Better Than Jingle Jangle
Updated Dec 09, 2025, Published on Dec 09, 2024
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This Better Than Jingle Jangle is my upgraded version of the popular Trader Joe’s holiday treat. Instead of being overly sweet, this homemade mix uses chocolate-covered potato chips, mini peanut butter crackers, mini peanut butter cups, and honey-roasted peanuts for the perfect salty sweet crunch. It comes together in just 15 minutes and is perfect for gifting, parties, or snacking straight from the tin.
If you want more easy holiday treats, try my Boursin and Fig Phyllo Cups or Snickerdoodle Cream Cheese Dip. Browse my Christmas Recipes for even more festive ideas.
🐝 Quick Look: Better Than Jingle Jangle Recipe
- ⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 1 tin
- ⚡ Calories: ~2680 per tin
- 🍳 Cook Method: No cook. Mix and serve.
- 🧂 Main Ingredients: Chocolate-covered potato chips, mini peanut butter cups, holiday M&M’s.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Sweet, salty, crunchy, chocolatey, festive
- ⭐ Difficulty: Very easy. Minimal prep and perfect for gifting.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes for a quick homemade holiday snack. Serve it with my 5 minute Snickerdoodle Cream Cheese Dip for an easy holiday spread
- Salty sweet crunch from chocolate-covered potato chips and honey roasted peanuts. Try my Miso White Chocolate Cookies for another salty-sweet dessert idea.
- Peanut butter lovers will love it thanks to mini peanut butter cups and sandwich crackers.
- Perfect for gifting in holiday tins or bags. This homemade holiday snack mix travels well and stays fresh for days. Make my French Onion Oyster Crackers for another tasty gift.
- Easy to customize by swapping nuts, M&M varieties, or chocolate types
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with exact quantities.
- Mini Peanut Butter Cups: I like using Reese’s Minis or any unwrapped mini cups. Trader Joe’s sells these as well.
- Mini Peanut Butter Crackers: A slightly salty and crunchy addition that balances the sweetness in this mix.
- Holiday M&M’s: You can use any M&M’s variety you like but the holiday blend will make this mix extra festive and perfect for holiday gifting.
Tips and Substitutions
- Use ridged potato chips so they hold their shape after dipping. Smaller chips or broken pieces work best for this mix.
- Any chocolate works for coating the chips. Use milk, dark, or semi-sweet based on what you prefer.
- Swap the mix-ins with any M&M’s variety, the nuts of your choice, or any additional chocolate candies you enjoy.
- Let the chocolate harden fully before assembling the mix so the coating does not smear.
- Storage: Keep the mix in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Perfect for gifting or making ahead.
How to Make Better Than Jingle Jangle
See the recipe card below for full instructions and exact amounts.
- Melt the chocolate and prepare the potato chips.
- Dip each chip halfway into the melted chocolate.
- Place dipped chips on parchment, optionally sprinkle with flaky salt, and let them harden.
- Add the chocolate-covered pretzels and peanut butter crackers to a large bowl.
- Add the mini peanut butter cups and honey roasted peanuts.
- Add the holiday M&M’s.
- Add the chocolate-covered potato chips. Toss gently until combined.
- Transfer to a tin for gifting or to an air-tight container for storing.
Better Than Jingle Jangle FAQs
Yes. You can use any M&M’s variety, different nuts, or swap the pretzel flavor. Feel free to add marshmallows, chocolate-covered raisins, or whatever mix-ins you like best.
This version is saltier, crunchier, and more balanced than the original. It also uses easy to find ingredients and takes only 15 minutes to assemble, so you can enjoy it even when the Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle price or availability changes each season.
The Trader Joe’s version occasionally goes in and out of stock during the holiday season. This homemade Better Than Jingle Jangle recipe is an easy way to enjoy the mix anytime without worrying about availability.
More Festive Treats
Better Than Jingle Jangle
Ingredients
Chocolate Covered Potato Chips
- 3 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2 ounces Ridged Potato Chips, about 30 small chips/pieces of chips
- Flaky Salt, optional
Other Ingredients
- 4 ounces Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels, about 40 pretzels
- 2 ounces Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, about 30 crackers
- 3 ounces Mini Peanut Butter Cups, about 30 peanut butter cups
- ¼ cup Honey Roasted Peanuts
- ½ cup Holiday Blend M&M's
Instructions
Chocolate Covered Potato Chips
- Melt the chocolate: Add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth.
- Prep the chips: Separate smaller chips or break larger ones into bite-sized pieces.
- Dip the chips: Dip each chip halfway into the melted chocolate, coating both sides. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
- Let them set: Leave the chips at room temperature for a few hours until the chocolate hardens completely.
Assembly
- Combine: Add the mini peanut butter sandwich crackers, milk chocolate pretzels, mini peanut butter cups, honey roasted peanuts, holiday M&M’s, and chocolate-covered potato chips to a large bowl.
- Mix and store: Toss gently to combine and transfer to a holiday tin or airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Let the chocolate-covered potato chips harden completely before assembling the snack mix. This usually takes a few hours at room temperature. You can make them earlier in the day or the night before.
- Use ridged potato chips so they hold their shape after dipping. Smaller chips or broken pieces work best for this snack mix.
- Any milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate chips will work. Use your favorite or what you have on hand.
- Feel free to swap the honey roasted peanuts for regular roasted peanuts or mixed nuts if you prefer a less-sweet version.
- You can use holiday M&M’s or any M&M variety. Peanut, almond, or pretzel M&M’s are also great in this mix.
- This recipe is easy to scale up for gifting. Double or triple the quantities and store in holiday tins or airtight containers.
- The mix will stay fresh in an airtight container for about one week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The BEST holiday treat if you love a salty-sweet combo. Let me know how it compares to Trader Joe’s!