Nothing screams fall like a pairing of maple syrup, cinnamon and walnuts. And since I’ve been loving granola lately, I thought this fun and simple recipe would be a great way to ease into my autumn mood.

This trail mix is the best of both worlds. It’s sweet, salty and filling. Pineapple, chocolate and cinnamon give a slight sweetness and it’s paired nicely with the salty pistachios, almonds and sunflower seeds.

The year was 2014.. I pulled out a Home & Garden magazine that was perfectly filled with fall crafts and recipes. One of these recipes included soft pretzels — my love language. I fumbled around my mom’s kitchen, feeling like I was working on a science experiment while I dip raw dough into boiling baking soda…

With hardly any prep work, these are perfect for pulling out before dinner is served. There’s countless ways to make a cheese platter more patriotic (cue everything red, white and blue).