Let's face it: Pumpkin Spice can be a bit overdone. You have to admit that Pumpkin Spice toilet paper is just plain weird. In 2020, Kraft produced a limited run of pumpkin spice mac and cheese, mostly sold in Canada. In 2019, Pumpkin Spice Spam was a limited edition canned meat product offered online from Hormel. They suggested using the Spam - with a blend of cinnamon, clove, allspice, and nutmeg - in fall-themed recipes,
such as adding it to savory breakfast dishes like waffles and cornbread,
or using it in hashes and grilled cheeses. Well ... OK ... I guess?
Those just scratch the surface of weird pumpkin spice products.
But, when the list went around to sign up for foods to bring to a museum reception at the Vernon Filley Art Museum, I jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon. My assignment: a pumpkin spice snack mix.
I am known for making multiple varieties of snack mixes at Christmas time. So it was definitely in my repertoire. But I didn't have a pumpkin spice mix in my tried-and-true arsenal. So, like every modern woman, I Googled it until I found one I wanted to try.
This version was found on the blog, Chelsea's Messy Apron. Of course, I had to make a trial run - just to make sure it was good, you know! Randy and I - as well as my Mom and Dad - gave it a good review.
It reminded me of the Churro Snack Mix that's a favorite. Cinnamon is the only "fall" spice in that snack mix. It's one of the snack mixes I typically make at Christmas and give as a gift from the kitchen. It was also one I used for Brent and Susan's wedding welcome bags.
The snack mix got good reviews last week at the museum event. So, if you're looking for a tasty treat for a Halloween gathering or a fall tailgate, here's a pumpkin spice recipe to try. It beats Pumpkin Spice Spam, right?
Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix
4 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal
4 cups Honey Nut cereal
1 cup pretzels (I used Butter Snap)
1 cup fancy mixed nuts, salted
1/2 cup butter (cut into 1 tablespoon pieces)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2-3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup add-ins (like Reece's pieces, candy corn, M&Ms of any variety, etc)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 X 21-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Grease generously with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine both Chex cereals, pretzels and mixed nuts.
In a medium pot, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium to medium-high heat and stir constantly until butter is melted. Continue to stir until mixture comes to a rapid boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Pour over cereal mixture, working quickly to coat dry mixture. Pour coated cereal mixture into prepared pan and spread out.
In a small bowl, combine pumpkin pie spice and granulated sugar. (Use 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for stronger flavor.) Sprinkle evenly over the cereal mix. Don't mix the spice sugar into the cereal.
Bake for 5 minutes, remove from oven and toss using a metal spatula. Spread mixture again to an even layer. Return to oven and bake for 4 more minutes. Remove from oven and toss again. Spread in one even layer and let cool for 5 minutes. Add mix-ins and toss to combine before spreading out into an even layer. Let stand at room temperatures for 30 minutes to 1 hour to fully harden and set up.
Notes:
- The Butter Snap pretzels catch the spice sugar mixture in the crevices of the pretzels, but any pretzel can be used.
- The original recipe called for leaving the pretzels out of the sweet syrup mixture, instead, adding with the add-ins. I went ahead and coated all the dry ingredients with the syrup mixture.
- If you especially like sweet and salty, you could add additional pretzels, Bugles or mixed nuts to the sweet mixture after baking. That would lessen the sweetness level.
