Homemade Caramel Corn with nuts

I was attending Movie Night at a friend's house and thought I'd make a special treat.  This caramel corn was a big hit!!!

The good news is that it's also super easy!  Here's the recipe:

Homemade Caramel Corn (with nuts)

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (that's 1 stick)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz of your favorite nuts (optional)

1/2 cup of  unpopped popcorn
3 Tablespoons of oil (to pop the popcorn)
cooking spray or silpat or parchment paper

Large pot
cookie sheet

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  I use my wok to make this treat but any large pot will do.

Pop the popcorn

Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and unpopped popcorn to a pan.  Pop the corn, remove any unpopped kernels and place the popcorn on a cookie sheet.

Keep the popcorn warm in the oven.

Place the popcorn in the oven to keep it warm while you make the caramel.

Start the Caramel

Wipe out the pan you used to make the popcorn and use it to make the caramel.  Combine butter, brown sugar, salt and syrup.  Heat over medium heat.

Simmer stir the caramel

Simmer and stir the mixture for about 5 minutes.  Then remove it from heat.

Remove the caramel from the heat and add baking soda

Add the vanilla and baking soda.  The baking soda will cause the caramel to bubble up and turn a lighter shade of brown.

The baking soda causes the caramel to change colors and bubble

Stir the mixture until the bubbles have subsided.

Add nuts if you like

Stir in the nuts (optional).  Eight oz. of nuts creates a lightly nutty caramel corn.  If you like lots of nuts add 16 oz or more.

Nutty Caramel

Return the popcorn to the pan and gently combine.

Toss the popcorn with the caramel

The product WILL stick to a cookie sheet.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a silpat (non stick baking mat) or line the cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Time to go back in the oven!

Bake the caramel corn at 250 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cool completely or you'll burn your lips!

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool COMPLETELY!

Break the cooled caramel corn into chunks or pieces and enjoy!

Popcorn Bar!

PRO TIPS:

Add a little zip to your caramel corn with finishing salts.

Add finishing Salt for added zip!

Sprinkle the freshly baked caramel corn with the finishing salt of your choice.  I like Thai Ginger Salt!

My husband likes it when I make this treat with seasoned nuts.  He prefers Sea Salt and Pepper Nuts.

Seasoned Nuts are great in caramel corn!

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