I make caramel corn every year at holiday time and thought it might be fun to kick it up a notch this year and add something new to my old standby recipe. We love the spices in pumpkin pie, gingerbread and gingersnaps and the thought of those wonderful fall flavors in caramel syrup made my mouth water. So…here is the result. I added a few pecans because I had them but they aren’t essential. The spices are a nice surprise and add lots of flavor to the caramel syrup.
I found this easy recipe for popping corn on the King Arthur Flour website and now, because it is so simple, I enjoy freshly popped corn often. If I lay off the butter it doesn’t have many calories and is a satisfying munchie when I need a snack. I popped 2 batches of corn to make this caramel corn recipe. COMBINE 1/4 CUP UNPOPPED POPCORN KERNELS, 1 TEASPOON VEGETABLE OIL, AND 1/2 TEASPOON SALT IN A BROWN PAPER LUNCH BAG. FOLD THE TOP DOWN SEVERAL TIMES TO CLOSE. MICROWAVE FOR 2 MINUTES, OR UNTIL DONE POPPING. MAKES 8 CUPS.
There is still time to enter my giveaway of a beautiful French crepe pan to celebrate my blog makeover. Take a minute to visit my last post HERE, leave a comment, and you are in. Thanks for visiting.
This post is linked to FOODIE FRIDAY at Rattlebridge Farm.
- 15 cups popped popcorn
- ¾ cup butter
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup nuts (optional)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prepare two rimmed baking sheets by lining them with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the popped popcorn in a very large bowl. You will need to stir the sugar mixture into the popcorn so allow plenty of room. If you don't have a bowl large enough use two bowls and divide the popcorn in half.
- In a medium saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and the mixtures comes to a boil.
- Once boiling, cook for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add nut at this point if you wish. After cooking for five minutes, remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda. The syrup will foam up when the baking soda is added. Stir until well distributed. Pour the hot syrup over the popped corn. Stir until the popcorn is completely coated with syrup.
- Spread the popcorn in a thin layer on the baking sheets, place in a 250 degree oven and bake for 1 hour, Stir every 15 minutes to distribute the syrup.
- After an hour remove from the oven, stir the popcorn once more, and allow to cool completely
- When cool, break up large chunks and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
I love Caramel corn! The addition of ginger snap flavor is brilliant. I also like your new design
Liz @ Virtually Homemade recently posted..Homemade Trail Mix Granola Bars (Wedges) – Gluten Free
I have my fingers in my ears so I can’t hear you & my eyes closed….”I’m NOT making this, I’m NOT making this, I’M NOT MAKING THIS!!!” But I’d love to taste it….No, I’m NOT making this!!! *wink*
My Dad always made popcorn on Friday nights because we never ate meat on Fridays, so the kids were always hungry in the evening. He would take a BIG scoop of Crisco & plop it down into a deep pot with a lit & place ONE popcorn kernel down into the fat. Over the gas stove & with the lid on, he would wait to hear that one kernel pop…then he knew it was hot enough to add the rest of the popcorn. Shake~Shake~Shake over the gas burner until the lid rose up from the popcorn. He added lots of salt but nothing more…never any butter. It was WONDERFUL!!!
I have diverticulosis, so I can’t eat it any more without getting into trouble, but I remember that smell like it was yesterday.
So really, I’m NOT making this!!!!! But I sure wish I could.
Rettabug recently posted..Coiled Snake Bread
There is nothing like those favorite treats from childhood. They are full of good memories.
Cathy recently posted..Gingersnap Caramel Corn
This sure sounds good Cathy! I love popcorn and eat it often, gonna give it a try:@)
I pinned this. What a great munch for movie night.
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon recently posted..Fennel and Pomegranate Salad
Popcorn is my favorite snack. And make it caramel corn and I can’t stay out of it. Love your Gingersnap version. Pinned
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) recently posted..Barbacoa
I’ve bookmarked this for our holiday. I think it would be fun to put in cellophane bags tied with a pretty bow for guests to take home. Guess I’ll have to make more than one batch.
Best,
Bonnie
Bonnie Hunter recently posted..Fall Salad with Pomegranates and Apples
Yum, really like the idea of the gingersnap flavor. These will disappear before your very eyes.
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Chicken with Tomatoes, Green Olives, & Cilantro
Caramel corn is extremely addictive to me, yours looks amazing Cathy!
I make a microwave caramel corn but now you have given me another version to try. Very dangerous, you are! This sounds mouthwatering!
Abbe@This is How I Cook recently posted..Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Skillet Cake and Three Winners!
They are so good and addictive!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Chai Pearsauce
What a great idea to kick this up a notch! I would love to make some of this for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays!
Debra recently posted..Butter (DIY)
This sounds crazy good, and I can’t wait to taste it!
Lulu recently posted..Shutting Down
This is a very dangerous recipe to have…it just shouts more, more, more.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Tirol, Spectacular Alpine Scenery
i just adore poppycock with its blend of nuts. adding the pecans and spices are a nice touch.
bellini recently posted..Pumpkin Crumb Cake a Type of Torta di Zucca
I have never tried making pop corn in a brown paper bag. I love all of the flavors in this recipe. How creative Cathy.
Penny recently posted..Chipotle Cheddar Cranberry Nut Wafers
We snack on popcorn a lot. This looks so delicious. I love caramel.
What a neat way to say Fall.
Yummmm! I love caramel corn at this time of year and this recipe sounds just delicious!
Marilyn recently posted..Monday’s Quotes
This could spell trouble for me. I would eat the whole batch if I made this. Quick, where’s the popcorn?
ciaochowlinda recently posted..Breton Apple Cake
You sure came up with a winner here, Cathy! Gosh, my dad loved caramel corn…made it all the time. And wouldn’t he have loved this? Mixed with fall flavors…yum! Great gift too, but Florida’s humidity is a little hard on gifting things like this, unfortunately.
I went a little gingerbread crazy this year…made three different things to post in December.
Barbara recently posted..Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust
I’m looking forward to those gingerbread recipes, Barbara. My mom always made it at Christmas time.
Cathy recently posted..Gingersnap Caramel Corn
Wow! This is scrumptious! I want to reach through the screen! xoxoxox
This sounds incredible, Cathy! I love that I will also be able to serve it to the members of my family that are gluten free. It is hard to think of treats they can enjoy.
I love your new blog look! Sorry it has taken me so long to come over and see it –my days have been so busy as I am babysitting all the time, it seems. I am going to subscribe to your blog so I won’t miss anyof your wonderful recipes!
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti recently posted..My First Autumn in Colorado