How to make this Trail Mix recipe

This easy Trail Mix recipe makes an irresistible and satisfying snack. It has a great roasted nut flavour, is slightly sweet and spiced with warming, aromatic cinnamon. Try some you’ll love it!

What is trail mix anyway?

It occurred to me when I sat down to write this recipe that although I knew what trail mix was; a wonderful little snack that you can pick away at. I wasn’t so sure where the name came from or anything else about it. But Wikipedia had the answer of course (Trail Mix definition)

Why you’re going to love this Trail Mix recipe

This easy trail mix recipe makes a perfect protein-rich snack to get you from breakfast to lunchtime and will get you contentedly through your next Netflix binge session. 

• This is an easy to make at home recipe. Plus becasue it’s a homemade trail mix recipe, you have complete control what is in the mix.  If you or your family don’t like a particular ingredient, it’s easy to substitute another.
• This trail mix really simple and quick to make.
• Uses maple syrup so it is refined sugar-free.
• The maple syrup plus a pinch of salt makes this both a sweet and salty trail mix recipe.
• A perfect ‘nibble’ to put out if friends come visiting – if that ever gets to part of life again.
• It is very easy to carry around. Package them  up into little pots – or paper bags. Now you can have the perfect snack with you on your next hike, picnic or beside the computer whilst you work.
• Pop a handful in your lunchbox or your partner’s.
• Meet the children out of school with little bags of trail mix so much healthier and satsifying than other potential snacks.
• Nuts, particularly if you include walnuts or pecans in your mix, contain healthy fats and all nuts contain loads of protein which help you stay feeling full for longer.
• They’re going to be a real hit for family and friends.
• Presented in a pretty container they could make a nice gift for someone as a thank you.

Ingredients for the best trail mix

This recipe suits all kinds of nuts; pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, whatever your favourites are or whatever you currently have to hand. 

• nuts – choose your favourite kinds. you can include seeds too, such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds. These need to be raw nuts (not previously roasted) and definitely unsalted.
• cinnamon – a warming aromatic spice that compliments the roasted nuttiness beautifully.
• maple syrup- present to both sweeten the mix and to enhance the flavours.
• raisins – add a little sweetness and a little fibre.
• Salt – just teensy little pinch to enhance the flavours. I like to use Maldon salt flakes that give little pops of saltiness as you eat the nuts. If you don’t have this then use ordinary salt just be careful not to add too much.

An overview of making the Trail Mix

• To be successful you need to roast these nuts in a warm-ish oven and stir regularly so that they roast evenly and don’t scorch.
• In a suitable bowl and add the nuts along with the maple syrup. Stir carefully to make sure that everything is covered. It will seem quite wet to start with but this disappears as part of the cooking process.
• Spread the nutty mix out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. This makes washing up a little bit easier – I’m not a fan of washing up so anything that cuts down the amount of it is favourite with me. 
• Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, take it out and stir, put them back in the oven for a further five minutes. You want the nuts to take on a little colour but you want to avoid scorching them.
• At the end of this time, take the tray out of the oven and sprinkle over the salt (flakes or table salt). Allow the nuts to cool a little and then put the roasted nuts in a mixing bowl and stir in the raisins. Mix well.

Allow the trail mix to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.

Variations to the basic recipe – making it your own

• Use only one type of nut or several kinds of nuts as long as they’re raw (not roasted) and unsalted it will be fine.
• You can make it sweeter by increasing the amount of maple syrup. 
• Use ordinary salt if you don’t have salt flakes but the salt does really make all the other flavours blossom, so it is the best kind to use in this recipe.
• Try different dried fruits; dried apricots, tangy dried cranberries are lovely as they add quite a bright flavour contrast to the nuts.
• Add some toasted coconut flakes – toasting them really brings out the flavour.

Storing Trail Mix

This trail mix, nutty nibble, stores really well in an airtight tin or container for up to a week after that the flavours aren’t quite so bright and cheery.

Eat and Enjoy

As always I really hope that you enjoy making this easy Trail Mix recipe and if you do try them, let me know how it worked out for you.

Did you eat them all ?

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Other snack recipes you may like;

• Hazelnut and Chocolate Biss Balls
• 4-ingredient chocolate fudge
• Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Balls
• Healthy Chocolate Truffles
• Cheese Straws

Why not pin Maple Roasted Trail Mix recipe for later?