On Christmas’s past, I have packaged what I have officially named “Amish Caramel Corn” for my loved ones. I love this recipe because it is easy to make, ships well in the mail, and is by far the best tasting caramel corn I have ever tasted. I have received nothing but rave reviews from those who have been graced by its presence. The original recipe came from allrecipes.com – a site that I visit often for their multitude of recipes paired with reviews. I do wish they would include more photos of the cooking process. I am not an experienced cook and rely on pictures. For that reason, I have included pictures of each step. I do need to warn you…once you take a bite of this luscious treat, you will not be able to step away!
Ingredients
- 7 quarts plain popped popcorn *I used popping corn and popped it on the stove top. This fresh popcorn makes a huge difference in the taste.
- 2 cups dry roasted peanuts (optional)
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
Tubs from Walmart - Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. Don’t worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.
- Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.
