brown butter stuffing snack mix
I baked two batches of this shit in one week and I don’t think that was enough to satiate my snack attacks.
You’ve probably seen recipes like holiday crack or crack mix or similar floating around on various social media outlets. While I’ll probably never go so far as to naming a recipe as such, the metaphor is accurate. Salty or sweet snacks blending various favorite brands of cracker, cereal, or pretzel are a hazard to keep in sight. Even worse than the standard tortilla or potato chip nemesis.
Target brand’s stuffing potato chips inspired this snack mix. I bought a bag of the aforementioned one shopping trip, with minimal expectations, and was blown away by how ridiculously good they were. I think I went through three or four bags before they disappeared forever (don’t worry, I did buy an emergency stash). Stuffing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner and any way I can recreate it without actually roasting a batch is a-ok by me.
So, here we have Brown Butter Stuffing Snack Mix. Translates from Thanksgiving through all your Sunday football viewings and even into Christmas as part of your entertaining platter. Seasoned with traditional herbs and spices, doused in brown butter, and baked up until crisp. An easy process and short, though difficult to restrain one’s wandering hands right when the fragrant mashup emerges from the hot oven.
Might wanna keep a handkerchief on hand to contain your inevitable drooling.
Brown Butter Makes It Better
Caramelizing the butter a little takes this up a whole other notch. Takes a few minutes longer, but I cannot recommend it enough.
Melt a stick of butter on the stovetop, swirling occasionally, until the sizzling and popping recedes and the liquid turns a beautiful tan hue. Move the pot off the stove and let it cool a bit – hot butter is going to hurt real bad once you start mixing your stuff up.
Grab your biggest bowl, or a Dutch oven, and stir up the following: mini pretzel twists, Goldfish, Cheez-its, Chex (rice or corn are fine!), and an herb medley of parsley, thyme, sage, garlic and onion powders, and celery. Pour over the butter and, using a couple wooden spoons or your clean hands, toss all that goodness together. Take a couple minutes to do this to ensure everything is well coated.
Spread the snack mix between two large, parchment-lined baking sheets. Ensure everything is in as even of a single layer as possible – too much overlap and the oven will create too much steam for a crisp finish.
Pop the pans in the oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring once about in the middle. Check the mix at minute 15 and watch closely. Shit will burn if you’re not observant. Good metaphor for life.
Cool the snack mix for a bit, maybe 10 minutes or so, for extra crunchage. Plus, if you prematurely pack up the stuff, the warmth will take away the cronchy texture. No bueno.
Serve on a platter with an array of veggies and spreads, or alongside the Cheddar Ranch Pumpkin Cheeseball on your Thanksgiving charcuterie board. Squirrel a little away, too, to enjoy on your own while you prep dinner or refill the punch bowl. I guarantee this crap will disappear faster than my sanity during a busy workday.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Snac attac:
Cheesy Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Snack Mix
Chewy Cheddar Ranch Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Hot Honey Caprese Whipped Ricotta
Herb and Cheese Pepperoni Pizza Dip
Cheddar Ranch Jalapeno Poppers
brown butter stuffing snack mix
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp butter
- 3 cups mini pretzel twists
- 2 cups Chex cereal (corn or rice)
- 1 1/2 cups Goldfish
- 1 1/2 cups Cheez-its
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried celery
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter until it no longer sputters and turns a lovely golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 6-10 minutes.
- In a very large bowl (I used my Dutch oven), combine the pretzels, Chex, Goldfish, Cheez-its, sage, parsley, thyme, sage, garlic, onion, and celery. Pour over the butter and mix for a solid 2-3 minutes until very well combined.
- Spread the mix in a single layer on each prepared baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, stirring once, until crisp and golden. Watch carefully after 15 minutes, as the crackers and pretzels will burn very quickly if left unattended. Let cool on the pans – they will continue to crisp – then dump into a bowl and serve!
Leave a Reply