Sweet and Salty Fall Snack Mix (no candy or cereal!)
If you’re looking for a sweet and salty fall snack mix that doesn’t have candy or cereal, look no further! My mix is a combination of popcorn, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate chips all covered in a delicious peanut butter sauce! My husband and I love this cozy fall snack on chilly nights while watching our favorite sitcom or football. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
My fall snack mix is the perfect recipe to serve no matter who’s around. It’ll be a hit at church potlucks, fall parties, family gatherings, as a post-hike snack, and even at home on your couch. It’s hard to believe something so wholesome tastes this good!
Inspiration Behind My Fall Snack Mix Recipe
I wanted to create a mix that anyone could enjoy without having to eat tons of processed food. It’s a snack recipe we love, and I hope you do too!
Most fall mixes are full of candy corn, M&M’s, Bugles, and Chex Mix, which not only cost a lot but they all have questionable ingredients.
That’s why I developed my fall snack mix with delicious wholesome staples. Yes, sure it has chocolate chips, but those are a heck of a lot better than M&M’s! If you prefer, you could swap the semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate chips that have clean ingredients.
Why You’ll Love My Sweet and Salty Snack Mix
- Quick and Easy Recipe: You can whip it up in only 10 minutes!
- No Candy or Cereal: It’s full of wholesome staples instead of prepackaged food.
- Sweet and Salty: It has a perfect balance between salty and sweet!
- Great for Sharing: It transports perfectly if taking to a party or gathering (even on a road trip)
What Does this Fall Snack Mix Taste Like?
It’s sweet, it’s salty, and it’s peanut buttery! You get a creamy peanut flavor, savory notes from pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and sea salt, and sweetness from chocolate chips and cinnamon.
If you’ve ever had puppy chow (or Muddy Buddies), it’s a similar taste!
My Tips for Making This Recipe
- It’s best when it’s made fresh, but it lasts a day or two.
- Make sure you take the melted butter off the heat before adding any peanut butter. It ensures you don’t scorch it.
- Roughly chop the pistachios for chunks rather than keeping them whole.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
- roasted and salted pistachios: you can shell them at home if you’d like
- popcorn kernels: make sure they’re unsalted, unbuttered
- salted butter: salted is best
- natural smooth peanut butter: I recommend a no sugar added option
- pure maple syrup: you can also use honey
- ground cinnamon: this adds a little fall flavor
- sea salt: you can also use regular salt
- raw pepitas: also known as shelled pumpkin seeds and use unsalted, unroasted if possible
- semi-sweet chocolate chips: you can also use dark chocolate chips
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
- large glass mixing bowl (my favorite type of bowl for snack mix!)
- popcorn air popper
- cutting board
- knife
How to Make Fall Snack Mix
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Make sure the pistachios are out of their shells and roughly chop them into large pieces. Set aside.
Pop the popcorn kernels in an air popper (this is what I like to do).Or place them a brown paper bag, fold the top down one of two times, and microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes. It’s done when the popping slows.
While the popcorn is popping (keep an eye on it), place butter in a small pan and onto the stovetop over medium heat. Let it warm until melted then take off the heat.
Add peanut butter to melted butter and whisk until melted and smooth.
Add maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt to the peanut butter mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
When popcorn is done popping place it in a medium to large sized mixing bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
Add chopped pistachios, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir to evenly mix. The goodies will fall to the bottom of the bowl since they are heavier than the popcorn. Just bring them to the top when you’re done.
For a little extra saltiness, add an extra 1/4 tsp sea salt. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Ideas for Serving Fall Snack Mix
You can serve this mix for many different occasions. Like I said earlier in this blog post, my husband and I love having it on fall nights while we watch football or our favorite sitcom! But here are a few other serving ideas:
- For an at home movie night
- As a snack for work or school
- For a post-hike or post-workout snack
- Take it to a potluck, gathering, or party
- Serve it while hosting friends and family
How to Store Homemade Snack Mix
Keep this snack mix in a glass, airtight container for the best flavor. It will keep for 1-2 days at room temperature.
Variations You Can Try
- Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, use dark chocolate.
- Add chopped cashews or walnuts instead of pistachios for a twist.
- Double the peanut butter mixture for more gooey goodness!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a mixture of different snack foods. Most fall snack mixes have prepackaged candy and cereal in them. Mine has pistachios, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, and other wholesome snack foods.
In my opinion, yes! My snack mix uses wholesome ingredients like pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and chocolate chips instead of prepackaged cereals and candies.
It’s best if enjoyed within 1-2 days after making it.
I don’t see why it couldn’t be! It’s simple and easy to pack on the go!
Sure! It’s best if enjoyed right away, but it’ll last 1-2 days in an airtight container.
Absolutely, make it your own!
Yes, you can!
I think so! If your kiddos love popcorn, I think they’ll love it even with the nuts and seeds.
More Recipes for Fall Snacks To Try
If you’re looking for more fall snacks, try a few of these:
- Homemade Jalapeno Cheese Dip (Inspired by Fritos)
- Easy Garlic Parmesan Popcorn From Scratch
- Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Chocolate Chips
- Sourdough Jalapeno Popper Scones
- My Rotel Dip Recipe (Without Velveeta!)
- Homemade Mozzarella Bites
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Sweet and Salty Fall Snack Mix (no candy or cereal!)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup roasted and salted pistachios (measure them out of the shell)
- 1/3 cup popcorn kernels (unsalted/unbuttered)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp natural smooth peanut butter (no sugar added)
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup raw pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) (unsalted, unroasted)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make sure the pistachios are out of their shells and roughly chop them into large pieces. Set aside.
- Pop the popcorn kernels in an air popper (this is what I like to do). Or place them a brown paper bag, fold the top down one of two times, and microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes. It's done when the popping slows.
- While the popcorn is popping (keep an eye on it), place butter in a small pan and onto the stovetop over medium heat. Let it warm until melted then take off the heat.
- Add peanut butter to melted butter and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt to the peanut butter mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
- When popcorn is done popping place it in a medium to large sized mixing bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
- Add chopped pistachios, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir to evenly mix. The goodies will fall to the bottom of the bowl since they are heavier than the popcorn. Just bring them to the top when you're done.
- For a little extra saltiness, add an extra 1/4 tsp sea salt. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Enjoy!
Video
I love this healthy ideal for a snack, thank you for this recipe!!
Looks so delicious 🙂
You’re so welcome!! It’s such a delicious treat!
Love the combo of chocolate and pumpkin seeds!
Thank you so much!
Yumm! Such a great snack idea. It’s important to me to keep snacking healthy and clean too. This sounds perfect!
Thank you so much!
This looks so yummy! I love all the ingredients! 😋
Thank you so much!
What a good idea to use popcorn is a snack mix! Great recipe, I bet it tastes delicious and the kids love it. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much!