Five ingredients, one bowl, and no oven required.
This sweet fall snack mix lives in a glass jar tied with orange ribbon from the first week of October until the candy corn runs out. Five ingredients, five minutes, one big bowl, and not a single sheet pan to wash. It is what I make when I want the house to feel like autumn but have no intention of spending the afternoon at the oven.
The jar sits on a high shelf, well above dachshund level. Pisa, Paris, and Patches take a keen interest in anything that crinkles, and chocolate is the one treat in this house they never get to share. (They have not accepted this. Patches has been known to sit under that shelf for a good twenty minutes, just in case.)
Some people like their snack mix salty. I am firmly in the sweet camp. If you lean sweet and salty, my peanut butter fall snack mix is the one for you, and if you want something savory to set out alongside, try these spicy pretzels or my rosemary and tarragon spicy nuts.
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What You Need for Sweet Fall Snack Mix
Everything comes from the candy aisle and the cookie aisle. Kettle corn is the base. It is light and just a little salty, and it keeps the mix from tipping over into pure candy. Caramel corn works too if you want it richer.
Candy corn brings the color. I like the harvest mix with the tiny candy pumpkins, but plain candy corn is fine. Mini maple cookies and mini vanilla Oreos add crunch and that buttery cookie flavor. For the M&M’s, use whichever you prefer: Halloween M&M’s for the orange and brown, or peanut M&M’s if you want a little more heft and salt.
(I know candy corn divides a room. If you are on the other side of that line, leave it out and add a cup of something else. I will not take it personally.)
How to Make It
Pour everything into your biggest bowl and toss gently with your hands or a large spoon so the cookies stay whole. That is the whole recipe. Spoon it into a pretty bowl for the table, fill a glass jar for the counter, or divide it into cellophane bags for individual servings.
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
A snack mix is forgiving, so the only rule is to keep the total amount about the same. Whatever you take out, add back the same amount of something you love. Not a maple person? Mini graham crackers are a nice swap. Reese’s Pieces, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, cinnamon Chex, and a handful of pecans all belong here too. For more salt, add mini pretzels, Goldfish, or Cheez-Its. The seasonal aisle at the Dollar Tree is worth a look as well, with plenty of little mix-ins for next to nothing.
One of you, Leanne, shared her own version in the comments: candy corn and candy pumpkins tossed with salted macadamia nuts, bagged up as gifts for friends. She called it a high-low blend. It is simple and a little elegant, and it is exactly the kind of idea I love hearing from readers.
Packaging It Up
Cellophane bags tied with ribbon make easy party favors, teacher treats, or a little something for the neighbors. You can also fill paper cones and use them as place cards at a fall table, the same idea I used for these Dollar Tree Valentine candy favors. For more ideas when you have people coming over, my recipes for entertaining (link) collection is a good place to start.
How to Store Fall Snack Mix
An airtight jar or container on the counter keeps everything crisp for about four days. After that the kettle corn starts to soften, which is a perfectly good excuse to make a fresh batch. Keep it away from a sunny window, or the chocolate will let you know.
I hope a jar of this finds its way onto your counter this month, ribbon optional. Now I want to know: when it comes to snack mix, are you sweet, salty, or a little of both, and what is the one ingredient you would never leave out?
Take care, and thank you for spending part of your day with me. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And if you enjoy Pinecones & Acorns, please share it with a friend.
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Easy 5 Minute Fall Harvest Snack Mix Recipe
A quick, no-bake sweet fall snack mix made with kettle corn, candy corn, mini maple cookies, mini vanilla Oreos and M&M’s.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
Ingredients
6 to 8 cups kettle corn (or caramel corn)
2 cups mini maple cookies
1 cup mini vanilla Oreo cookies
2 cups M&M’s, Halloween or peanut
1 to 2 cups candy corn harvest mix (or regular candy corn)
Instructions
1. Add the kettle corn, maple cookies, vanilla Oreos, M&M’s, and candy corn to a large bowl.
2. Toss gently with your hands or a large spoon so the cookies stay whole.
3. Serve in a bowl, store in a glass jar, or divide into cellophane bags for individual servings.
Notes
Swap any ingredient for the same amount of something else, such as mini graham crackers, Reese’s Pieces, pecans, or mini pretzels. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about four days. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, so keep the jar out of reach of pets.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
This year I mixed candy corn and pumpkins with salted macadamia nuts for a simple bagged treat to give to friends. Everyone has loved it. Sort of a high-low blend and affordable from Walmart store.
Leanne that sounds delicious! I am going to try your recipe.
Thank you for a lovely idea for an easy snack mix!! Such a pretty presentation.
I’m going to bag this up for the grands on Halloween
Terri
Thank you Terri! I hope that the grands love it!