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This Christmas Crunch snack is sweet and salty and EXACTLY what you need this holiday season! It takes less than 15 minutes to put together and makes a delicious holiday gift.
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Need gifts for your neighbors and friends? Or a snack to feed a crowd? What about something to snack on while you drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies in your pajamas? This Christmas Crunch recipe is EXACTLY what you need this holiday season! Loaded with popcorn, seasonal M & M’s, and pretzels, this yummy snack mixture takes less than 15 minutes to put together and is SO tasty!
It’s truly the most addicting snack; once you start snacking, you won’t be able to stop (in fact, I’m munching on some right now as I am writing this post)! I love the salty pretzels and peanuts mixed with the sweet M&M’s and the melted white chocolate. Whip up a batch of this Christmas crunch popcorn snack mix for all your neighbors and friends this holiday season.
Ingredients for Christmas Crunch
For this easy treat, all you need are a few bags of ingredients from the store and that’s it. Pop some popcorn, pour the ingredients together in a bowl, stir in melted white chocolate chips or white almond bark and you’ve got the most addictive snack mix ever! Here’s what you need:
- Popcorn – I typically like to use two bags of gourmet white microwave popcorn, popped, with all the un-popped kernels removed
- Pretzels – you can use about three cups of mini pretzels, or broken pretzel pieces.
- M&M’s – For holiday flair, use a bag of Christmas red and green candies.
- Peanuts – roasted and salted are the best for this recipe, but you can use any kind of peanuts you have on hand.
- White Candy Melts – I like how easily this candy melts over the popcorn mixture but you can use white chocolate chips or white almond bark too.
- Christmas sprinkles – These red and green sprinkles are fun and festive.
What Type of Popcorn to Use
Our favorite type of popcorn to use in Christmas Crunch is Orville Redenbacher Tender White Popcorn. It comes out so tender and fluffy! It also has a really subtle butter and salt flavor, which makes it a great base for this recipe. You don’t want to use any popcorn that has a strong flavor like movie theatre butter or kettle corn. It won’t take the flavor of the white chocolate as well.
Tips for Making Christmas Crunch
- Make sure that when you add the popcorn, you don’t add any un-popped kernels — there is nothing worse than biting into one of those! I like to shake the popcorn bag really well so all the kernels fall to the bottom and then add the popcorn by the handful.
- Let the chocolate cool all the way before you transfer the mix into containers or bags.
- Store it in a cool, dry place to avoid the chocolate melting.
Additional Mix-Ins
This is one of those recipes you can really personalize and make your own. Switch up the colors of sprinkles and make a fun salty snack mix for Halloween, Easter, or birthdays. Here are just a few ideas for more mix-ins:
- Christmas Cap’n Crunch Cereal
- Chex cereal
- Any other Christmas Cereal – there seem to be new ones every year!
- Cashews, Almonds, Pecans
- Mini Marshmallows
- Mini Peanut Butter Cups
- Peanut M&M’s, Peanut Butter M&M’s, Mint M&M’s or Pretzel M&M’s
Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Crunch
If kept stored in a cool, dry place, leftovers can last up to a week.
Once you let the mixture cool, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to let it come back to room temperature before serving.
When I bring this snack to my neighbors during the holidays, I like to put it in cellophane bags and tie them up with Christmas-y ribbon. You can also fill a Christmas tin, a Christmas mug, or place it in a resealable plastic bag.
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Christmas Crunch
Ingredients
- 2 bags gourmet white microwave popcorn popped and all un-popped kernels removed
- 3 cups mini pretzels
- 1 bag red and green M&M’s
- 2 cups peanuts roasted, salted
- 18 ounces White Candy Melts
- red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine popcorn, pretzels, M&M’s, and peanuts.
- Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring the chocolate each time, until smooth.
- Drizzle over the snack mix and toss until coated.
- Add sprinkles and toss until evenly distributed.
- Spread over wax paper until cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- One recipe makes approximately 32 cups of Christmas Crunch.
- To avoid getting unpopped kernels in your mix, shake the popcorn bag really well so all the kernels fall to the bottom and then add the popcorn by the handful.
- Let the chocolate cool all the way before you transfer the mix into containers or bags.
- Store it in a cool, dry place to avoid the chocolate melting.
Nutrition Information
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Yum! This will be perfect for Christmas, I know I’ll have to make a few batches though or it won’t last 😉
One of my family’s all-time favorite Christmas recipes! So delicious!
Oh my gosh, this is addictive! What a festive treat for the holiday season.
This was so easy to make and everyone in my family loved this fun holiday snack! I know it’s “Christmas Crunch” but I might be making this all year long 🙂
I love anything Christmas! This Christmas popcorn looks so delicious, and perfect for the kiddos!
I’m not so sure I’d share this with my neighbors and friends… I might go Scrooge and keep it for myself it looks so delicious!
Hilda: How much does this make. Would you need to make a batch for each gift? Thank you.
Love Christmas snacks.