Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn
You may have noticed I am a little obsessed with popcorn. I’ve recently made Biscoff Cookie Popcorn, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn, and Twix Caramel Popcorn. I am having way too much fun with popcorn:) My latest creation is Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn. This popcorn is magical. There is something about it that will not let me stop eating it. I haven’t figure it out yet, so I keep eating. It is part of my research:) I am getting closer though. I think it has something to do with the caramel marshmallow popcorn that has a kick of sea salt, pretzel pieces, and Pretzel M&M’s. All of those ingredients in one popcorn bowl can only lead to addiction.
I love a good sweet and salty treat and this popcorn has the perfect balance of sugar and salt. The popcorn and pretzels get drenched in a salted caramel marshmallow mixture. I added a little red food coloring to turn the popcorn pink for Easter. You can use a different color or just leave the popcorn plain. I also stirred in Easter Pretzel M&M’s. They add a nice pop of spring color and the chocolate salty crunch goes nicely with the popcorn.
This Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn is a great spring and Easter treat. You will want to eat the entire batch all by yourself, but try to resist because this popcorn makes a great gift. Place the popcorn in bags and tie a pretty little ribbon around the end and you have a festive homemade gift. You can also put the popcorn in little Easter eggs and hide them or add them to an Easter basket.
Get in the Easter mood and make a batch of this Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn. It is easy to make and fun to share and to munch on!
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Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn
Yield: About 8 cups popcorn
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
This sweet and salty popcorn treat is perfect for Easter and spring time snacking!
Ingredients:
6 cups plain popped popcorn
2 cups coarsely chopped salted pretzels
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Drop of red food coloring-if you want to make the popcorn pink for Easter
1 1/2 cups Easter Pretzel M&M'sDirections:
1. In a large bowl, combine popcorn and pretzels. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to a boil over medium high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is amber in color, for about 8-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Be careful because the mixture will bubble up. Stir until smooth and add vanilla extract, marshmallows, and drop of red food coloring-if using. Stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.
2. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and gently stir with a rubber spatula until popcorn is well coated. Stir in the pretzel M&M's. Transfer mixture to a large baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool completely.
Note-I used air popped popcorn, but stove or microwave popcorn will work as well. I used red food coloring to make the popcorn pink for Easter. I also used Easter Pretzel M&M's. You can always change up the color or leave the popcorn plain. And feel free to stir in your favorite M&M's or other Easter candy. Robin Eggs or Mini Cadbury Eggs would be good too!
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SaveIf you like this Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn, you might also like:
- Candied Popcorn from Heather Christo Cooks
- Party Popcorn from She Wears Many Hats
- Chewy M&M Chex Mix from Enchanted Mommy
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I lovvvve the way this recipe looks (among all ur others! Wow!) but when I made it, the caramel coating stayed sticky?! I thought this would be a dry-ish treat that little hands could handle without a mess? Help! What did I do wrong?!
Two Peas replied: — April 4th, 2012 @ 10:26 pm
Did you let it cool/dry on a baking sheet? It should be a little sticky, it is caramel corn, but not a mess.
Tried to make 2 batches tonight and had a caramel problem both times
its to sticky. I can’t bag it for presents like I planned. Any suggestions? Cook the caramel longer? To what temp? Help!
Two Peas replied: — April 5th, 2012 @ 10:13 am
Did the caramel turn amber in color? Did you let it cool completely on a large baking sheet? It will get harder as it cools. It will be a little sticky-it is caramel corn, but you should be able to bag it. Sorry you had issues!
I had a problem with the caramel too. It tasted sort of bitter. I have it on the cookie sheet cooling now, but I don’t think I got a good flavor. And for some reason my food coloring didn’t change the color of the popcorn, it just plopped!! Ugh, but yours sure looks pretty!!
Two Peas replied: — April 5th, 2012 @ 2:29 pm
Ours was not bitter at all, only sweet and salty. I only added a little food coloring. I wanted it to be a light pink color.
I just made this last night! It is beautiful and scrumptious! However, my caramel hasnt completely hardened:/ Do you think I did something wrong?
Two Peas replied: — April 5th, 2012 @ 2:29 pm
I am not sure why the caramel didn’t harden for you. It was still a little sticky for us, but not bad. Where do you live? Utah is dry so maybe it cooled differently? Not sure! Sorry!
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I had the same issue with the carmel. Could you publish a temp the sugar mixture should reach? The taste is GREAT, just very sticky!
Two Peas replied: — April 6th, 2012 @ 8:18 am
I have never tested the temperature. I will have to do that next time we make it. Ours was sticky at first, but after it cooled completely, it hardened up a bit. Maybe Utah is dry so it hardened up? I am not sure! Glad you still liked it.
…by the way, my popcorn hardened wonderfully!! Not a problem — and my husband, when he came home from work and taste tested, said he didn’t think it was bitter at all!! Must have been my taste buds. But I wonder if I added too much food coloring and maybe that impacted on the flavor. But I am making this again today!! thank you so much!
Two Peas replied: — April 6th, 2012 @ 10:27 am
Oh good! Glad you enjoyed it!
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DO you stir the mixture until it boils, THEN leave it undisturbed, or basically dont stir it at all? Thanks, looks awesome!
Two Peas replied: — April 6th, 2012 @ 10:27 am
Leave it undisturbed. Just watch it so it doesn’t burn. You want it to turn amber in color. Enjoy!
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I made two batches as directed and both turned out really gooey, even after cooling completely. I hated to throw it away, so I decided to try baking it like traditional caramel popcorn, and that did the trick! Came out perfectly… I baked it at 250 for about 45-60 minutes.
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Make. This. Now.
I used whipping cream instead of heavy cream.
I used 2 king-sized marshmallows (cut-up) instead of mini marshmallows.
If you can overcome your aversion to having this mixture stick everywhere and to everything (think Rick Krispie treats on steroids), MAKE THIS!
Thanks for sharing!
We just made this and it is SO delish! My question is, yours looks a little more dry and crunchy. Ours turned out more gooey and sticky. Is that how yours ended up? Any ideas as to how to make it more crunchy?
Thanks!
Kelly
Two Peas replied: — April 7th, 2012 @ 6:07 pm
Mine was sticky at first too. Let it dry completely. It should harden up! Happy Easter!
Just made this for second time ( first time caramel burned) 2nd time better but ours tastes bitter as well & food coloring did nothing bc already caramel colored turned to amber very quick. Not sure if it’s the vanilla making it bitter- we’ll see how the nephews like it tomorrow.
WOW! Made it on this Easter morning! I was hoping to cut calories from the chocolate overload by making a popcorn dessert! But it’s so addictive it’s hard to stop snacking on it! Here in Manitoba, Canada I couldn’t find the Easter Pretzel M&M’s so I added one cup of chopped white chocolate covered pretzels and one cup of regular pretzels. I also added one cup of candy covered chocolate mini eggs and a cup of Spring Pastels M&M’s to the mix, then drizzled dark chocolate over it! This is the start of a new Easter tradition! Love your site!
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I just love all your blog!!! I made this today, but my popcorn never got crunchy, it stayed sticky….what do you suppose I did wrong?? I just made it all into popcorn balls, and it was still oh so yummy!!! I would like to know how to fix it for next time though. Thanks!
LOVE this, especially since you’re incorporated CHOCOLATE into it!
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This looks perfect
planning on making this soon…is the popcorn crunchy or more chewy like a Rice Krispie treat?
How much ahead can i make this?
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I just scarfed down a bag of Harry and David Moose Munch. Not going to lie I would like some more. This would be great for our guests(and me) next weekend.
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