The classic raisins and peanuts combination is improved with mixed nuts, tart craisins, and plenty of chocolate in this Trail Mix with M&Ms. This effortless mix is pure snackable bliss.
Olivia and I take our trail mix pretty seriously around here. We thoroughly test all the different combinations we can think of, to find the perfect ratio of ingredients. So, we’re thrilled to add this recipe to the list along with our popcorn trail mix and all the others.
Trail Mix With M&Ms
This one gets an 8/10. I don’t like raisins, so I am a little biased against recipes with them. But I did like the crunch of the M&Ms and nuts, and the chewy craisins. It is salty from the nuts and sweet from the chocolate. I just don’t like the raisins.
I enjoyed how we made the adjustments to the amount of everything we put in there. I felt like that girl who was like, “a little bit of tomato, a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of salt”. It was also fun to use the scale to weigh out each ingredient!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Nuts – We used mostly peanuts, but included some mixed nuts for variety.
Chocolate – We chose semi-sweet chocolate chips and M&Ms for this mix.
Fruit – We used both raisins and craisins for texture and flavor. But, you could do one or the other, if you prefer.
How to Make M&M Trail Mix
Combining the Ingredients: We like using our kitchen scale when measuring the ingredients into a big bowl. This saves us the trouble of having to wash the measuring cups.
Mixing and Serving: We give the ingredients a toss, then transfer to a serving bowl or airtight storage container.
Dad’s Tip
I am convinced that the best trail mixes are built around balance. I look for bold contrasts with flavor and texture that still allow each ingredient to share the spotlight. A great trail mix should rotate between 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.
Salt Check – If this mix tastes flat, I find that it usually helps to add a little more salt into the balance. A few extra nuts work well.
Match Sizes – We try to keep all the ingredients close to the same size so that they mix together evenly.
Taste First – We sample the ingredient ratios with a test bite before measuring them into the bowl. This lets us adapt the mix to be exactly how we want it.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: Big time. Trail mix is a huge win for meal prep. We mix it ahead of time, and it’s ready to snack when we 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
Yes, but you’ll probably want to either add a pinch of salt or adjust the ratio of other ingredients to balance the flavors.
When changing ingredients, I focus on the role that ingredient plays. Then, I swap in something with a similar texture and flavor profile.
I just change out the nuts for pretzels, cereal, or seeds if I need it nut-free. And, be sure to check the labels on the add-ins to make sure they fit your dietary needs.
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