If you like caramel corn then you will LOVE bacon caramel popcorn! We add crispy bacon pieces and peanuts to bacon fat popped popcorn then drizzle the whole deal in caramel. It's unbelievably delicious!
Ingredients
6stripsbacon
2tablespoonsvegetable oil
½ cuppopcorn kernels
½cuppeanuts
1teaspooncoarse sea salt
¼ teaspooncayenne pepper
1 ½ cupsgranulated sugar
¼ cupwater
2tablespoonsmaple syrup
¼ cupheavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat until it is crispy. Remove it from the pan (reserve the bacon fat!) and break it into pieces once it's cool enough to touch.
6 strips bacon
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and the vegetable oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the popcorn and shake the pot to coat the popcorn in the oil. Put the lid on the pot and wait until you hear the first kernel pop. When you hear the first pop, begin shaking the pot every 10 seconds until the popping stops. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking sheet, making sure not to add any unpopped corn.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ cup popcorn kernels
Sprinkle the salt and if using the cayenne over the popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle the bacon and peanuts on top of the popcorn.
½ cup peanuts, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat the sugar, water, and maple syrup in a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the pot to a boil. Continue to boil without stirring until the syrup turns a dark amber color, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the caramel from heat and immediately add cream (mixture will bubble up and steam a lot so be careful.) Stir well then immediately drizzle the caramel over the popcorn and toss to coat.
1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Place the caramel popcorn into the oven and bake until the caramel is shiny and coats the popcorn, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove the popcorn from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Using wooden spoons toss the popcorn to break up any large chunks. Let it cool for another 5 minutes and then toss again. Continue this until the caramel popcorn is completely cool.