Recipe: Valentine’s Day Cherry Vanilla Snack Mix

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my Cherry Vanilla Snack Mix recipe. The best part of this snack mix is that it’s incredibly easy. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a few minutes in the kitchen.

Cherry Vanilla Snack Mix is also very versatile. The recipe ingredients are merely suggestions. Get creative and use whatever cereal you have on hand, or candy you think would pair well with the flavors in your mix.

Candy Melts® (found in the cake decorating section of your supermarket) are my secret weapon when it comes to making a great snack mix. Once you try working with Candy Melts, you’ll begin to see how many varieties of snacks you can make using this special ingredient. They typically only come in vanilla, but you can add flavor extracts (or as I did in this recipe, cherry juice) to tailor the flavors to whatever you are making.

So, if you're looking for a quick and creative snack to share this Valentine’s Day, look no further than this Cherry Vanilla Snack Mix. Enjoy!

Cherry Vanilla Snack Mix

Yield: Approx. 8 cups

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Cheerios™ cereal, divided
• 4 cups Rice Chex™ cereal, divided
• ½ cup red and white Sixlets® or M&M’S®, divided
• 3.25-ounce container jumbo heart sprinkles (or any heart sprinkles)
  • 12 ounces white vanilla Candy Melts
  • 12 ounces bright pink vanilla Candy Melts
  • 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• Other candy mix-in ideas: Marshmallows, Skittles candy, chocolate chips, pretzel sticks, bite-sized graham crackers, popcorn
• Other cereal ideas: Kix, Froot Loops®, Lucky Charms, Special K®, Corn Flakes

Directions:

1. Using two large bowls, pour 2 cups of Cheerios and 2 cups of Rice Chex into each bowl. Pour ¼ cup of Sixlets or M&M’S into each bowl. Stir together.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white Candy Melts according to package directions. Once melted, pour the white Candy Melts over the cereal mixture in one bowl.
3. Stir until all the cereal is coated. Lay out in a single layer onto a piece of wax paper until hardened, approximately 10 minutes.
4. In the meantime, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the bright pink Candy Melts according to package directions. Once melted, stir in 2 tablespoons of maraschino cherry juice. Pour the melted mixture over the second bowl of cereal. Stir until all the cereal is coated. Lay out in a single layer onto a piece of wax paper until hardened, approximately 10 minutes.
5. Break the cereal mixture up into bite-sized pieces using your hands. Place it all in one bowl and add the sprinkles. Stir together until sprinkles are well incorporated.
6. Place mix in Valentine’s Day-themed bags and seal tight to keep fresh. Snack mix can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Simply store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Kristen Doyle is the author of the award-winning blog, Dine & Dish. Through the use of simple, family-friendly recipes, tempting food photography, compelling storytelling and lots of coffee, Kristen has created a space on the internet that feels like home. Pull up a chair and see what’s on her menu today.