Spicy and Crunchy, Salty and Sweet: Our Crowd-Pleasing Snack Mixes Can't Be Beat

This incredibly crunchy snack is made with puffed-corn cereal. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it's also naturally free of gluten and nuts.

Maple syrup lends a full, well-rounded sweetness to this classic party mix. The cayenne pepper keeps it lively and interesting with every handful.

A dash of angostura bitters is what keeps these candied nuts from being too cloyingly sweet. Those snacking on these won't quite be able to pinpoint where the balancing warm spices are coming from—it'll be our little secret!

Channel an East Coast crab shack with this snack mix made with seafood spice and the oyster crackers traditionally served with hearty chowders.

Given the color palette, this crunchy protein-packed snack mix is particularly appropriate around Christmas.

Crunchy roasted chickpeas are well suited to a variety of spices—we used smoky-sweet garam masala.

This snack mix would fit right in at a seaside bar somewhere on the Mediterranean coastline. Briny capers are fried until airy and crisp, then mixed with lemon, roasted nuts, and a generous amount of pepper.

If you're going to go to the trouble of making a homemade trail mix, it had better be more unique and even more delicious than any store-bought variety. Here, banana chips are a special and tasty treat with a whole lot of crunch.

This classic kid's snack is elevated to a classy conversation starter thanks to chocolate-hazelnut butter and Dutch-process cocoa powder.

Rosemary is an unexpected twist in this zesty mix of corn cereal, pretzels, and peanuts.

Don't be afraid of a little heat. Adobo sauce and cayenne add nice spice to this mix.

The molasses-like flavor of dark brown sugar is pepped up with cayenne pepper in this irresistible snack mix.

The grown-up flavors of Parmesan and olive oil elevate the usual suspects (cereal and pretzels) in this tasty mix.

Candied chickpeas might sound unusual, but we can't get enough of the crunchy, sweet coating.

This brittle-like candy, made with mixed nuts and candied ginger plus sesame seeds and cayenne, is more exciting than traditional spiced nuts in a bowl.