Alright, let’s talk corn nuts. I freaking love those things, but store-bought ranch ones? Hit or miss, man. Sometimes the flavor’s weak, sometimes they’re stale. So, I decided to make my own. Here’s the lowdown on how I did it.
First, the prep work. I grabbed a bag of plain corn nuts, obviously. Then I started digging around for my ranch seasoning ingredients. I didn’t have a packet of the premade stuff, so I had to go from scratch. Found some dried buttermilk powder – this is key, don’t skip it. Also needed dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt, pepper, and a little bit of MSG (yeah, I said it!).
Next, the ranch seasoning mix. I didn’t measure exactly, just kinda eyeballed it, but here’s roughly what I used: maybe 2 tablespoons of buttermilk powder, a teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder, half a teaspoon of dried dill and parsley, a quarter teaspoon of salt and pepper, and a tiny pinch of MSG. I whisked all that together in a small bowl until it was well combined.
Time to get the corn nuts involved. I melted about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl. You could use oil, but butter just tastes better, right? Then I dumped the corn nuts into the bowl and tossed them around to coat them evenly with the melted butter. Make sure every nut gets some love.
Seasoning time! I sprinkled the ranch seasoning mixture over the corn nuts, tossing them constantly to make sure the seasoning coated them all. This is where you might need to add a little more melted butter if the seasoning isn’t sticking well enough. Just go slowly and add a little at a time. The goal is to get them evenly coated without being soggy.
Baking (optional, but recommended). I spread the seasoned corn nuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Then I popped them in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10-15 minutes. This step helps the seasoning really stick and gives the corn nuts a nice, crispy texture. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
Cooling and tasting. I let the corn nuts cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a bowl. Then came the best part – the taste test! They were awesome! The ranch flavor was strong and tangy, and the corn nuts were perfectly crunchy. Way better than the store-bought ones, if I do say so myself.
Adjustments and tweaks. The first batch was a little too salty for my taste, so the next time I made them, I cut back on the salt in the seasoning mixture. Also, if you like a spicier ranch flavor, you could add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to the seasoning.
Final thoughts. Making your own ranch corn nuts is super easy and way more satisfying than buying them. Plus, you can customize the flavor to your liking. Give it a try – you won’t regret it!
