Sweet Trick or Treats - 405 Magazine

Sweet Trick or Treats

Sugary, salty and supremely scrumptious, this easy recipe for caramel corn will wow neighborhood ghosts and witches – if you decide to share.

I Just Love Caramel Corn! The salty, sweet treat makes me want to cuddle up on the couch, flip on a good movie and munch to my heart’s content with a giant bowl. Some recipes require a candy thermometer and lots of patience. Mine is like everything else I do – simple! All you need is a large paper grocery bag, cooked popcorn, candies and five ingredients to make the caramel. I make this every October to share with my neighbors, packaging the golden goodness in small bags and then sending my little goblins out to deliver.


Caramel Corn

4-5 quarts popped popcorn, made on the
stove (do not use microwave popcorn,
use the real deal)
½ c margarine or unsalted butter  
1 c brown sugar
¼ c dark corn syrup
1 ½ t salt  
½ t baking soda  
2 c M&M candies
1 c candy corn

Place popped popcorn into a paper grocery sack. In a 2 quart bowl, microwave butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt on high for 2 1⁄2 minutes. Carefully remove from microwave and stir in baking soda. The mixture will turn a caramel color. While it’s hot, pour over the popcorn in the grocery sack. Stir to evenly coat all of the kernels. Fold the top of bag down and place the whole thing in microwave (make sure there are no staples in the sack). Heat on high for 4 minutes, stopping every minute to shake the contents of the sack and return to the microwave. Once done, immediately pour the popcorn out on cookie sheets to cool. Once cooled, add the candy and place into airtight container to store.


Here are some other delicious gourmet caramel corn recipes:

Peanut Butter Fudge Popcorn

1 recipe of caramel corn
1 bag Wilton dark chocolate candy melts
2 T creamy peanut butter

In a medium-sized bowl, melt candy melts according to package instructions. Once melted, add peanut butter and stir until well combined. Drizzle over cooled caramel corn. Allow chocolate to harden, then serve.

White Chocolate Nuttiness

1 recipe of caramel corn
1 c unsalted cashews
1 c unsalted almonds
1 bag Wilton white chocolate candy melts
2 T almond paste

Add the nuts to the plain popcorn, then add the caramel mixture to the sack, proceed with the instructions and place on cookie sheets to cool. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, melt candy melts according to package instructions. Once melted, add almond paste and stir until well combined. Drizzle over cooled caramel corn. Allow chocolate to harden then serve.