 2: Mix everything together
In a large bowl, mix the cheese crackers, cheddar sesame sticks, and raisins or cranberries. Once the nuts are fully cooled, add them to the bowl and mix. That’s it!
Store in an airtight container. This trail mix is best if consumed within 2-3 days.
Maple Cheddar Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pecans (raw)
- 1/2 cup almonds (raw)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup cheddar crackers (such as Cheese-Its or Goldfish)
- 1/2 cup cheddar sesame sticks*
- 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the pecans, almonds, oil, maple syrup, and salt to a bowl and mix well.
- Spread the nuts in an even layer on a bare baking sheet (no parchment paper).
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and immediately use a spatula to toss the nuts. Then, let them cool completely.
- Once the nuts are completely cool, mix with the rest of the ingredients and store the trail mix in an airtight container. This trail mix is best if consumed within 2-3 days.
Notes
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Want more hiking snacks?
This blog is full of delicious hiking snack ideas!
Make sure to check out some of the other popular snack recipes below:
Holy cow! I just made this as a test run for an upcoming daddy/daughter Tetons trip. It is awesome! And easy to make. They are a little bit messy on the hands, oil and syrup, so I laid the remaining out on some paper towels. That helped a lot without losing flavor or drying them out. This is a new must-have for trips. Next up is Date/Oats energy balls. Thanks so much!
You’re so welcome!! I hope you had an awesome trip!