Christmas Popcorn
Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups salted popcorn (learn how to make stovetop popcorn here)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons full-flavor molasses (do not use blackstrap)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup red and green M&Ms (peanut or plain)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then add popcorn in a single layer.
In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once it hits a boil, cook without stirring for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla (it may foam a bit). Quickly pour over the popcorn and stir until evenly distributed, smoothing it back into a single layer.
Bake 60-75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, or until the coating is mainly dry (it’s ok if it’s a little sticky when stirring the final time). Cool completely.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-20 second increments, then drizzle onto the popcorn.
Immediately top with marshmallows and M&Ms, stirring to mix everything together. Smooth back into an even layer, then let the chocolate harden completely. Break into pieces for serving.
Notes:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Christmas Popcorn FAQ:
Can you make Christmas popcorn ahead of time?
You can make gingerbread popcorn 1 day ahead of time because it does take an hour to bake to “dry” the caramel-molasses coating.
What if I don’t have corn syrup?
You can either make Homemade Corn Syrup or substitute maple syrup.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can easily double for a party or as holiday gifts.
Recipe courtesy of Homemade in the Kitchen.com
