Super Duper Deluxe Dessert Mix

Do you want to give a special gift to friends but don’t want to spend a lot on each family? Try this one-of-a-kind mix—but only give it to people you really like, because they will be calling you asking for more. This mix takes a little coordination—there are several steps. But it makes a LOT and, unlike many holiday treats, it stays fresh for a couple of weeks stored in an airtight container in a cool spot. Also, as a bonus, you could make any one of these treats and have a winner of a gift. I prefer wrapping mine in cello bags so you can see all the goodies inside, but festive tins also work well. 

What You Need

• White-covered mini peanut butter sandwich crackers (20 ounces white melting wafers and 2 boxes mini peanut butter sandwich crackers)

• Chocolate-covered waffle pretzels sprinkled with Mini M&Ms

  • 16-ounce bag pretzels

  • 12 ounces chocolate melting wafers

  • 8 ounces chocolate chips

  • 1 cup mini M&Ms

• Cinnamon-sugar meringue pecans

  • 2 egg whites

  • 1 1/3 cup brown sugar

  • 2/3 cup white sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 6-8 cups pecan halves

• Caramel puff corn (bags of Puff Corn [THREE 3.5 ounce bags or TWO 5.4 ounce bags], 3 sticks butter, 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white Karo syrup, 1 teaspoon of baking soda)

• 2-3 cups Jumbo peanuts

• 1 package Candy corn, Cadbury chocolate or malt balls, or another seasonal small colorful candy 

• Parchment paper, bowls, cookie sheets, oven, etc.

  
  

What You Do

Note: These steps can happen over the course of 2-3 days.

1.       Make the white-covered mini peanut butter sandwich crackers (I used Ritz Bitz and Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers). Place 20 ounces of white melting wafers or white almond bark (broken up) in a large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds more and stir again. Repeat this until the white coating is smooth and lump free. Pour 2 (8.8 ounces) boxes of mini peanut butter sandwich crackers into the melted white coating. Stir gently until the crackers are coated. Using gloved hands or a fork, remove the crackers and space them out on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Set in a cool, flat place to harden while you work on other elements of the mix. I used 2 cookie sheets. After crackers harden, push them into a large zip-top bag or airtight container until you are ready to make the mix.

2.       Make the chocolate-covered pretzels (I used Snyder’s of Hanovers Snaps pretzels, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers, Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips, and mini M&Ms). Place 10 ounces of chocolate melting wafers and 3 cups of chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds more and stir again. Repeat this until chocolate is melty and smooth. Pour in the bag of waffle pretzels and stir until the pretzels are completely coated. Space the pretzels out onto parchment-lined sheets and immediately sprinkle with 10 ounces Mini M&Ms and 2-3 cups jumbo peanuts. It’s okay if they don’t stick hard—it’s just supposed to hold together loosely to get in the snack mix bag. The pretzels do not have to be completely separated like the sandwich crackers were—this is more like a brittle you can break up. Place the trays of pretzels in a cool place or fridge for a couple hours. I used 2 cookie sheets. When the coating has hardened well, break up pretzels and store them in a zip-top bag or airtight container until you are ready to make the mix.

3.       Make the cinnamon-sugar pecans. Fold a paper towel and dab it over a vinegar jar. Wipe down the whisk beater of your mixer and the bowl just to get off any oil residue before you beat the meringue. Beat 2 cold egg whites on high until they are white and stiff…about 4 to 6 minutes. Stop the mixer and pour in 1 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons REAL vanilla and turn the mixer on low to stir it in, then beat it on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. The mixture will be a thick paste. Stir in 6-8 cups of pecan halves until they are evenly coated and spread onto two parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 250 degrees for a total of 50 minutes or until golden brown, stirring and moving position of the cookie sheets (turn back to front, then up to down) every 10-15 minutes. Let the pecans cool and store in an airtight container until ready to make the mix—if you can keep from eating them! 

4.       Make the Caramel Puff Corn. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, turn the oven on to 250 degrees, and pour 1 bag of puff corn in each of two large mixing bowls (1 ½ bags in each bowl if they are smaller size bags). Then make the caramel coating: Put 3 sticks of butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 3/4 cup of white Karo syrup in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until the sauce starts boiling. As soon as it starts boiling, set a timer for 2 minutes and stir constantly until the timer is done. Take the sauce off the heat and tap in 1 teaspoon baking soda and stir rapidly. The sauce will foam up. Pour half of the sauce over each bowl and stir until the puff corn is completely covered. It’s okay if some of the grooves haven’t gotten covered completely. As it cooks, it will melt a little more. Put the cookie sheets in the oven for 50-55 minutes, stirring and moving position of the cookie sheets (back to front, then up to down) every 10-15 minutes. Test the nuggets toward the end of cooking. Take out a couple of nuggets, let them cool, and taste them. If they are tacky at all, leave them in the oven a few more minutes. If the caramel coating completely coats and gets crisp, the caramel corn will stay nice for a couple of weeks, but if you undercook it, it will get rubbery and sticky within the first day. Let the caramel puff corn cool completely and store in an airtight container or bags. Do NOT start eating this—you won’t be able to stop. :)

5.       To make the mix: in a large mixing bowl, stir together a couple scoops of each of the special sweets—along with a couple spoonfuls of the candy you’ve chosen. Or stir all of the goodies together in two large sheet pans if you have them. Bag it up, share, and make new friends!