This healthy vegan trail mix is made with pretzels, rice cereal, nuts, and dried fruit with a hint of pumpkin pie spice. It’s a quick and easy snack you can enjoy throughout the autumn season and beyond.
Jump to:
The crisp temperatures, the sunny skies, and everything pumpkin and apple make autumn my favorite season.
One of my family’s favorite fall activities is visiting the pumpkin patch. When we go, we pack this simple-to-make vegan trail mix. It’s the perfect snack to hold them over until we return home. You can make this trail mix for hiking through the woods or as a simple snack when running errands. The dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, and cereal have everything you need to stay fueled and energetic. A sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice gives this trail mix a warm and comforting flavor.
If you’re looking for more vegan autumn recipes, be sure to check out these recipes!
- Pumpkin Fruit Tray
- Pumpkin Veggie Tray
- Candy Corn Fruit Parfait
- Graveyard Pudding Cups
- Vegan Halloween Cupcakes
- Vegan Pumpkin Smoothie
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- 27 Vegan Halloween Recipes
- Healthy Vegan Halloween Rice Cake Snacks
💗 Why You’ll Love This Vegan Trail Mix
- There is a no-sugar-added vegan snack recipe!
- Healthy whole grains
- Naturally sweet
- Full of festive fall harvest colors
- No cooking required
- It takes less than 5 minutes to make
- Makes a large batch that will last all week
🥣 Ingredients You Need
Whole Wheat Pretzels: Opt for whole wheat pretzels for added fiber or spelt pretzels for a gluten-free alternative.
Rice Chex Cereal: Gives this trail mix a nice added crunch. You could use another type of cereal if you prefer, but opt for one that has no sugar.
Raw Almonds: These nuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect your heart and promote brain health along with added protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
Raw Cashews: Rich in protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants such as polyphenols.
Golden Raisins: Adds natural sweetness.
Dried Cranberries: A tart and sweet addition.
Dried Apricots: Provides a beautiful orange hue and is rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids.
Pumpkin Spice Mix: A warm seasoning that ties all of the ingredients together.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make this Vegan Trail Mix
- Dice dried apricots into small pieces.
- Combine pretzels, Chex cereal, almonds, and cashews in a large bowl. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Toss together.
- Add golden raisins, apricot pieces, and cranberries. Toss together. Enjoy!
📖 Variations and Substitutions
Dried Fruit: Add the dried fruit you like best, such as dried cherries or blueberries. Some suggestions include dried and diced apple slices, blueberries, pineapple pieces, or mango. When choosing dried fruit, look for brands that have no sugar added. Most dried fruit have hidden sugar!
Nuts: Use different types of nuts, such as walnuts, or leave them out altogether if you have an allergy. Walnuts, peanuts, pecans, slivered almonds, macadamia, Brazil nuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts make great options. Try to use raw nuts if possible. If you leave the nuts out, substitute them for pumpkin, sunflower, flax, or corn nuts!
Something Sweet: Add something sweet and decadent, like vegan chocolate chips.
Gluten-Free Option: Use spelt flour pretzels to make this trail mix gluten-free.
📝 Expert Tips
- Use organic whole-grain pretzels or spelt pretzels for a gluten-free option.
- Dried fruit can be high in sugar. Check the labels of the dried fruit you purchase to ensure they do not have added sugar. See the suggestions above in the ingredients list.
❓ FAQS
Vegans can eat most types of store-bought trail mix depending on what is added. Stay away from those that contain chocolate, M&M candies, or yogurt covered foods. These will contain dairy. Always look at the ingredient list to be sure that it is suitable.
Chex cereal is vegan, and Chex Mix can be made vegan, but it depends on the specific ingredients and recipe used. Traditional Chex Mix recipes often contain ingredients like butter or Worcestershire sauce, which are not vegan. However, you can easily make a vegan version of Chex Mix by substituting these ingredients with vegan alternatives.
📖 Ways To Use Vegan Trail Mix
Autumn Flavors: I make a big batch of this trail mix nearly weekly during the fall season with pumpkin spice.
Healthy Kids Snack: It makes a great grab-and-go snack for busy days on the go!
Halloween Snack Bowl: It also makes for a healthy plant-based vegan snack for your Halloween party or school celebration!
Energy Boost: It’s a healthy, nutrient-rich snack with whole grain pretzels, Chex rice cereal for energy, cashews and almonds for healthy fats and protein, and golden raisins, dried apricots, and cranberries for natural sweetness.
🫙 How to Store
Store in an airtight container in a dry location, such as your pantry. A zip-lock bag or sealed canister works excellent!
This trail mix is best if eaten between 1-2 weeks, but it will last longer if kept in a cool, dry, airtight container.
😋 More Vegan Snacks!
🎥 Video
⚖️ Serving Size
This trail mix makes 12 servings with each serving being about ⅓ cup.
Recipe
Vegan Trail Mix
Equipment
- Sealable Container for storage
Ingredients
- 1 cup pretzels whole wheat or gluten-free
- 1 cup Chex rice cereal
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup dried apricot diced
- ¼ cups dried cranberries sugar free
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Dice dried apricots into small pieces.
- Combine pretzels, rice cereal, almonds, and cashews in large bowl. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Toss together.
- Add golden raisins, apricot pieces, and cranberries to the mix. Toss together. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use organic whole-grain pretzels and organic rice cereal if possible. Look for brands that are Non-GMO.
- A lot of dried fruit can be high in sugar. Check the labels of the dried fruit you purchase to ensure they do not have added sugar.
- Store in an airtight container in a dry location, such as your pantry.
- Trail mix will be best if eaten between 1-2 weeks, but it will last longer.
Lisa
Even my very picky 5 year old likes it!
Kathryn Donangelo
This recipe sounds so easy and I love all of these ingredients! Definitely making!!
Katherine Hackworthy
Oh wow – pumpkin pie spice in trail mix is a game changer! Yum.
Elaine
I’ve got to get my jar ready and find the biggest bowl in the kitchen, too – this mix is absolutely incredible!
Ana F.
I know is not fall yet here but this recipe is prefect for camping too! So easy to make and delicious. Thank you!
sarah
This a great idea for a back to school snack idea, I love that you add the pumpkin spice. I’m definitely going to give this a try.