Seriously. Why did I get this old before I tried making brown butter? I finally did it to make this incredibly delicious and addictive snack mix. It's embarrassing to admit that I waited this long. After all, I'm a food blogger, for heaven's sake.
I always wondered, " What's the big deal with brown butter?" Well, I found out, and I can't wait to do it again! It's a fascinating process, every bit as fun to watch as when I melted sugar for burnt sugar frosting. (I'll share that recipe with you soon!)
The first time I made this incredible concoction was for my daughter to take to the teachers' "Finger Food Feast" last Friday. The teacher's lounge, with tasty snacks galore, was a comforting haven for her and her harried colleagues during an especially frenzied pre-holiday week.
I again made this recipe with her two tall, willowy, red-haired daughters. They're home for Thanksgiving, and both are getting to be really good cooks. I knew everyone would enjoy this snack, and it may help me keep them from descending prematurely on the kitchen Thursday like hungry wolves on the prowl.
Did I mention the brown butter? Oh, I might have. Brown butter (or beurre noisette) transforms ordinary butter into something richer, nuttier, and more complex.
The water evaporates as the butter heats over low heat, and the milk solids toast and caramelize. The fragrant, nutty flavor enhances sweet baked goods and savory foods like this snack mix.
While the butter foams and melts into golden brown, the fragrance is amazing, and your kitchen smells divine! That beautiful brown butter dramatically elevates the flavors of the simple ingredients in this gorgeous snack mix (and pretty much anything else you put it on!).
The ingredients themselves are non-spectacular on their own, but when everything is combined, it's music in your mouth! You can substitute some ingredients and still have a five-star snack mix.
Guilty truth: I haven't bought some of these items in years, and I have forgotten how tasty they are! Holy cow! (Potato Sticks, Crispy Fried Onions... yum, yum, yum!)
Cover two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine the Chex, pretzels, cheese crackers, potato sticks, and pecans in a large bowl.
If you can find unsalted, unroasted pepitas, use them and bake them with other ingredients. Pepitas have no shells. They are like sunflower seeds on steroids: bigger, fatter, and more flavorful. I bought salted and roasted pepitas and added them after I baked the snack mix.
Brown the butter in a small pan over low heat, then stir in the garlic powder, Spanish paprika (also known as smoked paprika), and chopped fresh rosemary.
Drizzle this delicious brown butter mixture over the crunchy ingredients and use a flexible silicone spatula to stir it in thoroughly, coating every piece as well as possible.
Spread the snack mix on the two prepared rimmed baking sheets and bake for about twenty minutes in a 300-degree oven.
Allow the mixture to cool after baking, then spread the French-fried onion and roasted pepitas evenly over the pans. Garnish with more chopped rosemary if you like. Store this delightful mixture in a tightly sealed container. (Then hide it!)
The flavors in this snack mix are extra special—the perfect combination! It is such an interesting and unique flavor combination that it would be perfect to serve with drinks while the final touches of Thanksgiving dinner are underway!
This recipe is for an amazing snack mix with the most unique flavor combination of brown butter, garlic, paprika, and rosemary.
*If you use raw, unroasted pepitas, add them with the first ingredients and bake them.
Substitute some of the snack ingredients if you like!
If you're serving a crowd, this recipe could easily be doubled. Here are more of our family's favorite Thanksgiving dishes: Norma Jean's Chicken and Dressing, Red Cabbage, Sweet Potato Pie, and Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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