Caramel popcorn

I published my old recipe for caramel popcorn a while back, but I wanted to make it easier and skip the baking step.

The old way was just too liquidy and annoying, so I've been playing around with it and I now understand that I just wasn't "getting" the idea behind making caramel popcorn. But now I've got it.

THIS is the way to do it:
Pop some popcorn and set aside.

Then, take:
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/2-3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4-1/2 tsp salt (I used coarse sea salt)
1/4 cup water

Place above ingredients in a pot and heat on the stove over med-high heat. it will melt and bubble and combine. Watch it so it doesn't burn, but let it bubble for a good few minutes.
Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp baking soda and stir and stir and stir. The mixture will get lighter and thicken up.

Pour over popped popcorn. Toss it with two spoons to coat the popcorn.

Eat.

I had to grab the bowl to get a picture before the kids ate all of it

My kids are nuts for this one. Seriously.

I'm trying to figure out if I can use more molasses and less sugar... The molasses gives it a really special flavor, as does that sea salt...

Sweet and Salty Popcorn Snack!

I was in the mood for a sweet and salty snack, so I decided to experiment with popcorn, since I somehow have a lot of popcorn in the house right now!

So here's how to make this addictive snack:

1. Pop a whole lot of popcorn and spread it out on the largest baking pan you have. I recommend lining your pan with baking paper or foil, or whatever you like to line your pans with, because otherwise you will end up with an impossible mess to clean up, like I have. Seriously regretting not lining the pan!

2. Prepare a pot. Add 1/4 c. coconut oil (you can use butter instead), 1 cup sugar, 1/4 -1/3 c. molasses, 1/2 - 3/4 cup water, and a few pinches of salt to the pot. Heat the pot on the stove, stirring frequently. eventually it will be more or less liquified and combined. Remove from stove. Add 1/4 tsp vanilla and a pinch of baking soda. Mix well.
Allow mixture to cool somewhat. Pour this mixture over the popcorn and stir it carefully to coat.

3. Bake at a low temperature (I set my oven to 100C) for about 30-45 min, stirring occasionally.

Cool and serve.

Now I am just trying to wrestle it away from my kids! I want some too! (And I want to put some away for my husband to try when he gets home from work.)

This is my new go-to snack!

Will you be trying it out? Let me know what you think!

p.s. my husband says this tastes like Cracker Jack...