This popcorn is sweet, salty, and a little spicy. Add as much or as little cayenne as your spice-o-meter desires! This treat has been a huge hit around my house and is the perfect treat whether one has a trick or not!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels
- 1 cup of salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or less, depending on your taste)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats; set aside.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add 3 popcorn kernels and cover until they pop.
- Add remaining popcorn kernels, cover, and shake pot continuously over the burner until popcorn is completely popped (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Transfer popcorn to a large bowl; add peanuts and set aside.
- Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring until golden brown (about 5 minutes), swirling the pot occasionally.
- Remove mixture from the heat and quickly stir in salt and cayenne with a heatproof spatula or spoon.
- Immediately pour over popcorn mixture and stir to incorporate.
- Divide popcorn mixture evenly between baking sheets. Transfer to the oven and bake (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Let cool on sheet pans before breaking apart into clusters. Store popcorn in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
