I made this the first time to go in a box of birthday presents we sent to our Marine nephew, who loves malted milk balls. Later, it seemed like just the thing to make when a friend with a sweet tooth was coming over to watch a bit of March Madness basketball with Joe. It was also a hit when we were helping friends unpack boxes at their new house.
Yes, that is a lot of butter. But this is a treat, after all. And it is less butter than called for in other snack recipes I saw online that inspired this mix. You usually can find the malted mild powder (Carnation makes it) near the hot cocoa shelf in the grocery.
Malted Crunch Snack Mix
3 sticks butter
4 cups thin pretzels, any shape
4 cups Chocolate Chex cereal
1 cup plain malted milk powder
1/2 cup milk powder (or use additional malted milk powder)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 5-oz. box malted milk balls such as Whoppers
Preheat oven to 250.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Meanwhile, put the pretzels in a plastic storage bag, seal, and whack with a rolling pin or meat mallet to break them into pieces. Pour into large bowl. (Save the bag for the malted milk balls.) Add the cereal and toss.
Add milk powder, malted milk powder, sugars and salt and stir. Pour the butter over the mix in the bowl and stir thoroughly but gently to integrate and coat all the pieces so that the sugars and milk powders stick.
Spread mix on two rimmed cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes and stir. Be sure to stir in the stuff browning near the edges of the pan. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until mix is starting to brown. Don’t overbake or it will get too dark and hard. It will set up more as it cools.
While it is cooling, pour the malted milk balls into the bag you used to smash the pretzels. Seal and smack them just enough to break them into pieces.
When snack mix is cool, toss with candy. Store in sealed container. Will keep a week or two (if you have your spouse hide it from you).
Makes about 8 cups.
Yummmmm