Popcorn Trail Mix
This caramel popcorn trail mix recipe takes your popcorn snacking up a notch. It makes snuggling in for the night with a movie and some popcorn even better! You’ll love the salty and sweet mixture of flavors, combined with nuts and spices.
If you have other snack foods in mind, be sure to check out my Vegan Cheesy Popcorn or my Vegan and Gluten-Free Chex Mix.
We really enjoy watching movies. And I confess, with our big screen TV and surround sound, we end up watching most movies at home. In addition to the comforts of home, we can make our own popcorn and, you know, not have to deal with someone texting or talking on their phone. [insert eye roll here].
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Assorted nuts are combined with popcorn for a winning combination of crunch and flavors
- Coconut oil is a perfect neutral oil to melt over popcorn to create even more crunch texture to the popcorn and it helps adhere the spices to the mix
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add so much flavor to this trail mix, making each bite better than the last!
What I really love about movies at home is I get to make things like these popcorn snack mixes rather than just plain popcorn. Nothing wrong with plain every now and then, but it’s fun to mix things up.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Popped popcorn — You can use storebought popcorn, microwave popcorn or this vegan popcorn as the base.
- Nuts — I like adding roasted cashews, almond slivers, and shelled pistachios, but you can mix it up and add your favorite nuts. You can make your popcorn trail mix without nuts by leaving these out and substituting Air Fryer Chickpeas to add salty crunch.
- Hemp seeds — These are optional, but I love the flavor and nutrition they add. Feel free to substitute pumpkin seeds.
- Maple syrup — You’ll need a syrup sweetener, such as maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Coconut oil — Use refined coconut oil for a more minimal coconut flavor.
- Spices — We’ll be using both ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. You can substitute pumpkin pie spice.
- Dried cranberries — We’ll add some dried cranberries for color or you can substitute raisins.
How to Make Popcorn Trail Mix
It’s easy to make this guilt-free popcorn trail mix from scratch.
- Stir together the popped popcorn, cashews, hemp seeds, almond slivers, and pistachios in a large bowl.
- Heat the syrup and coconut oil in a microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in the spices.
- Pour the cinnamon oil mixture over the popcorn/nut mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are well coated.
- Pour coated popcorn mixture on a prepared pan, spreading it across the entire pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once, about half-way through.
- Remove it from the oven and stir in the dried cranberries. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Break into pieces and serve warm.
Popcorn Mix-Ins
There’s no limit to the favorite mix-ins you can add to this recipe, either before or after it’s cooked. Here are some favorites:
- Chopped up Vegan Peanut Butter Cups (add after the mix cools)
- Edible Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (roll it into little balls and add after the mix cools)
- Vegan M&Ms (for more on the vegan version of this candy, check out this Vegan M&M Cookies recipe)
- Vegan Candies — There are a variety of vegan candies these days, such as Skittles, Twizzlers, Swedish Fish, and more.
- Vegan Kit Kats — Make your own kit kat bars, cut them into smaller pieces, and add them after the mix cools.
- Roasted Chickpeas — Make it a sweet and salty popcorn mix by adding savory with salty roasted chickpeas. Salty and sweet is always a great flavor combination.
Marly’s Tips
Sprinkle some more ground cinnamon once you remove it from the oven for extra cinnamon goodness
Serving Suggestions
You can serve popcorn snacks family-style, in one large bowl, or in individual dishes. Also, you can serve this popcorn treat for movie nights, but it also goes great on your holiday dessert table or in treat bags for friends and family.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Popped popcorn can get stale and chewy if it sits around at room temperature for too long.
More Snacks
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Popcorn Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups popped popcorn
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup almond slivers
- ¼ cup pistachios (shells removed)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (or agave nectar)
- 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the popped popcorn, cashews, hemp seeds, almond slivers, and pistachios.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the syrup and coconut oil. Heat for 20 seconds or so, until the oil is melted. Add the spices and stir to combine.
- Pour the cinnamon oil mixture over the popcorn/nut mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are well coated.
- Pour coated popcorn mixture on a prepared pan, spreading it across the entire pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once, about half-way through. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried cranberries. Set aside to cool.
- Break the mix into pieces and serve warm. Store in an airtight container or bag.
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The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated to include new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
This was a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. See our full disclosure for more information.
Perfect snack for movie night!
Perfect snack for netflix and chill nights! Thank you, Marly!