The Sweet and Salty Valentine’s Day Treat Mix You Need to Make

I don’t know about you, but the amount of sweets consumed in February equals or even possibly outweighs the amount consumed during the month of December! Valentine’s Day is pretty much celebrated all month long [along with my birthday ;)] around here! And yummy treats and chocolate are what make up the majority of the celebrations, right?  Chocolate consumption goes without saying, but if you crave some savory, too, then this is definitely The Sweet and Salty Valentine’s Day Treat Mix You Need to Make. I promise you [and your guests or recipients] will thank me!!

If you saw my post on How to Host a Fuss-free Galentine’s Day Party, then you know a party staple is definitely the snacks!

SWEET AND SALTY VALENTINE’S DAY TREAT MIX INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 box Rice Chex cereal
• 1/2 bag of pretzel sticks
• 1/2 container of dry roasted peanuts
• 1 pkg vanilla candy coating [or pkg of almond bark]
• 1/2 bag of M&M’s [Valentine’s Day edition]
• 1/2 bag of Peanut M&M’s [Valentine’s Day edition]
• 1/2 bag of Carmel M&M’s [Valentine’s Day edition]
• *optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract

**I double this recipe to have extra! A double batch fills 3 gallon size freezer bags! If you do decide to make a double batch, this mix freezes really well. Even just for a week or so to keep it fresh before serving or delivering!

SWEET AND SALTY VALENTINE’S DAY TREAT MIX DIRECTIONS:

1 // Combine rice chex, pretzels and peanuts in large mixing bowl and lightly mix.

2 // In the microwave, heat package of vanilla candy coating or almond bark squares in microwave safe bowl until melted. Follow the melting instructions on the package, but I set microwave for 1.5 minutes, stirred and then put back in for another 1.5 minutes. After I took it out of the microwave, I stirred in the almond extract into the melted vanilla.

3 // Next, pour the melted vanilla coating over your Chex, pretzel and peanut mixture and begin to mix thoroughly with spatula. The longer the melted vanilla coating sits and cools, the harder it is to get good coverage on your mixture. Once the mixture is fully coated, then let sit for 5-10 minutes to slightly cool, but not completely dry. 

4 // Then, pour in your various M&M’s and mix thoroughly again. I always wait a few minutes before adding the chocolate coated candies because if the mixture is too hot, they will melt! It’s a much prettier Valentine’s Day treat mix when the pink, red and white candies are intact!!

5 // Lastly, spread the mixture out onto sheets of wax paper to cool and dry completely. You can place in refrigerator or freezer to help set the mixture more quickly, but 30-60 minutes on the paper is plenty of time!

*Secret tip: I tend to save a handful of colored candies back and sprinkle them on while the treats are cooling on the wax paper. They won’t all end up sticking, but it keeps the mix looking bright and festive for Valentine’s Day. The red and pink really pop this way!

HOW TO SERVE:

Finally, break into smaller clumps and place in large serving bowl with a scoop or spoon. You could also put into individual bowls or fill treat bags for neighbors, friends, teachers and the kiddo’s classmates! You can omit the peanuts if the school is nut-free.

As you can see from the photos above and in the Galentine’s Day Party post, I filled two of my favorite small ruffle bowls with the mix. I then placed them on a Sweets & Strawberries board for a simple finger food snack idea for parties. I love the idea of quick grab-and-go type food items for guests to easily munch on throughout the party.

Here are the details on this delicious Dessert board!

This sweet and salty Valentine’s Day treat mix can be adapted for other holidays and seasonally as well! This recipe originated from a Christmas version my mom has always made using red and green M&M’s. After, starting to make that same treat mix during the holidays each year myself, I decided it would make an excellent Valentine’s Day treat mix, too! The red, pink and white candies are so pretty against the white mixture!

Who wouldn’t love a handful of this yummy goodness?!

Don’t forget to pin the Sweet and Salty Valentine’s Day Treat Mix for later!

Shop the party sources via the clickable images below!:

Other Valentine’s Day posts you’ll want to check out!:

You can also find even more Valentine’s Day ideas by clicking here!