Honey Ginger Cranberry Orange Snack Mix
This is a quick and easy snack mix that is perfect for any occasion It is a perfect balance of honey orange and cranberry with a subtle ginger flavor
This is a quick and easy snack mix that is perfect for any occasion It is a perfect balance of honey orange and cranberry with a subtle ginger flavor
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 4 cups rice chex cereal
- 3 cups quaker oatmeal squares (brown sugar flavor)
- 3 cups honey kix
- 1 cup pecans (or any nut you like)
- 1/4 cup orange juice from 1 orange
- orange zest from the above orange
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- Carbohydrate 39.936221755618 g
- Cholesterol 12.212 mg
- Fat 9.46728704775281 g
- Fiber 2.00879970285346 g
- Protein 3.23268268820225 g
- Saturated Fat 3.42936010224719 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (60g)
- Sodium 293.723825280899 mg
- Sugar 37.9274220527645 g
- Trans Fat 0.658387573033707 g
- Calories 250 calories
Step-by-step
- Toss the 3 cereals & nuts together in a large microwaveable mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, fresh squeezed orange juice & zest from the orange, vanilla extract, and ginger. Microwave on high for 1 minute, mix & return to microwave for an additional minute or 2 until bubbly and boiling. **Watch carefully it can bubble over quickly!!
- Once sauce is boiling pour immediately over the cereals and nuts and toss well to coat.
- Place large bowl in microwave and heat on high for 4 minutes; stopping to mix every minute. Add the cranberries, mix well and return to microwave for 3 more minutes; stopping to mix half way.
- Pour the piping hot snack mix out on a brown paper bag, waxed paper, or foil and spread out to cool.
- Once cooled to room temperature, divide up into single portions using baggies or just pour in airtight container and store in pantry. (If there is any left!!)
Why does the sugar syrup bubble over so fast in a two-cup glass measure? Sugars dissolved in butter and juice reach high temperatures quickly without enough headspace. Use a four-cup microwave-safe container instead to contain the boiling expansion. Stir the liquid vigorously at the one-minute mark to prevent localized scorching at the base of the vessel.
How do multiple cereal types hold their crunch during microwave heating? Rice Chex, Oatmeal Squares, and Honey Kix absorb the sugar-fat coating at different rates. Stopping the microwave every sixty minutes allows moisture to escape as steam rather than softening the grains into a chewy mass. Spreading the finished batch across parchment paper immediately drops the temperature rapidly through air circulation.
Can stale batches be revived days later? Moisture migration softens leftover snack mix within four days at room temperature. Restore crispness by placing portions on a baking sheet at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes. Cool completely before returning the mixture to an airtight container to lock out ambient humidity.
