Best Homemade Trail Mix Recipe (Easy, Healthy, and Customizable)

Why I love trail mix

I love trail mix. It’s delicious, satisfying, and hits a bunch of textures and flavors at once. The nuts bring crunch and saltiness, the raisins add softness and sweetness, and everything is rounded out by candy-coated chocolates. What’s not to love?

Homemade trail mix is one of the most satisfying snacks I keep around. When I’m feeling a little hungry and I want something sweet—but I don’t want to go full dessert mode—I’ll grab 2-3 small handfuls of trail mix. My sweet tooth is satisfied and my hunger is eliminated. (As with other snacks, like Sonoma Creamery Cheese Crisps, a few small handfuls is easier said than done—trail mix is easy to overdo and restraint is key. Although trail mix is generally healthy, it still contains a meaningful amount of fat and sugar.)

When I travel, I frequently bring a small container of homemade trail mix. It’s easy, portable, and reliably hits the spot.

The cost of buying trail mix from the store, though, can add up. So I started making my own—there’s not much to it.

Why This Homemade Trail Mix Recipe Works

Balanced Ratios Make Every Bite Work

The first trick to dialing in this recipe was getting the ratios right: you don’t want too many of any individual ingredient. Through trial and error I landed on an equal portion of nuts and dried fruit.

Dried Cherries: The Ingredient That Changes Everything

A key evolution came when I began adding dried cherries. This took my trail mix to another level. All of a sudden the mix wasn’t just sweet and salty, it was sweet and salty with a dash of tart. Way more interesting—and it makes each handful feel a little less predictable. 

That also highlights one of the biggest advantages of making your own trail mix: you can dial it in exactly how you want (see riffs below).

Less Chocolate = Better Balance

Finally, the key to a great trail mix is restraint with chocolate. That’s why this recipe uses only 1/2 to 3/4 cup—enough that you get a few in each handful, but not so much that the mix turns into candy with nuts or becomes overly sugary.

Ultimately, this is a flexible template. Prefer more fruit? Go for it! Need extra crunch? Add more nuts. Want more chocolate? Do it. As much as I think this is a great baseline, you should tweak this to match your preferences. 

Why Homemade Trail Mix Is Better Than Store-Bought

Here’s why making your own is worth it:

• Cheaper per ounce
• Better flavor balance (especially with dried cherries) 
• Potentially healthier than store-bought
• Fully customizable

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Easy Homemade Trail Mix Recipe

This is a simple homemade trail mix that you can adjust however you want!

Yield: About 4.5 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed nuts (without peanuts)
• 1 cup raisins (Sultana/Thompson work well)
• 1 cup dried cherries (see note below)
• 1/2-3/4 cup candy coated chocolates (such as M&Ms, but I like Trader Joe’s Candy Coated Chocolates more, see note below)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl with plenty of extra space (to make sure nothing spills out while mixing). 
2. Mix thoroughly with a large spoon, breaking up any clumps (the cherries and raisins like to stick together).
3. Store in a well-sealed container. Keeps at room temperature for at least 1-2 months.

Homemade Trail Mix Variations (Riffs)

• Use a mix of Thompson and golden raisins
• Swap in peanut butter chips or toffee pieces for the chocolates
• Substitute cranberries for cherries
• Add banana chips (but be careful—some banana chips lack banana flavor)
• Swap in dark chocolate chips for the candy coated milk chocolates 

If you’re looking for a simple, customizable homemade trail mix, this is a great place to start!

Notes

Dried Cherries

Not all cherries are the same—some have a lot of added sugar. Simple Truth Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries are a great option: less sugar than most, and they bring a wonderful tartness. 

Peanuts

You can absolutely include peanuts. I just prefer this mix without them—I find the flavor of peanuts doesn’t mesh as well as other nuts in trail mix.

Mixed Nuts

Nuts can be expensive. To offset the cost, I buy in large containers (24–27oz) to bring the cost per ounce down and I wait until they’re on sale. I’ve found that both Fisher or Planters deluxe mixed nuts (with salt) work well in this recipe. I think Fisher has the better flavor, but they also have more salt. Planters are a little more oily, but still taste great.  

Candy-Coated Chocolates

M&Ms are a natural fit for trail mix. If you want to avoid artificial colors, though, Trader Joe’s Bite-Sized Candy Coated Milk Chocolate Candies are excellent—they also have a little vanilla, which adds a bit of extra complexity to the mix. I’d skip Unreal Milk Chocolate Gems—they have a slightly odd, fruity taste.