Categories: Candy- Treats

Ingredients

• 6 cups popped plain popcorn
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground chipotle pepper
• 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. honey

Directions

1. Lightly grease a large metal mixing bowl with cooking oil spray and pour the popcorn into it. Have at hand 2 heatproof flexible spatulas (sprayed for extra slipperiness, if you like).

2. If you’re crisping the popcorn in the oven, center a rack in the oven and heat to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

3. Whisk together the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and chipotle pepper in a small bowl.

4. Combine the butter, brown sugar and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s a light mahogany color.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda mixture to form a caramel, which will bubble and seethe- it’s the baking soda at work- and that’s just what you want. Stir to make sure that everything is evenly incorporated, and then pour the caramel over the popcorn.

6. Working with the heatproof spatulas, turn the popcorn until it is coated with caramel. This takes a couple of minutes. Keep turning; if your kitchen is cold and the caramel thickens, pop the bowl into the oven for a few minutes before continuing. You won’t get a perfectly even caramel coating, but you’ll come close.

7. Let the popcorn cool in the bowl before eating. Or, to crisp the popcorn in the oven, scrape the mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it out. Bake 250 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, turning the popcorn twice to make sure that nothing sticks and everything bakes evenly. The caramel may bubble once the corn is fully baked. Cool on the baking sheet.

8. makes 6 cups

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back