Ingredients
Scale
- 10 cups popped popcorn (plain or lightly salted)
- 2 cups freeze-dried apple slices (broken into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the caramel from sticking. Set this aside for later use.
- In a very large mixing bowl, combine the popped popcorn and the freeze-dried apple pieces. Toss them gently together so the apples are evenly distributed throughout the popcorn. Make sure to remove any unpopped kernels from the bowl.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring and let it simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until it becomes thick and glossy.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Quickly stir in the vanilla extract and the baking soda. The mixture will foam up and become light and airy; this is normal and helps the caramel coat the popcorn thinly and evenly.
- Immediately pour the hot caramel mixture over the popcorn and apples in the bowl. Use a large spatula to gently fold and stir until everything is well-coated. Work quickly before the caramel begins to harden.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. This slow-baking process dries the caramel, making it perfectly crunchy rather than sticky. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on the tray before breaking it into pieces.
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian