Praline Crunch

Praline crunch is a sweet and salty combination that you will instantly adore adding to your holiday menus. It is the ultimate addictive mix that tastes like classic southern pralines. I always make several batches over the holidays because this one goes fast. It’s sweet and buttery thanks to the brown sugar and crisp pieces of cereal and pecans.

This recipe is very easy to pull together at the last minute and requires no fancy equipment, just a quick boil on the stovetop before pouring it over the cereal.

Why You Will Love This

• Very little prep time is required to bring this together.
• Has a wonderful blend of sweet, salty, and buttery.
• A large quantity can be made at once.
• Can be wrapped nicely as a gift idea.
• Will stay good for a week or more if stored correctly.

What You Need

There are only a few common ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious snack. Having them all prepared in advance will make this easy to prepare.

• Crispy cereal: Rice, corn, or hexagon squares work well as a base to coat with the sweet syrup.
• Pecan halves: Gives it a southern praline flavor and adds crunch.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a decadent texture to the caramel.
• Light brown sugar: Melts smoothly to give you that sweet toffee flavor.
• Light corn syrup: Helps the caramel to keep its texture and prevent crystallizing.

How To Make It

Here is how easily this irresistible snack mix comes together.

Prepare the Mix

Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a very large roasting pan or large bowl, stir together cereal and pecans to combine.

Boil the Caramel

In a medium saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, and light corn syrup to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the Vanilla

Remove pan from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda, mixing until caramel foams and turns lighter in color.

Coat the Cereal

Immediately pour caramel over cereal and pecans; fold mixture together with a large rubber spatula until completely coated.

Bake and Cool

Divide mixture between two large rimmed baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Let the mixture cool completely on waxed paper until it becomes hard and crunchy.

Jen’s Tips

• Make sure to use an extra-large mixing bowl to give yourself enough room to toss the cereal and not crush it.
• Set a timer while you cook the caramel to make sure you don’t go overboard and end up with a super hard-to-chew final crunch.
• Don’t forget the baking soda! The tiny air bubbles will make the glaze perfectly crisp.
• Spread the hot mix onto parchment or wax paper right away so it doesn’t stick to your pans.
• Be sure to let the mix cool completely to room temperature before you break it into clusters to enjoy.

How to Store

• Store: Place the cooled praline crunch in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to two weeks.
• Freeze: Store this snack mix in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to three months. It won’t lose any of its crunch.
• Reheat: This recipe is meant to be eaten cool and crunchy, so there’s no need to reheat it at all.

How to Serve

• Serve in a large bowl at your next holiday party.
• Give as a gift by putting in cellophane bags and tying with a ribbon.
• Top a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream with a handful for a decadent dessert.
• Toss in a lunchbox for a sweet and crunchy afternoon snack.