Popcorn is paired with crunchy add-ins, little bursts of sweetness, and the occasional salty bite to make this Popcorn Trail Mix impossible to stop snacking. We cannot get enough.
If you’ve been following along for very long, then you know that Olivia and I are pretty serious about trail mix. We test all the different combinations she can think of, to find the perfect ratio of ingredients. That’s why we are confident this recipe will be right at home beside our s’mores trail mix and all the others.
Popcorn Trail Mix – Olivia’s Notes
I would rate this one an 8 out of 10. I liked the textures and how salty it was. The popcorn and the flavors were good. I also liked the dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate on this one. And the apples were just the flavor that we needed.
I tried apple chips for the first time. They were pretty good, but they weren’t my favorite by themselves. I really enjoy getting all the little ingredients out and taste testing. It’s fun to experiment and find flavors that taste good together.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Popcorn – We used buttered popcorn for its simple savory flavor.
Nuts – We settled on lightly salted, roasted almonds for the salty flavor and slight crunch. Pistachios were our second choice.
Sweet Stuff – We chose dehydrated apple slices and and dark chocolate chips to add a sweet note. Milk chocolate also works, but I prefer the bitter note from dark chocolate.
Crunchy Bits – We used graham cracker and pretzel pieces to add more crunch to the mix, while still balancing the salty and sweet elements.
How to Make Popcorn Trail Mix
Popping the Corn – We used the microwave to pop the popcorn for this recipe, according to the package instructions.
Cooling the Popcorn – We spread the popcorn out on a baking sheet to let it cool. This helps it to release steam and still retain texture.
Combining the Ingredients – Once the popcorn is cool, we prefer to use our kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. This saves us the trouble of washing the measuring cups.
Mixing and Serving – We give the ingredients a thorough mix, and then transfer to a serving bowl or airtight storage container.
Dad’s Tip
I am convinced that the very best trail mixes are the ones that are balanced. I want bold contrasts with flavor and texture, but I still want each ingredient to share the spotlight. A great trail mix should rotate between the salty, sweet, chewy, and crunchy as you work through each bite. That rhythm is what separates an okay trail mix from a truly fantastic one.
Let the Popcorn Cool – Don’t be like me and melt your chocolate on accident because I was in a hurry.
Match Sizes – I try to keep all the ingredients close to the same size so that they mix together evenly.
Taste First – I sample the ingredient ratios with a test bite before measuring them into the bowl. If anything is not exactly how I want it, then I adapt the mix to my taste.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: A thousand times, yes! Trail mix is basically the original meal prep. It’s perfect for mixing ahead of time, so that it’s ready to snack when you are.
Storing: Be sure to store this in an airtight container, so that nothing dries out or loses its desired texture. I’ve never had leftovers last longer than a week, but it definitely keeps well up to that point.
More Trail Mix Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Popcorn has a lot of volume, but not a lot of weight. So, I usually give the bag a fresh shake between handfuls.
Yes, but you’ll probably want to either add a pinch of salt or adjust the ratio of other ingredients to balance the flavors.
I recommend any plain, salted, or lightly buttered variety. You can try other varieties, if you prefer them. We did try this with kettle corn, and it made the mix too sweet for me.
Popcorn Trail Mix
Ingredients
Method
- Pop the popcorn using your preferred method. Then, spread it out to cool.
- While heating and cooling the popcorn, prep the rest of your mix-ins by chopping any of the bigger items into popcorn sized pieces.
- Measure the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Enjoy!
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