Are you needing a sweet and salty treat or snack? Try making this peanut caramel popcorn recipe. It will be ready to eat an about an hour.
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This spring has been so crazy, hasn’t it? My kids and I aren’t used to staying at home this much.
Luckily, our neighborhood pool was able to open about a week ago and we’ve been spending lots of time there to get a change of scenery. There were only a few minor rules changes so we’ve been super happy about that.
I’ve also noticed how many snacks we eat! I’ve been packing up the cooler with drinks and taking tons of different snacks. Popcorn is one of our favorites so I thought I’d make a new popcorn recipe to change things up.
I also have this candied popcorn that’s really good too!
Peanut Caramel Popcorn (Cracker Jacks)
This peanut caramel popcorn is super easy to make and I normally have the ingredients in my pantry.
As I was typing this recipe up, I was telling my 10 year daughter what to do and she was making it. Win! So…if she can do it, you can do it too.
It calls for the peanuts with the red skins (redskin Spanish). I use these because I like them best, but you can use regular cocktail or salty peanuts too. This is what the package looks like.
YES, this is a super messy recipe, but it’s so worth it. Once you pour your caramel over the popcorn, you’ll need to stir it a little and then every 15 minutes while it cooks to really get that sauce on all the popcorn.
Once it comes out, let it cool, then you can break it apart and store it in an airtight container.
Tip #1
Pick out any unpopped popcorn after you dump your popcorn bag. You won’t be able to see the kernals after the caramel is poured on and you’ll break a tooth!
Tip #2
When you’re tossing the warm mixture, make sure to get the popcorn and peanuts at the bottom of your pan and move them to the top when you’re stirring. The peanuts tend to sink to the bottom.
Tip #3
When your popcorn is done, dump it out on some wax paper. If you let it cool in the pan, it will stick and be tough to get off your baking sheet.
Peanut Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
- 1 3 oz bag plain microwave popcorn
- 3/4 cup peanuts with red skins
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225F.
- Cook popcorn according to decorations. Pour out on baking sheet and sprinkle peanuts on top.
- Add butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla to pot and bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Take off heat and stir in baking soda. Slowly pour over popcorn and peanuts and toss.
- Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes, taking out and stirring every 15 minutes.
- Pour out on a sheet of wax paper and let cool before breaking apart and serving.