Santa's Trash Snack Mix
Santa's Trash Snack Mix is a no-bake, sweet-and-salty Christmas snack loaded with pretzels, chips, popcorn, candy, cookies, and nuts all coated in white chocolate and festive sprinkles. Perfect for parties, movie nights, and gifting.
Ingredients
- 3 cups mini pretzel twists mini twists or sticks so they coat evenly and fit well in a handful
- 2 cups ridged potato chips lightly crushed; ridged chips stay a bit crunchier
- 2 cups salted popcorn air-popped or bagged, unflavored; not too buttery
- 1 1/2 cups Christmas-colored M&M's or similar candy-coated chocolates
- 1 1/2 cups broken Oreo cookies or other chocolate sandwich cookies; roughly chopped or broken
- 1 cup salted peanuts or mixed nuts; omit for nut-free
- 16 oz white chocolate chips or white candy melts (about 2 2/3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure, if possible
- 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles or jimmies
- 2 tablespoons holiday nonpareils optional, for extra crunch and sparkle
- flaky sea salt pinch, optional, for finishing
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Clear some counter space so you can spread the snack mix out in an even layer.
- In a very large mixing bowl, add the mini pretzel twists, lightly crushed ridged potato chips, salted popcorn, Christmas-colored M&M's, broken Oreo cookies, and salted peanuts. Gently toss with your hands or a large spoon until evenly combined, being careful not to crush everything into crumbs.3 cups mini pretzel twists, 2 cups ridged potato chips, 2 cups salted popcorn, 1 1/2 cups Christmas-colored M&M's, 1 1/2 cups broken Oreo cookies, 1 cup salted peanuts
- Add the white chocolate chips and neutral oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each burst, until almost fully melted, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total. When only small bits remain, remove from the microwave and stir until completely smooth and glossy. (Alternatively, melt slowly in a double boiler on the stove.)16 oz white chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Stir the vanilla extract into the melted white chocolate until fully incorporated. If the mixture thickens slightly, continue stirring until it smooths out again.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the warm melted white chocolate mixture over the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a large spatula to fold and stir until everything has at least a light, even coating. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure no dry pockets remain.
- Transfer the coated snack mix to the prepared baking sheet. Spread it into an even layer, breaking up any large clumps. While the coating is still wet, immediately sprinkle the red and green sprinkles, holiday nonpareils (if using), and a pinch of flaky sea salt evenly over the top.1/4 cup red and green sprinkles, 2 tablespoons holiday nonpareils, flaky sea salt
- Allow the snack mix to sit at cool room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, until the white chocolate is firm and dry to the touch.
- Once fully set, break the snack mix into bite-size clusters with your hands. Make larger clusters for snack bowls or smaller pieces for gift bags, as desired.
- Serve immediately in a large bowl or divide into jars or treat bags for gifting. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 5–7 days.
Notes
Variations: For a peppermint crunch version, add 1/2 cup crushed candy canes and use half white, half milk chocolate. For a Grinch-themed mix, use green candy melts, green M&M's, and add mini marshmallows. For a nut-free version, omit the peanuts and add more pretzels, popcorn, or seeds. Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5–7 days, refrigerate up to 1–2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months (thaw in the container to avoid condensation).
Love this recipe?Follow us at @Recipecs for more