Jenny’s Harvest Popcorn Mix
🕒 Cook Time: 50 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Description:
My dear friend Jenny shared this recipe with me years ago, and it has since become a cherished favorite in my household. Ideal for football gatherings and Halloween parties, this caramel popcorn blend carries delightful hints of baking spices. To ensure success, especially if you’re new to making caramel corn, I highly recommend using a candy thermometer. While not overly complicated, attention to detail and readiness are key before diving in.
Recipe Category: Lunch/Snacks
Keywords:
Vegetable, Free Of…, Halloween, Weeknight, < 4 Hours
Ingredients:
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 3 | Raisins |
| 1 | Peanuts |
| 1/2 | Brown sugar |
| 1/2 | Butter |
| 3/4 | Corn syrup |
| 1/4 | Salt |
| 3 1/2 | Popcorn (quarts) |
| 1/4 | Pumpkin pie spice |
| 1 1/2 | Ground ginger |
| 1/2 | Ground allspice |
| 1/4 | Baking soda |
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 185.9
- Fat Content: 7.3g
- Saturated Fat Content: 2.9g
- Cholesterol Content: 10.2mg
- Sodium Content: 110mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 29.8g
- Fiber Content: 1.9g
- Sugar Content: 18.6g
- Protein Content: 2.9g
Recipe Servings: 12
Recipe Instructions:
-
First, freshly pop your popcorn and measure out 3 quarts, then sift through your popcorn to remove any unpopped kernels.
-
Make sure you have a large shallow sheet pan handy (I use a jelly roll pan) and you may wish to line it with foil or parchment paper.
-
Preheat oven to 250°F.
-
In a very large bowl, mix together the popcorn, dried apples, raisins, and nuts; set aside.
-
Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a 2-quart size saucepan.
-
Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
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Continue to boil to the firm ball stage (248°F on a candy thermometer), about 5 minutes. Do not overcook!
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Remove from heat and stir in the spices and the baking soda.
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Pour hot caramel over the popcorn mixture and stir quickly to coat.
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Spread popcorn mixture evenly on your pan.
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Bake at 250°F for 45-50 minutes, stirring EVERY 15 minutes.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool completely (or you will burn your tongue- the caramel gets scalding hot).
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I often leave out apples, but you can also use other dried fruits if you desire such as dried cranberries or apricots.
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Just make sure your dried fruits are very fresh- if they are too dried out from age, they will tend to burn.
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I use low-salt nuts; Jenny uses unsalted.
Enjoy the delightful flavors of Jenny’s Harvest Popcorn Mix, perfect for any occasion where a sweet and savory snack is welcomed!
