Caramel Popcorn
I’m a huge plain-Jane popcorn gal, but with the addition of this rich and velvety caramel coating…well, let’s just say it makes me not want to share.
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup pitted medjool dates, firmly packed (~14 large dates)
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract or maple natural flavor
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 14 to 16 cups light popcorn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250˚. Mist 2 baking sheets with nonstick oil spray and spread the popcorn out among them. Set aside.
To make the caramel sauce:
- Add dates and boiling water to blender and allow the dates to soak and soften for 15 mins. Remove ½ cup water and set aside (you can add some later for a thinner consistency, if preferred).
- Add maple syrup, extracts and salt, and blend until velvety smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides if needed.
To coat the popcorn:
- Drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons of sauce over each baking sheet and using your hands, toss the popcorn around to evenly coat all the kernels as best as you can.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes to deepen the color and dry out the kernels. (Watch so it doesn’t burn.) Season with additional salt to taste.
- You can store extra sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories: 60Carbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gTotal Fat: 0g— Unsaturated Fat: 0g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 10mgFiber: 2gTotal Sugar: 6g— Natural Sugar: 3g— Added Sugar: 3g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.