Tag Archives: candied popcorn

Caramel Peanut Popcorn

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Desserts/Baking, Other Desserts by

This delicious candied popcorn includes salted peanuts and Reese’s Pieces, which is awesome on its own, but it’s the sugary molasses coating that really makes it. It tastes a little like Cracker Jack, but with peanut butter candies and slightly fewer peanuts.

The original recipe called for dark corn syrup, which I didn’t have, so I used a mixture of light corn syrup and molasses. Admittedly that’s a different taste than dark corn syrup, but I liked it better and the consistency worked just fine. Use dark corn syrup if you prefer!

With more than 15 cups of popcorn, this recipe yields enough to fill a really big bowl, perfect to set out at a party. Or, like I did in the picture, you could serve it in individual cups or bowls so everyone has their own big portion.

15 cups plain popped popcorn
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts
10 oz. package Reese’s Pieces

Heat oven to 325F/160C degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray, then spread popcorn on top in an even layer. Set aside.

In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine sugar, butter, corn syrup, molasses, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and toss gently so every kernel is coated.

Bake 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add peanuts and bake 5 minutes more. Spread onto greased parchment paper and let cool, about 20 minutes. Break the pieces into a large bowl and add the candy.

(recipe adapted from Southern Living magazine, October 2015)

Candied Pecan Popcorn

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Other Desserts by

20170128_162714This is a recipe that could earn you a lot of friends. I brought a container of this to work, and it was soon gobbled up by colleagues who asked me not to bring it in again because they didn’t need the temptation.

The original recipe came from the Food Network magazine, which always seems to have recipes that just simply work. It was the creation of Marcela Valladolid, who called for the addition of chipotle seasoning, but I leave that out in my version. Here is the recipe, with a few more changes from the original.

11 cups popped plain popcorn (very important: inspect carefully and remove all unpopped kernels)
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 250F degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and butter the foil.

When oven is hot, put popcorn on the pan and scatter the pecans on top. Place in the oven while you do the next step.

Place the sugar, butter, and honey in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally. When the sugar and butter have melted, increase the heat and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly stir in salt and baking soda.

Remove popcorn from oven and pour the syrup on top, then mix gently with a rubber spatula to coat as much of the popcorn as possible. Bake for 1 hour, stirring with the spatula halfway through to coat more popcorn.

Remove from oven, stir once more, and let cool. To remove cooled popcorn from foil, lift it up at each end, gently moving the foil around to ease the popcorn off.