Homemade Trail Mix
Homemade Trail Mix is super easy to make and great to have on hand when you need a quick snack. It packs well for school, hikes, or to keep in your purse as an emergency snack. It's a healthy trail mix recipe that you'll want to make again and again!
Back to School Snack Week continues! Let's give it up for quick, easy, and healthy snacks. Having some homemade trail mix on hand has literally saved the day more times than I can count. I've come to think of tail mix as “Emergency Food” as it's what I reach for when I need to eat something now. Or in those moments where asking my daughter to wait 5 more minutes will literally result in a meltdown. (If you have kids I KNOW you know what I'm talking about!)
Why you'll love this homemade trail mix
- No one in the whole world can turn down banana chips and chocolate.
- Healthy nuts that are perfectly toasted balance the sweetness.
- It's super easy to make. Just toast some nuts and mix them with coconut, chocolate, banana chips, and raisins.
- Easy to switch up with a few suggestions that I have.
- Versatile to the max. There are literally no wrong answers with this recipe that's barely a recipe. Follow it exactly or use what you have on hand. It's always delicious.
- Lasts for weeks in your pantry so you can grab a little snack whenever you need one.
- Packs well for lunches or busy days on the go. We often throw a bag in our backpack when we go for a hike or bike to the beach.
- It's a healthy snack that everyone loves to eat!
Is trail mix healthy?
This one is! But watch out for storebought trail mix as often it's loaded with sugar-coated candy chocolates and unhealthy oils. If you want a healthy trail mix, it's always best to make your own.
When you make your own trail mix, you're in charge of what you put into it. If you want to make a healthy trail mix, simply follow this recipe!
What do you add to trail mix?
For the nuts in this recipe, I use a mix of toasted cashews, pecans, and walnuts. Then I add some dark chocolate chunks and raisins for sweetness and some coconut ribbons and banana chips for extra crunch.
While I love this combination, you can definitely switch it up based on what you like and what you have on hand.
Nuts and seeds: pecans, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, or peanuts.
Sweet: chocolate chunks, raisins, craisins, dried mango, dried pineapple, or dried cherries.
Crunchy: toasted coconut ribbons, banana chips, or pretzels.
Tips for making the best trail mix recipe
If you want to make the best trail mix, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
- Always always always toast your nuts. Or buy toasted nuts and skip this step. The flavor is so much better and it's 100% worth the few minutes that it takes.
- Chocolate chunks win over chocolate chips every time. They are less likely to melt and their slightly bigger shape keeps them from falling to the bottom of the barrel. These are the ones that I like best.
- Thick coconut ribbons work best for trail mix. Same as the chocolate, smaller coconut pieces will fall to the bottom. These coconut smiles are my favorite.
- For maximum freshness, store the trail mix in a resealable bag and eat it within a month.
That's it! Making homemade trail mix is super easy and tastes a million times better than anything store-bought.
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Favorite snack recipes
- Healthy Trail Mix Protein Bites
- No Bake Energy Bites
- Delicious Apple Guacamole
- Spicy Rum and Rosemary Mixed Nuts
Homemade Trail Mix
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Ingredients
- 1 cup each: walnuts, pecans, and cashews
- 1 cup each: banana chips and toasted coconut ribbons (see notes)
- Ā½ cup each: raisins and chocolate chunks (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the walnuts, pecans, and cashews on a baking sheet and toast them in your oven for 6-8 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and smell fragrant. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.1 cup each: walnuts, pecans, and cashews
- Once the baking sheet is cool, add all the other ingredients and mix them together. Store in a sealed bag.1 cup each: banana chips and toasted coconut ribbons (see notes), Ā½ cup each: raisins and chocolate chunks (see notes)
Notes
Save for later!
This trail mix is so delicious! I made it for my sister for Christmas, and she has asked for it again for her birthday š
Thank you so much!!
Love this for snacking. Made a bunch and the kids went crazy for it, too. Will make it again!
Hi Kristen,
I hope this note finds you well. Your site is great, such awesome recipes! I am experimenting with making my own homemade granola and trail mix combination. I am using health focused ingredients with no preservatives. When I am mixing the granola with the dried fruits, the granola is getting very soft which I am assuming is a result of the granola pulling moisture from the dried fruits such as dried apple rings. Do you have any suggestions to help control this from occurring, would be open to hopping on a call and hearing any insight you have!
I always start with whole or rolled oats, not granola, so they are soft to begin with. Not sure there is a way to keep granola crunchy with liquid parts, unfortunately.
Very healthy recipe. Love this awesome Homemade Trail Mix. Thank you for share.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for coming back to let us know!!
Hi! This looks delicious! As a pediatric dental hygienist, I would just recommend being careful with dried fruit. It often leads to cavities due to the concentration of sugar, and it’s sticky nature. The rest of the ingredients look healthy and yummy though!
Good point!