Pumpkin Pie Caramel Corn

     Recently I went on a trip to the north shore and in true fall spirit, everywhere we went there was a pumpkin limited edition of everything! Candles, coffees, baked goods, and even caramel corn! It was the pumpkin pie caramel corn that I really thought was interesting. I almost bought it but then I remembered I had saved a caramel corn recipe from the little recipe book that came with my air popper and I decided I should try to make it myself! 

    As soon as I got home I went on Pinterest to find a pumpkin pie caramel corn recipe. I clicked on the first one I found and started to compare it to the caramel corn recipe that I already had, there were some differences between the two. For example, the one on Pinterest baked the caramel corn after you mixed it and included corn syrup while the recipe I already had made the caramel portion with milk and did not include pumpkin. The Pinterest recipe also called for stove-popped popcorn where you cooked it with oil and salt so the end result tasted a little different. I wasn't sure if the type of popcorn I had would work on the stove and I don't like using corn syrup so I decided to see if I could mix the two recipes to make the perfect pumpkin pie caramel corn!

    I started off by preheating the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, I added 3/4c (1 scoop) of popcorn kernels to my air popper. While that was popping I started on the caramel. I first melted the butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, then once it was starting to brown I added in the brown sugar, spices, and pumpkin. If you use unsalted butter make sure to add salt at this point. I rarely have that in my home so I just used salted butter. I also added some extra cinnamon because I love a little extra spice with something this sweet. I mixed all of this together and let it start to bubble. I was paranoid about it burning so I kept a close eye on my caramel and only let it bubble until it started to thicken. Usually when I make caramel I use a candy thermometer to make sure I don't over/under cook it but neither of the recipes I was going from used one. I assume since this is going on popcorn so the texture and consistency don't matter as much there is no need for one. As long as you keep a close eye on it while it is bubbling there should be no problem.

popping the popcorn

making the caramel

    Once my caramel was thickened to my liking, I took it off of the heat and added vanilla and baking soda. I made sure to mix these ingredients very well. They did cause the caramel to bubble up quite a bit so don't be alarmed. As long as your pot is big enough, it should not bubble over. Just continue to mix with your rubber spatula to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of your pan until it is done bubbling.

caramel bubbling after vanilla and baking soda added

    By now the popcorn had finished popping so it was ready for my pumpkin caramel. If you want to you can remove all of the unpopped kernels but I was a little short on time so I did not. I then poured the caramel straight into the bowl of fresh popcorn. The popcorn will seem to dissolve quite a bit as it absorbs the warm caramel. Next, I mixed it all together with my rubber spatula, making sure there was no caramel sitting at the bottom of the bowl and all of the kernels were coated. 

    Before you pour the caramel corn onto a baking sheet I like to cover it with parchment paper so it is easier to remove and I have less cleanup later. Once all of the caramel corn was on the baking sheet I spread it out as much as possible. It would be better if I spread it on two separate baking sheets, however, I currently only own one. The only difference it made was some of the pieces were a little gooier while others were closer to the soft crunch of store-bought caramel corn. If you prefer it on the gooey side definitely use one sheet. 

    After the caramel corn is on the baking sheet I put it in the oven for 30 min. I then pull it out to mix in order to break apart the bigger chunks and make sure it bakes evenly. Then, I put it back into the oven for another 30 minutes. Once it is done baking I pull the caramel corn out of the oven and let it cool. Once cool enough to handle I put all of the caramel corn and break apart the major chunks as I put it all into a bowl! At this point you can add whatever mixins or toppings you want, such as M&Ms, Reeses Pieces, candy corn, or a chocolate drizzle. I left it as is because it is very sweet and personally, I don't want to cover up the amazing pumpkin flavor! 

finished pumpkin pie caramel corn!

    What flavor popcorn should I try making next? Comment below with your ideas!