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Sweet & Spicy Trail Mix Bites (No More Soggy Trail Mix)

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Sweet, smoky-hot trail mix pressed into chewy-crisp bites that actually hold together.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Spread almonds, cashews, pecans, pepitas, and sunflower seeds on the sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and just golden.
  3. While the nuts toast, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in honey, cayenne, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and fine sea salt.
  4. Bring the glaze to a full boil and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes, until it deepens to the color of strong tea and coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Immediately pour the hot glaze over the warm toasted nuts and seeds; toss quickly to coat everything evenly before the glaze starts to set.
  6. Spread the glazed mixture back onto the parchment-lined sheet in an even layer and press firmly with the back of a spatula into a compact 1/2-inch-thick block.
  7. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the glaze is bubbling and deeply caramelized at the edges.
  8. Remove from the oven and immediately scatter the dried cherries and coconut flakes over the top, pressing them in gently. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  9. Let cool completely on the pan, at least 45 minutes at room temperature or 20 minutes in the fridge, before breaking or cutting into bite-sized clusters.
  10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

The glaze color is the real doneness cue, not the clock — pull it once it looks like strong brewed tea, since ovens and stovetops vary. Don’t skip the press: a loose, unpressed layer bakes into brittle clusters that shatter instead of clean bite-sized pieces. Let the block cool fully before cutting, or it will crumble; a stint in the fridge speeds this up if you’re impatient. These also freeze well for up to 3 months in a zip-top bag.

Find it online: https://www.receipster.com/sweet-spicy-trail-mix-bites-no-more-soggy-trail-mix/