Praline Crunch Party Mix

Sure, you can buy storebought Chex Mix. And yes, homemade Chex Mix recipes are plentiful… but in my humble opinion, this Praline Crunch Party Mix is the be-all-end-all when it comes to cereal-based snack mixes. It has that sweet snap of praline pecan crunch balanced against the slightly savory note and airy crispness of Chex cereal. I’ll just say that once you try it, it’s pretty darn hard to walk away from.

We like to use a combination of corn and rice Chex for this mix. They have slightly different textures, so it keeps things interesting with every bite. The corn cereal is a little heartier with a sturdy crunch, while the rice Chex has more of an airy nature to it. Those two mingle with some pecans on a baking sheet while you prepare the sauce that makes this mix a great praline-mimic.

Some butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup go into a saucepan until things get nice and bubbly and then some vanilla and baking soda get mixed in before it all gets poured over the cereal and nuts. The baking soda prevents the mix from having a hard candy crack – it’s definitely crunchy, but it won’t harm any of your dental work.

A quick toss and the whole thing goes into the oven to bake. It needs about an hour in the oven with some intermittent stirring; the low temp and long baking time ensure that everything gets nice and crispy. Every bite is coated in crisp caramelly sweetness, but the cereal keeps it from ever tasting too sweet. It’s an irresistible party mix, irresistible enough that you don’t really even need a party as an excuse to make it!

Praline Crunch Party Mix

1 hour 15 minutes to prepare serves 10

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rice Chex cereal
  • 4 cups corn Chex cereal
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cereal and pecans.
  3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated.
  5. Spread mixture onto prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, tossing mixture every 20 minutes.
  6. Pour onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper to cool. Break into pieces, and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Don't Sweat The Recipe.

Whizzco for LPE