If you’re looking for an easy but delicious homemade Trail Mix, this is the recipe for you. In this post I’m going to show you how I made this nutritious snack.
What is Trail Mix?
Picture yourself hiking in the woods. You’ve hit the trail late in the morning before the heat of the day. Off you go, wearing the perfect shoes, great workout clothes, and music streaming in your air buds.
In your backpack? Water, of course. But you need something else, something. . .handy. So, this time you’ve brought along the perfect treat for the journey: Trail mix.
Why Eat Trail Mix?
Trail Mix is the perfect treat for all of these reasons:
It’s handy: You can place it in individual containers or baggies and grab-and-go.
It’s got healthy components. Depending on how you make it, Trail mix is packed with protein and antioxidants from the nuts and fruits. This one is also low in processed sugar, having only honey and dried fruit to add sweetness.
Portion control: You can determine (by how you package up the mix) a pre-set amount to eat. (Hey, these are healthy but do have calories!)
It Hits all the Notes: Sweet. Salty. Crunch. Soft. Large chunks. Small chunks. Chocolate. Need I say more? A good trail mix keeps your mouth guessing what’s coming next!
What Makes Trail Mix So Perfect?
This is a really simple recipe you can make in a hurry. The original, which I found at food.com, called the oats “clusters” but I had a hard time getting them to stick together, so I added a little more honey to the recipe in that hopes that yours would be stickier than mine.
Honestly? In my case, I just baked them and hoped for the best.
In the end, I was happy with how this came out. All of the flavors of this trail mix worked together seamlessly. I love the combination of flavors and textures. It’s yummy!
Trail Mix Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick look at what you’re going to need to make this trail mix. These are simple ingredients and incredibly flexible. You get to choose your fruits and nuts, so have fun with them!
- rolled oats
- vegetable oil
- water
- honey
- dried or dehydrated fruit: I chose dehydrated cranberries, blueberries, mangoes, chopped dates, and apricots.
- mixed nuts: I chose cashews, pistachios, pecans, and walnuts.
- sunflower seeds
- cinnamon
- desiccated coconut
- chocolate chips
How to Make Homemade Trail Mix
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare a large cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl place oats, water, oil, and honey.
Mix well.
Using a spoon or a tiny scoop, make these into clusters on the cookie sheet.
Place in 300 degree oven and bake for fifteen minutes. If yours didn’t stick together, don’t fret. The oats will still be yummy.
Remove from oven and gently layer the fruit and nuts around the clusters in a single layer. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Place back in the oven for 5 – 8 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Once completely cooled, transfer oat mixture to large bowl and add the other ingredients. Add coconut, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips. Mix well.
Place in an airtight container.
The trail mix should stay good at room temperature for 3 – 4 week.
You can refrigerate it to last longer.
You can even freeze trail mix. It will last for several months in there.
How I Packaged my Trail Mix
I’ve been on a new kick, trying to get in better shape. So, I made this to have a hearty option for snack time. With that in mind, let me tell you how I packaged my trail mix so it would be ready to grab-and-go.
I found snack-sized baggies in my cupboard and knew they would be perfect. I used a half-cup measuring cup to measure out just enough for each bag.
Once they were bagged up, I placed all of those bags inside another larger gallon-sized ziplock bag. (Check out my goodie bags, y’all!)
I’ve learned that snacks don’t always stay fresh in baggies. (They actually store better in sealable bowls but I wanted the option to grab and go.
What to Expect from this Recipe
If you’re a trail mix fan, you’re going to love this one. It’s so simple and best of all, you get to choose your own mix-ins.
The oven-roasted nuts were so good. And those fruits? Y’all, where has dehydrated mango been all of my life? That stuff is amazing. I’m headed back to Aldi to buy more ASAP!
I’m so very happy to have this on hand as I set out to get healthier. I will enjoy it. . .in moderation. It will satisfy my sweet tooth and definitely my urge for a salty snack, too. Talk about a great way to get in those nutrients you need to stay healthy and strong. And you can eat this trail mix at any time of the day.
By the way, this would make a terrific school snack. Just make sure you skip the peanuts if anyone in your child’s class has a peanut allergy. I also think it would be great on a road trip. You could nibble as you drive without getting your hands dirty. This is one of those healthy recipes you’ve going to want to re-visit often!
Variations on this Recipe
Looking for other things you can add to your Trail Mix? Here are some suggestions for your delicious and healthy snack:
M&MS: If you don’t want to add chocolate chips (or perhaps along with your chocolate chips) you can add M&Ms, (plain or peanut). Delicious!
Speaking of peanuts: At the last minute I remembered that I had some dry-roasted peanuts, so I tossed in a handful of those, as well. There’s something about salty dry-roasted nuts that makes my heart happy.
Sesame sticks. Those cute little sesame sticks would be perfect in this mix!
Pumpkin seeds: I’m allergic so I couldn’t add these to mine, but perhaps pumpkin seeds sound good to you.
Goji berries: This is another fun and unexpected option.
Popcorn: I’ve seen folks add popcorn to their trail mix. I can’t guaranteed how long it will stay fresh but the kids are sure to love this option.
Chocolate covered fruit or nuts: This would be another fun option: Chocolate and all the good stuff combined? Yes, please!
Honey Nut Cheerios: This would really amp up the crunch and sweetness, while adding even more honey flavor. A cup of Honey Nut Cheerios (or other similar cereal) would be great.
Grape Nuts: Don’t want to take the time to bake your oats? No problem. Just use a cup of Grape Nuts cereal (or other small crunch cereal with an oat-like texture).
Coconut Oil: If you’re not a fan of vegetable oil, coconut oil is a terrific substitute.
Maple Syrup: If you don’t have honey, maple syrup is a great option.
Other Sweet Treats from Out of the Box Baking
Trail mix recipes are great, but I’ve got lots of other offerings, too! Check out some fan favorites from Out of the Box Baking.
Gourmet Rocky Road Rice Krispy Treats: If you love a great Rice Krispy Treat with amp-up appearance and flavor, you’re going to love this simple recipe.
Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: If you love those delicious flavors found in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but don’t want to make a trip to the store, I’ve got a treat for you! You can whip up the copycat version, which is just as good, (if not more better!)
Puff Pastry Baklava Bites: If you love the rich flavors of Baklava but don’t have time to make it from scratch, this is the recipe for you. This delicious baklava recipe starts with a simple puff pastry, but it definitely doesn’t end there!
The Ultimate Cinnamon Palmiers: If you love a crisp pie-crust cinnamon roll, then you’re going to flip over these simple palmiers, (also known as Elephant Ears)! They start with a roll of pre-made puff pastry but they don’t end there!
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. This trail mix is one of my favorite snacks.
If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!
See this recipe at:
About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.
Trail Mix with Honey Oats
If you’re looking for an easy but delicious homemade Trail Mix, this is the recipe for you. In this post I’m going to show you how I made this delicious and nutritious snack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cups dried fruit (or fruit of your choice): I chose dehydrated cranberries, blueberries, mangoes, chopped dates, and apricots
- 2 cups mixed nuts (your choice): (I chose cashews, pistachios, pecans, and walnuts
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup chocolate chips (your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a large cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl place oats, water, oil, and honey.
- Mix well. Using a spoon or a tiny scoop, make these into clusters on the cookie sheet.
- Place in 300 degree oven and bake for fifteen minutes. If yours didn’t stick together, don’t fret. The oats will still be yummy.
- Remove from oven and gently layer the fruit and nuts around the clusters. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Place back in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Once completely cooled, transfer to large bowl and mix well.
- Now it’s time to add the other ingredients. Add coconut, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Place in an airtight container.
- The trail mix should stay good at room temperature for 3 - 4 week.
- You can refrigerate it to last longer.
- You can even freeze trail mix. It will last for several months in there.