Celebrate the holiday with this sweet and crunchy 4th of July Snack Mix! It can be made ahead of time and is the perfect snack to munch on while watching fireworks or for serving at a cookout.
With just a few simple ingredients you can make a snack mix to share with family and friends on the 4th of July. You can serve it in snack cups at a cookout or place it in plastic bags to take with you on-the-go to a party or munch on it while watching fireworks. It’s so tasty and so easy to make.
Rice Chex, buttery popcorn, star-shaped pretzels, wavy potato chips, salted peanuts and M&M’s get covered with melted white chocolate to make 4th of July Snack Mix. Add some red, white and blue sprinkles to make it even more festive and flavorful. Kids and adults alike will love this patriotic snack mix!
When shopping for snack foods to include in the mix, be sure to look for specialty items that have a patriotic theme. Pretzelized Snacks are a great choice, as they are star-shaped pretzel crackers that are crunchy and affordable. This was a patriotic edition of pretzels that were made in honor of America 250! They were perfect for this snack mix recipe.
Another fun snack to include is Red, White and Blue M&M’s found in the candy aisle of your grocery store. They are a colorful, sweet addition to this irresistible 4th of July Snack Mix. You can find them each year in May and June.
4th of July Snack Mix Recipe
Key Ingredients:
This recipe is so versatile. Include snacks that your friends and family love or things that you can readily find in your pantry. Here are some ideas.
- Wavy Potato Chips and Pretzels– We like wavy potato chips and they add texture and saltiness to the snack mix. Pretzel sticks or star-shaped pretzel crackers add great crunch and flavor.
- Microwave Popcorn– Everyone keeps microwave popcorn on hand for movie night. Pop some to add a yummy buttery flavor to the mix.
- Rice Chex– Wheat, corn or rice Chex are commonly added to snack mixes. They are sturdy and add terrific crunch.
- Salted Peanuts– We love salted peanuts as a snack in the summertime, so they are a great way to add protein and crunch.
- M&M’s– You just can’t make a holiday themed snack mix without M&M’s. We love milk chocolate candy-coated pieces, but there are a variety of flavors and colors available.
- White Chocolate Chips– Melt the white chocolate chips to coat the snack mix and hold it together in chunks. It brings the elements together and makes the snack mix sweet and delicious.
- Sprinkles– These are optional, but really add a fun, decorative element. I used sprinkles that had a combination of tiny white stars, along with blue and red sprinkles.
How to make 4th of July Snack Mix
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Pop the microwave popcorn according to package instructions. Open the bag and allow the popcorn to cool.
- Cover an 18×12-inch sheet pan (with a rim) with parchment paper. Add the wavy potato chips, pretzels, popcorn, and Rice Chex in layers.
- Melt the white chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Stir in one tablespoon of coconut oil to the melted chocolate to make it shiny and easier to drizzle. Chocolate can also be melted in the microwave according to package instructions.
- Spoon half of the melted chocolate onto the snacks on the sheet pan and stir gently to coat the mixture. Spread the coated mixture evenly on the pan. Add the salted peanuts and the M&M’s over all while the chocolate is still wet.
- Place the remaining melted chocolate in a small plastic bag, cut off one corner (just the tip) of the bag and drizzle chocolate over all. Immediately add the sprinkles and allow the chocolate to harden. You can place the baking sheet in the refrigerate to get it to set up more quickly.
- Serve the snack mix in bowls or in small snack cups for individual servings. Place leftover snack mix in a gallon-size plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep it fresh. Recipe makes about 10 servings, one cup each.
Tips for making the Best Snack Mix
- Use snacks that are fresh and crunchy, so they stand up well to being mixed and coated with chocolate. Remember to use snacks that won’t become stale or soft when added to the mix.
- Two large spatulas work best to mix and thoroughly coat the snacks with white chocolate. You can also use your hands to coat the snack mix and spread it evenly on the pan.
- Stirring one tablespoon of coconut oil into the melted chocolate makes it glossy and easier to drizzle over the snack mix.
- Add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet, so they stick to the snacks and don’t fall off after the chocolate has hardened.
- Make substitutions based on what you might already have on hand. Pistachios or pecans are a good replacement for peanuts; semi-sweet chocolate can be used in place of white chocolate; and white cheddar popcorn can be used instead of buttered popcorn. It really just depends on your preferences.
- Covering your sheet pan with parchment paper allows for a super easy clean up.
What to serve on the 4th of July
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Classic Potato Salad
- Hearty Baked Beans
- S’mores Dessert Bars
- Sweet and Spicy Sliders
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Mixed Berry Pretzel Dessert
I hope you celebrate the holiday by making 4th of July Snack Mix! For more of the best summertime recipes, enter your email address in the SUBSCRIBE BOX and I’ll send new recipes to your inbox.
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4th of July Snack Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups pretzels
- 2 cups potato chips, wavy
- 2 cups Rice Chex, or wheat or corn
- 2 cups popcorn, butter flavor
- 1/2 cup peanuts, salted
- 1/2 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces, red, white and blue
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, melted in double-boiler or microwave according to package instructions
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, optional
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles, red, white and blue
Instructions
- Pop the microwave popcorn according to package instructions. Open the bag and allow the popcorn to cool.
- Cover an 18×12-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the wavy potato chips, pretzels, popcorn, and Rice Chex in layers.
- Melt the white chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Chocolate can also be melted in the microwave according to package instructions.
- Spoon half of the melted chocolate onto the snacks on the sheet pan and stir gently to coat the mixture. Spread it evenly on the pan. Add the salted peanuts and the M&M’s over all while the chocolate is still wet.
- Place the remaining melted chocolate in a small plastic bag, cut off one corner (just the tip) of the bag and drizzle chocolate over all. Immediately add the sprinkles and allow the chocolate to harden.
- Serve the snack mix in bowls or in small snack cups for individual servings. Place leftover snack mix in a gallon-size plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep it fresh. Recipe makes about 10 servings, one cup each.
Equipment
- 1 18×12-inch sheet pan, with a rim, covered with parchment paper
- 1 double boiler, glass or metal bowl over a medium saucepan filled with an inch of water
