Apple Pie Caramel Corn

    Recently I've been exploring fall flavors and I've been so stuck on pumpkin that I forgot about apple! Apple is an essential fall flavor that often goes overlooked so, I decided to include it in the series of popcorn recipes that I have been trying out. 

    As I was trying to figure out how to include apple in popcorn I started by making my base caramel corn. Because cinnamon makes everything better, I did modify the recipe to add cinnamon straight to the caramel. I then mixed up the cinnamon caramel corn and started to brainstorm how in the world I would add in the apple flavor. 

    I have had apple flavored popcorn before but it was neon green and used artificial flavors and colors. I did not want to replicate that popcorn because it had a lot of chemical junk in it. Yes, I do know that caramel corn is never healthy unless you figure out a way to not use sugar. I also did not want to buy all the necessary flavorings and colors. 

    The main obstacle I had to cross with including the apple in my caramel corn was how wet apples are. I couldn't just cut them up and stick them in because they would make all of the popcorn soggy. I had the idea to fry the popcorn with some butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. I added it into the popcorn when the caramel was still hot and mixed it. As it cooled the caramel never hardened and the whole batch ended up super soggy and gross. The flavor was amazing but the texture was definitely NOT there. 

    I then remembered how I had just discovered you can make apple chips in the air fryer! I had tried to make apple chips in the oven several times before but they always turn out burnt. I do rent an apartment so I don't have the nicest, most consistent oven ever, so I'm guessing it was an oven problem. However, I have totally solved my problem with the air fryer! 

    I first sliced them thin with my new mandolin (I think that's what it was called, please tell me what they're called if I'm wrong) and sprinkled some cinnamon and nutmeg on them. I then put them in the air fryer for 18 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you toss them slightly halfway through to make sure they don't stick together. They will be a little soft when you take them out of the air fryer but if you put them on a drying rack or baking sheet to cool they will crisp up a but. If you think they are still too soft after 18 minutes, which can happen if you try to dry too many at once, you can put them in for a little bit longer. Just be super careful to not burn them!

    Luckily, I made the apple chips after my first apple pie failure so I was able to mix my apple chips directly into my caramel corn while the caramel was still hot so the apple chips also got coated in the caramel. The end result was amazing caramel corn with a subtle cinnamon flavor and amazing crispy apple flavor bombs whenever you get an apple chip with a handful of caramel corn. 

    This was a huge hit when I took it to bible study but, of course, a few people did eat around the apple chips. I also may have waited a little too long to mix in the apple chips so the caramel had cooled too much and they weren't quite as integrated in to the caramel corn as I wanted them to be.

    Leave a comment if you try this recipe and how it worked for you!