My favorite month is finally in full force, and I am totally in my element! One thing I love most about this time of year is indulging in autumn treats because unfortunately, it doesn’t last long. On a day where I have nothing on my agenda, I want nothing more than to munch on delicious snacks, while binge watching Halloween movies, and let me tell you this sweet heat, maple trail mix will have your taste buds wanting to finish the entire bucket! 

     While scrolling on Pinterest looking for fall inspiration, I always come across yummy snack mixes, but nothing ever like this one. This particular bucket of harvest goodness has my name written ALL over it. This is even an amazing party snack to make if you’re having everyone over for football Sunday, or even to pack up in a huge zip block bag to bring to the pumpkin patch. Honestly it’ll be great wherever, whenever! 

     In a sauté pan, you’ll want to melt two teaspoons of butter over medium low heat. 

In with the butter, add a small container of whole, halved and unsalted pecans. 

Add: Salt, pepper, and sprinkle brown sugar over to candy them up a bit! 

   After five minutes of roasted the nuts, getting them toasty, slide them out of the pan and into a large mixing bowl. 

     To create bursts of sweet, yet tart bites in your mouth, sprinkle little dried cranberry jewels over the candied pecans. 

   In my book apples scream fall, so I definitely wanted to incorporate that flavor into this Chex mix. Apple chips were definitely the way to go. They have all the flavor, with tons of crunch! 

When eating fruit or even chocolate, I love pairing those sweet flavors with different types of cheeses. Autumn is a time that reminds me of those pairings, so because I just can never have sweet without that delicious cheese flavor, I added cheddar jack crackers. It was absolutely the perfect touch to this snack. I promise you that! 

When creating the perfect perfect snack mix, you need five things.. I truly believe that, no matter what season you’re making it in, or what theme you’re inventing it for. 

1. Nuts. That is a given. I feel like no matter what you need a nut in your mixture. 
2. Something crunchy. 
3. Something cheesy.
4. Something sweet.
5. A type of cereal. 

The cereal that I thought would add texture, and that would soak up the glaze were going to pour over our snack, is Chex mix. There are so many kinds of even one type of cereal, but I chose “corn”. 

   Even though we went and candied our pecans, we need a glaze to smother all over every little autumn treasure to give it even more of an addictive flavor! 

• AWESOME for binge watching scary movies. 

The glaze is fast and simple. You’ll have to put a small soup pot over medium low heat to melt four tablespoons of salted butter. Then add a quarter cup of organic maple syrup. (NOT PANCAKE SYRUP) -two totally different syrups, believe it or not! For the final touches, sprinkle in a handful of brown sugar, with a few dashes of cayenne pepper for a different layer of flavor. If you’re a hot heat kind of dare devil, add a lot of dashes! lol 

When the glaze comes to a boil, turn the heat off, and let it thicken for a few minutes.

For that beautiful site.. drizzle that gorgeous brown, sticky glaze all over the snacks. 

 Pour, pour pour! 

     To add a last and final layer of crunch to this mixture, you’ll want to let pumpkin seeds rain into the bowl! I mean.. tell me whats more autumn than pumpkin seeds? Let’s be honest. 

     Mix it up.. mix, mix, mix it up! (;

A heaping of spicy, crunchy, sweet and sticky wholesomeness. 

In the world of fall flavored snacks.. nothing compares to this. It doesn’t get better than munching on handfuls of Chex mix, while cuddling on the couch with a pumpkin spice hot chocolate.

We cant forget to light those cozy candles either diamonds!     xoxo