This Chunky Monkey Trail Mix is and energy-packed snack, whether you’re actually hiking or just noshing on the go. A gluten-free and paleo treat that is so easy to make in your slow cooker! Make a big batch to have on hand for quick pick-me-up!
Trail mix—the food you eat on the trail of life. Road trips, long flights, layovers, outdoor adventures, picnics, barbeques, fun in the sun days, or sitting at your desk writing a recipe post!
And where did Chunky Monkey come from, anyway? Your brain probably goes straight to Ben and Jerry and ice cream. But it was actually a cartoon character in 1970s!
“This is a tale about a monkey, who tipped the scale at one and twenty. For a little monkey, that is plenty.” 😂
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information.
Crunchy, sweet but also not too sweet. Healthy fats to nourish, tons of potassium from the bananas, antioxidants in the dark chocolate!
- Unsweetened coconut flakes – Used for added texture and sweetness, coconut flakes are also a good source of fat, contain protein, minerals, and vitamin B. As a result, they can help improve cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar levels, and boost immunity.
- Coconut sugar – Has a slightly nutty flavor that compliments the other ingredients well.
- Nuts – We used cashews and walnuts, but use any nuts you prefer. Nuts are all rich sources of healthy fats and fiber!
- Banana chips – Look for dehydrated, non-fried banana chips or freeze dried bananas made without added sugar.
- Dark chocolate – If you need a dairy-free option, I recommend Enjoy Life Foods. For a sugar-free option, Lily’s is my favorite.
- Coconut oil or butter – Use refined or expeller pressed coconut oil. Or you can use butter or plant-based butter.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Helps enhance the taste of the rest of the ingredients.
HOW TO MAKE THE CHUNKY MONKEY TRAIL MIX
It smells unreal in your house when you have this going in the crock pot? We gobbled up this trail mix during travel, work, and everything in between!
- Add nuts, coconut, coconut sugar, vanilla, and butter or coconut oil in a crock pot and mix together. Set on high for 45-60 minutes stirring a few times so as not to burn the coconut.
Note: Reduce to low after 45 minutes if flakes are cooking faster or browning.
- Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes.
- Pour out contents of clow cooker onto parchment paper to dry out and cool down.
Important: Be sure to let it cool for at least 15 minutes before adding the chocolate and banana chips.
- Add in the banana chips and chocolate chips and mix together.
- Trail mix will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about a month.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Paleo Recipes
Crock Pot Chunky Monkey Paleo Trail Mix Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 5–6 cups 1x
Description
This trail mix recipe will definitely give you energy, whether actually on a trail or snacking on the go. A gluten-free and paleo trail mix that you can make easily in a slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 2 cup raw walnuts (halves or coarsely chopped)
- 1 cup raw cashews halves (whole almonds work too)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (be sure to get big FLAKES not shredded)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 1– 1.5 tablespoon butter (cut in slices) or at room temp 2 to 3 tablespoon coconut oil to make vegan
- 1 tsp vanilla or butter extract
- 6 ounces unsweetened banana chips or freeze dried banana slices
- ½ cup to ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips or paleo fudge chunks (we used Enjoy life foods brand)
Instructions
- Place your nuts, coconut, sugar, vanilla, and butter slices or coconut oil in a crock pot. Mix together and place on high for 45- 60 minutes. Stir a few times checking to make sure coconut flakes do not burn. NOTE -Reduce to low after 45 minutes if flakes are cooking faster or browning.
- Turn to low and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove and place crock pot contents on parchment paper to dry out. Be sure to let it cool for at least 15 minutes before adding the chocolate and banana chips.
- Add in the banana chips and chocolate chips and mix together.
- OPTION – cooking banana chips – You can add in your unsweetened banana chips to cook with the nuts/coconut, instead of adding later. But you will need to stir often and cook only 45 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag
- See notes for lighter version
Notes
- for vegans – If you are using coconut oil, use 3 tablespoon to start and then adjust halfway to make sure all ingredients dissolve. You might need more or less.
- To lighten up the sugar/calories, use Stevia baking sugar and ½ cup of dark chocolate.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr, 30 min.
- Category: Snack
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
Will this work doubled in a large crock pot? How about adding raisins or dried cherries or cranberries?
I think so! but you might have to watch the cook times. Stir more frequently so it doesn’t burn. does that make sense? And raisins would be great! or dried cherries!
So so good. You won’t be able to stop eating it! HA
This looks delicious! Sugar is on my restricted food list. Where did you find paleo chocolate chunks or chips? Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Thank you!
Have you tried lily’s brand? It’s so good! lower sugar. https://amzn.to/2uvlbPM
How lucky no can you keep it for and how should you store it?
I’d store it in a ziplock bag or air tight container for up to 3 weeks. Or you can place it in the fridge for longer, no prob!
I liked the idea…takes pretty good. Couldn’t find sugar free banana chips without breaking the bank tho. Mine doesn’t look like this–it’s very grainy because the coconut sugar didn’t melt or anything. Not sure it’s supposed to be like this?
What butter and coconut brands did you use? Happy to help solve this .?
Hi!
I used Ghee and a store brand unsweetened coconut.
what type of sugar? Just coconut sugar? Could be the ghee. Large flaked coconut works best. Stir halfway though cooking time when it’s melting. Also, if the sugar is clumpy before adding it in, then be sure to break it up into a finer texture. Hope that helps!
I just got done making this and it’s fantastic. I forgot to add the coconut sugar, so I dumped it in when I was mixing in the chocolate and banana chips. No big deal – that means I didn’t give it time to stick to everything, but so what? I will eat it with a spoon – it still tastes great. 🙂 The main reason I made this is that I was looking for something different to do with my bananas, so I made my own banana chips and used those in the mix. I also added some raisins because I had them lying around. Other than the raisins and the delayed addition of the coconut sugar, I followed everything exactly (using butter, not coconut oil) and it’s great! It makes quite a lot, too. Thank you!
oh I love that you used real banana! I need to dehydrate more. And glad you liked it Jenn!
so glad to have found this recipe, it was just featured on foodiecrush, every trail mix I see in the store is not at all paleo, so thank you for this recipe!
I’m so glad! I just made another batch today. Hope you enjoy it!
I just made this. It smells great. I was adding up the ingredients, and mine only slightly differed from the brands you mention. Yet my calculations make it 533 calories for 1 tenth of the recipe. I’ve crunched the numbers a bunch of times and come to the same number 🙁 Not sure I will eat this that often.
Oh wow! That’s a big difference. Let me recalculate and send the info. Stay tuned!!
Delicious! I mixed in the chocolate and bananas right after I put the mix on the parchment paper. The chocolate melted all over the mix. It was an accident. How long do I let the mix cool before I add the chocolate and bananas? Thank you.
Oh no, sorry it melted. Yes, I would wait at least 15 minutes until it cools. I will update the recipe notes. Thank you!
I am in love with this recipe and have made a batch every Sunday for a month. decided to add cranberry and pineapple last week. Perfection! Next week i plan on a small batch with coffee grounds, for some added kick!
Oh yay! I gotta try it with pineapple next! YUM!
Okay! This is absolutely delicious! What a great recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to try more from this site.
I think, this might be suited for snack, love to have in evening!
I’m one of those strange people that gets headaches from coconut sugar. Can you suggest a substitute or should I forge ahead without sugar?
Can you have raw sugar or brown sugar? it’s refined but would work!
This looks amazing! However I’m allergic to coconut any recommendations for a substitute?
Not a problem! You can totally leave it out. Mix in some more nuts or dried fruit after if desired
Just made this, well a version of it. Instead of walnuts and cashews, I used pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I had no coconut sugar, so I used stevia in the raw. I also added a boot of sea salt. And at the end added prunes instead of banana chips because that is what I had. It was amazing!!!!! Thanks a bunch.
Not a boot… a pinch.
yay!! so glad. Doesn’t it smell amazing? haha
could this be baked in oven? If so. at what temperature and other instructions, if needed.
You could try it like my granola. But don’t grind it. Add coconut last. https://www.cottercrunch.com/toasted-coconut-berry-grain-free-granola-paleo/
Do you think it would work replacing the coconut,sugar with maple syrup?
you could definitely try. It might be a little stickier. Keep me posted!
I made this tonight and I think I did something wrong. I added all of the crockpot ingredients in (using coconut oil) but at the end the coconut sugar and coconut flakes were still there. Was it suppose to dissolve and stick to the nuts? It’s is a whole bunch of crumbs surrounding the other stuff. Where did I go wrong? Thanks!
Oh no! So sorry. Did you stir it up a few times during cooking? And poured the coconut oil evenly around everything? What temp did you place it on and for how long.
I did stir it about 5 times on high heat for 45 min and then low for around 20 minutes with about 2.5 T of coconut oil. Is the sugar and coconut flakes suppose to dissolve?
Yes, sugar crystalizes on the nuts and coconut. Did you use coconut sugar? Just emailed you! Happy to solve this
Ummmmm this looks amazing!! <3 <3
I’m looking for a replacement for the bananas. My husband is really allergic to them. Any suggestions?
Sure! You can do any dried fruit. Or even freeze dried strawberries or dried cranberries
We tried with dried pineapple. WIN!
Trail mix made in the slow cooker!?! You are seriously too clever! What an awesome idea!
p.s. I love that you had your season of NO! that’s a good thing for a marriage. <3
OMG, Arman of thebigmansworld made me a batch of protein chunky monkey granola, and I’m almost out of it! NOOOO! I’ll have to remake it sometime, and I’ll definitely turn to this recipe when I run out of it!
I love the fact you can make this in the slow cooker! I rely on it weekly to make meal prep so much easier.
yes! my crock pot saves me daily! haha
If bananas are involved, so am I.
I had no idea Chunky Monkey came from an overweight sad monkey at the zoo. Poor fella.
Using the Crockpot = Genius idea.
I’ve never done a crock-pot snack mix, but this sounds SO delicious. I’m totally giving it a try!
oh Ellen! You will love this. Snack heaven!
I never would have thought to make this in the crock pot. Genius. And then add this to coconut milk for ice cream base!
HAnd that over!!!!!!! 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
How did I not know you can make trail mix in the crock pot?! This must happen very soon.
Also, there may or may not be a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in my freezer. I had a weak moment at Whole Paycheck…
Well isn’t this fun! Crockpot loving AND I LOVE chunky monkey things!
Love this combination of flavors, love these photos, and LOVE that it uses the slow cooker!! This could be dangerous…
🙂
I’ve never made a trail mix in a slow cooker before. That’s just genius. I love chunky monkey anything (mind blown about it being a cartoon character!) so this is definitely up my alley. Would this work with the softer dried banana coins? I prefer them over the crunchy banana chips so already have them on-hand.
Totally! I mentioned those in recipe. Crunchy of soft dried or baked banana! Xxoo
This looks amazing and I love that you can make it in the crockpot!!
You will loooooove! so addicting
Granola in a crockpot? Why didn’t I think if that? Brilliant. You know, every time I click on the Cotter Crunch link in my reading list I’m expecting to find an announcement about your upcoming cookbook. I will be expecting a signed copy when I buy it 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend Lindsay. xoxo
you are too kind! my dream! maybe one day I will have one. <3
Hi! How much is a serving ? Thanks!
about 1/3 cup or so.
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it!
keep me posted
Making this weekend!
I can never say no to a snack or buts much less anything that doesn’t require me to turn on the oven. This is genius my friend! xoxo
A snack like this made in the crock pot is genius and chunky monkey is my favorite. Maybe it’s everyone’s favorite! My crockpot will need to be dusted off to try this. Not enough use lately.