Chef notes
I love making this snack mix a few days in advance and having it on hand to add to my Individual Cheese and Charcuterie Boards on special occasions and for keeping my guests snack-happy while I prepare a large meal like Thanksgiving. The spiced cereal, candied nuts and dried fruit all go so well with cheese and cured meats.
Technique tip: Don't skip browning the butter! Making brown butter for this recipe takes it over the top from your usual cereal party mix. It just adds that extra layer of caramelized flavor and nuttiness.
Swap option: Use whatever unsweetened (or very lightly sweetened) cereal you like! I like to use this recipe as a way to get rid of a lot of cereals/nuts/pretzels that are taking up space in my cupboards. Since you're crisping them up in the oven, they can even be a little stale. Just don't skip the blueberries: The fruity sweetness adds the best foil to the spicy, savory saltiness of the rest of the mix.
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1½ cups raw whole almonds
- 1½ cups raw whole cashews
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire
- 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups bran square cereal (unsweetened)
- 2 cups wheat squares cereal
- 1½ cups rice squares cereal
- 1 cup honey O's cereal
- 1½ cups pretzel sticks
- 2 cups dried blueberries
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 300 F.
2.In a large bowl, combine the egg white with sugars, cinnamon, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the almonds and cashews, and toss until the nuts are all coated with the egg white mixture. Use your hands to rub the sugared egg whites into the nuts to make sure they are fully coated. Pour the coated nuts onto a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and arrange them into a single layer. Bake the candied nuts until they are medium-brown in color and the sugars have crystallized, about 15 minutes.
3.Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Continue cooking over low heat until the solids at the bottom of the pan start to turn brown. Turn the heat off and add the Worcestershire, lemon pepper, remaining salt, onion powder and thyme. Whisk to combine.
4.Combine all the cereals and pretzels in a large bowl. Pour the spiced butter mixture over the cereal and gently mix until all the pieces are well-coated. Try not to break up the cereal too much. Spread the coated mixture onto a baking sheet and bake until golden-brown and fragrant, 20-25 minutes.
5.Once the cereal mix and candied nuts have cooled, gently mix them all together with the dried blueberries and store the mix in an airtight container or in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
