Christmas Party Mix
Every year at the holidays, Peggy makes a giant batch of this Party Mix and it disappears incredibly fast! It's easily customizable, so throw in your favorite mix-ins to suit your tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package mini pretzels
- 1 large jar lightly salted peanuts
- 3 packages plain goldfish (not cheddar), about 20 oz
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 lbs Christmas M&Ms
- 1 lb reindeer corn
Directions
- Preheat oven to 250°. Set up two cookie sheets (no grease, no lining).
- Mix up the pretzels, peanuts and goldfish and divide evenly between the two cookie sheets.
- Combine the butter, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat; let boil for 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in the vanilla and baking soda until smooth - it will bubble vigorously!
- Pour the candy mix evenly over the pretzel mix (about half per sheet), and stir to evenly coat the morsels.
- Place pans in the oven and let bake for 5 minutes. At the 5 minute mark, carefully stir to distribute the syrup. Repeat twice more, but at 10 minute intervals (3 stirs total). After the third stir, return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lay out waxed paper sprayed with cooking spray (not too much!) or silpats on the countertop (about 2-3 sq ft).
- Remove the mix from the oven and spread on the prepared wax paper to cool.
- When cool, break into pieces and mix in the candy. Bag and share!
Notes
- Reindeer corn is candy corn but in red and white and green; you can find it online.
- Christmas M&Ms are only red and green.
- When I make this for my son, I omit the peanuts, and swap in Skittles for the M&Ms. It’s an… eclectic taste.
- You can easily make this gluten free by substituting gluten free pretzels and small crackers.
Source: Peggy