Make Your Own Trail Mix: a great DIY Christmas gift

I have been roasting mixed nuts for quite some time (rather than buying them roasted from the store). The store bought roasted nuts often have ingredients I’m not so much a fan of. When I make them at home I can use the oils I prefer (coconut) and sea (or Himalayan) salt.

This Christmas I decided to make a large batch of roasted mix nuts, so that I could whip up some trail mix for a couple of our family members who live out of state. I thought it would be a nice addition to the little Christmas care packages we send.

The kiddos got to work writing letters to family and drawing pictures while I did the trail mix part. My son has been sick for a while. He is feeling better now but he still has a lingering cough so the kiddos were banned from the kitchen. My son gave me puppy dog eyes and promised he would turn his head and cover his mouth if he had to cough, but I just didn’t trust my son’s “don’t cough on the food reflexes”.  So I had to turn down his pleading offers to help. I didn’t think my family would enjoy a gift of trail mix with a side of common cold. You’re welcome family.

Here is how I make the roasted nuts:

1. I preheated my oven to 300 degrees
2. I scooped 8 cups of raw mixed nuts into a large bowl. I added some pecans to my normal nut mixture because my grandmother loves pecans.
3. I then added 2 TBS melted coconut oil to the bowl and mixed the nuts with a spoon until all the nuts were coated evenly.
4. I then sprinkled 1 tsp sea salt into the nuts as I stirred them to make sure the salt was dispersed evenly. We buy our Redmonds Real Sea Salt from Thrive Market.
5. I then spread out the nuts on 2 cookie sheets and placed them in the oven for about 22 minutes (it might take 20-25 minutes depending on your oven).
6. Then I allowed the nuts to cool completely.

After the nuts cooled I made the mason jars of trail mix.

1. I scooped 1 cup cooled mixed nuts into a mason jar. I used my wide mouth funnel so not to make a big mess.
2. Then I scooped 1 cup of organic no sugar added raisins into the jar.
3. Then I scooped another cup of cooled mixed nuts into the jar.
4. Then I filled the rest of the jar with homemade chocolate chunks.
5. I then put the top onto the mason jars and put them in the freezer immediately. The chocolate chunks I use melt easily and I wanted to make sure they stayed nice and cool until they were ready to be shipped to my family.

You could add store bought chocolate chips if you like too. I know a lot of people like Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. I had these home made chocolate chunks on hand though and they are naturally sweet from the coconut plus some added stevia.

You could also mix all your ingredients and then add them to the mason jars since that’s how people usually eat trail mix but I liked how the layers looked so I did it that way. I’m a trail mix rebel.

You can then decorate the mason jars if you like with ribbon or other crafty things like… paper? Okay, you can see I am not that crafty. I will be shipping them as is.

But I think my family will love them… well, I hope so. If not I am sending other things too. 🙂

These would make fun teachers gifts. You could also put this mix in smaller mason jars as a little stocking stuffer. OR serve it as a holiday treat when you have guests over.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

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