50 Easy Snacks to Make In Bulk 

April 12, 2019
Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey
Make these big-batch snacks now―you'll thank us when the hunger hits later. 
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Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Candied Walnuts

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin  
Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Candied Walnuts Recipe

Yet another way to enjoy pumpkin spice this season. Gift these to friends as a festive treat, or enjoy them yourself with an autumnal beer. Make sure to use pure maple syrup, as pancake syrup will taste artificial and will likely overwhelm the spiced flavor. 

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S'mores Trail Mix

Thomas J. Story
S'mores Trail Mix Recipe

The name says it all--now you can enjoy the flavors of the classic campfire treat when you're on the go. The recipe comes from our book Camp Sunset: A Modern Camper's Guide to the Great Outdoors (Oxmoor House, 2016; $25).

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No-Bake Granola Bars

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
No-Bake Granola Bars Recipe

Granola bars are probably a pantry staple in your kitchen for quick snacks and filling lunchboxes, but you’ve probably never made a batch from scratch. Start with this easy no-bake recipe made with rice cereal, oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and a touch of cinnamon.

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Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars

Victor Protasio
Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars Recipe

Consider yourself warned: A crunch may look like a bar cookie, but you’ll need a fork to eat it. Similar to a crisp with baked fruit and a crumbly topping, a crunch sandwiches a layer of jammy fruit between two buttery layers. While other fruit desserts are on the syrupy side, this fruit is cooked down into a flavor-packed, thick preserve. The bottom layer should be firm enough not to crumble when a piece is cut from the pan, so adding toasted pecans to the mix improves the taste as well as the texture. The top layer can duplicate the bottom, or it can be a simple streusel topping made with flour, sugar, and butter.

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Cashew-Apricot Bars

Caitlin Bensel
Cashew-Apricot Bars Recipe

Ditch the sugar-laden store-bought bars and make your own at home. They're so much tastier, and way better for you.

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Pb-Pretzel-Apple Bars

Caitlin Bensel
Pb-Pretzel-Apple Bars Recipe

Sweet, salty, fruity, and crunchy, these bars truly pack a little bit of everything! Whip up a batch for your next picnic or hike, and stay fueled all day.

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Duck Fat Granola 

  Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Robin Bashinsky
Duck Fat Granola  Recipe

This savory oat and almond granola offers a beautifully salty, delicately sweet, and powerfully aromatic flavor profile, delivered by way of toasty crunch. Though easy to prepare, it makes an impressive and intensely delicious finishing touch for salads, soups, and more (essentially any savory dish you’d be inclined to top with toasted nuts or breadcrumbs. We especially love it sprinkled over this easy and elegant Beet and Labneh Salad.

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Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix

Photo: Grant Cornett; Styling: Alistair Turnbull    
Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix Recipe

Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix satisfies a sweet and salty craving while giving you an energy boost throughout the day.

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Seasoned Saltine Crackers

Greg Dupree
Seasoned Saltine Crackers Recipe

This recipe goes with: Smoked Salmon Rillettes

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Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Thom Driver
Sesame-Soy Nut and Pretzel Mix Recipe

Full of salty nuts, pretzels, and cereal and doused with a butter- and Worcestershire-based glaze, the classic snack mix racks up sodium quickly (and who honestly stops at the barely 1/2 cup serving suggestion?). Our Asian-inspired mix saves 160mg sodium per serving with plenty of crunch and bold, salty flavor in a more generous 3/4 cup portion.

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Salted Candied Almonds

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst
Salted Candied Almonds Recipe

These salty and sweet almond treats are easy to make ahead. 

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Brown Sugar-Spiced Nut Mix

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Paige Hicks
Brown Sugar-Spiced Nut Mix Recipe

From the Kitchen of…Cheryl Slocum, Senior Food Editor

A bowl of nuts in their shells was a coffee table staple for Thanksgiving snacks when Cheryl was young. "Operating the nutcracker was a real draw for us little kids," she says, "but our tastes have evolved to this sweet-hot crispy mix."

Achieve a bronzelike patina on these candied nuts by keeping a close watch near the end of their roasting time. Too long and they'll overdarken and take on a bitter flavor.

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Double-Chocolate Cereal Treats

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Double-Chocolate Cereal Treats Recipe

Skip your boring breakfast and opt for these decadent chocolate-on-chocolate cookies that boast full satisfaction and a dose of whole-grain goodness. Rich, decadent, and ultra-crispy, these healthy, bite-size snacks are the perfect start to the day. And they're ready to eat in a fraction of the time needed to prepare typical sweet treats.

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Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Wafers

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Wafers Recipe
Dried cranberries give a slightly sweet flavor to crispy, buttery Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Wafers.

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Cranberry Oat Bars

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Cranberry Oat Bars Recipe

Kids will love to snack on these oat bars filled with a sweet cranberry mixture. 

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Apple-Oat Energy Balls

Sara Tane
Apple-Oat Energy Balls Recipe

Back-to-school has got nothing on these tasty, filling snacks. If you don't have almond butter (or have a picky eater in the house), feel free to swap out for peanut butter or your nut butter of choice.

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Crispy Potato Chips

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Crispy Potato Chips Recipe
Satisfy your potato chip craving with this super salty and super easy snack. It's better than the bagged stuff―we promise.

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Togarashi-Spiced Snack Mix

Greg Dupree
Togarashi-Spiced Snack Mix Recipe
This flavor-packed snack mix serves eight people and comes together in less than 2 hours.
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Crisp and Spicy Snack Mix

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Crisp and Spicy Snack Mix Recipe
Take this to snack on before dinner. And if there's any left, toss it on a salad.

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All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Pam Lolley
All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

When it comes to making cookies from scratch, these crispy-chewy chocolate chip cookies represent the best of the best. Simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions make this a recipe you'll come back to again and again. Whip up a batch of these all-time favorite cookies and they won't last long. Pro tip: Bake 10 minutes for a softer cookie or up to 14 minutes for a crispier cookie.

After you've made these craveworthy cookies, don't forget to try our fun variations. All sorts of goodies—from crushed white-chocolate pretzels to toffee candy—can be added to the batter to create other signature cookies.

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Cereal and Milk Bars

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Cereal and Milk Bars Recipe

These crowd-pleasers deliver flavors that take you straight back to childhood bliss.

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Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Photo: Jason Varney; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

Reminiscent of classic popcorn balls, these salty-sweet treats make for awesome low-fat, lunch box-friendly snacking. Make a batch with the kids this weekend to enjoy throughout the week.

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Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars Recipe

These homemade bars combine peanut butter and chocolate to make a tasty after-school treat. 

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Coconut-Pecan Caramel Popcorn

Photographer: Gina DeSimone; Prop Stylist: Kashara Johnson; Food Stylist: Briana Riddock
Coconut-Pecan Caramel Popcorn Recipe

With the addition coconut flakes and pecans, this is the amped-up version of your traditional caramel popcorn is all kinds of addictive. Once you make a batch, chances are it will disappear before the day is out—so consider doubling the recipe. The combination of caramel and pecans delivers delicious praline vibes, while the coconut’s subtle chew adds a hint of tropical joy. The recipe calls to make the caramel sauce from scratch, but you can substitute with store-bought caramel sauce for ease. Make a large batch and bag this decadent snack up to give as gifts or as party favors at your next holiday gatherings.

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Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin
Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds Recipe

These homemade bars combine fruit and nut flavors to make a tasty snack. 

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Spicy, Barely Sweet Supercrunch Granola

Photo: Greg DuPree
Spicy, Barely Sweet Supercrunch Granola Recipe

Our supremely crunchy, irresistible granola almost feels more like party mix (but still contains all those great whole grains). It stores well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. Aside from eating out of hand, you can also try this on your morning bowl of yogurt, an ice cream parfait, or a hearty salad (think of it as a replacement for croutons). For folks with gluten allergies or sensitivities, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

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Cheesy Pita Chips

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
Cheesy Pita Chips Recipe
These cheesy pita chip recipe is a reader favorite―and for good reason. It doesn't get much easier than this, folks.
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Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon
Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips Recipe
Pringles, who? Fans of the classic Sour Cream & Onion flavor will love our copycat recipe.

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Everything Rugelach with Ricotta and Dill

Sara Tane
Everything Rugelach with Ricotta and Dill Recipe

Everybody's favorite Jewish cookie gets a savory makeover in this salty, crunchy treat. Perfect served as an appetizer or as a part of a special breakfast spread, this everything rugelach is the perfect marriage between flaky dough and classic everything bagel toppings. Eat them on their own, or smear on a thin layer of cream cheese and top with fresh lox and capers for a non-traditional snack.

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Maple-Pecan Popcorn

Photo: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Maple-Pecan Popcorn Recipe
This fall recipe is perfect for snacking on all year long. Savory, sweet, and super simple.
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Rosemary Popcorn

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
Rosemary Popcorn Recipe
Make a batch of this delicious popcorn for your next movie night and you’ll start a new tradition.

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Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers

Photo: Oxmoor House
Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers Recipe

Skip the store-bought version and create your own cheesy snack crackers for afternoon snacking. 

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Maple-Sumac Roasted Walnuts

Justin Walker
Maple-Sumac Roasted Walnuts Recipe

Here's a perfectly simple and delicious snack. A little sumac adds a bright piney-citrusy note. Look for it at specialty spice stores. A tablespoon of lemon rind can sub for sumac, if you prefer.

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Miso-Caramel-Tamari Popcorn Mix

Jennifer Causey
Miso-Caramel-Tamari Popcorn Mix Recipe

A slightly thicker caramel and the addition of whole roasted almonds turn traditional caramel popcorn into gift-worthy popcorn mix. We use less sugar in the glaze and cut the sweetness with mild white miso (fermented soybean paste) and tamari (a richer, wheat-free soy sauce) for a salty-savory note that makes the snack incredibly addictive.

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Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine 
Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas Recipe

Dry your chickpeas as thoroughly as possible before cooking to ensure a satisfyingly crisp result. If you're planning to pack these flavor-coated, fiber-filled poppers as a to-go snack, be sure to allow them to cool completely on a flat surface first.

 

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Tahini-Oat Energy Balls

Sara Tane
Tahini-Oat Energy Balls Recipe

For a quick, pick-me-up snack when you're on the go, these easy tahini-oat bites are the perfect solution. Full of hearty nuts and creamy tahini, they offer just the right amount of sweet satisfaction. A pinch of salt balances the flavor and brings it all together. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and keept them on hand for emergency snack situations.

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Smoky Snack Mix

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Smoky Snack Mix Recipe

Perfect for game days, birthday parties, or any get-together, this recipe easily doubles or triples, which we recommend. And don’t skip the white cheddar cheese crackers—their buttery richness makes them the MVP of this hard-to-resist mix.

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Roasted Kale and Chickpea Snack Mix

Jennifer Causey
Roasted Kale and Chickpea Snack Mix Recipe

This fiber-filled, gluten-free snack mix is great sprinkled over salads to give them a little spicy crunch.

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Unicorn Snack Bars

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Deb Wise
Unicorn Snack Bars Recipe

These sweet unicorn treats are adorable enough to serve at a birthday party, but easy enough to throw together for after-school snacks during the week. Adding almonds and apple chips into the mix make these snack bars more substantial and flavorful than a plain rice cereal treat, but these ingredients are easily swapped to accommodate your favorite mix-ins or nut allergies. We added a touch of food coloring to give the bars a cheerful pink hue, but it’s A-OK to leave it out if you would prefer.  

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Pimiento Cheese Crackers

Stacey Ballis
Pimiento Cheese Crackers Recipe

What if the pimiento cheese... WERE the cracker?

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Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman
Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Recipe
We love any recipe that revolves around bacon, and in this case, bacon is literally the center of attention. You might want to double this recipe, because these Bacon Bow Tie Crackers won’t last long at any gathering.

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Sweet and Spicy Apple Chips

Caitlin Bensel
Sweet and Spicy Apple Chips Recipe

Long, low-heat baking dehydrates the apple slices so they become wonderfully crunchy once they cool. Ancho chile powder and cayenne pepper lend moderate heat—adjust the amount to suit your taste.

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Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe

Make a batch of this delicious popcorn for your next movie night and you’ll start a new tradition. Flavored with olive oil, fresh rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic, it’s a sophisticated take on a favorite snack. This popcorn recipe can be tailored to what you like or have on hand. Replace the Parmesan with Romano or Asiago, and use fresh thyme or oregano in place of the rosemary.

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Boiled Peanuts

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Victoria Cox and Elise Mayfield; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen
Boiled Peanuts Recipe

Hot, homemade boiled peanuts are truly delicious, but you can order them already prepared online. Matt and Ted started their business with this regional treat (5 pounds for $26.50); boiledpeanuts.com.

 

Prep: 5 minutes; Soak: 8 hours; Cook: 5 hours; Cool: 1 hour.

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