SunButter Caramel Popcorn
I wanted to thank SunButter® for sponsoring this SunButter Caramel Popcorn post! As always, all opinions and ideas are 100% my own.
Who doesn’t love some chewy, crunchy caramel corn? Add a little SunButter to the mix, and you’ve got yourself one incredible treat! This SunButter Caramel Popcorn is soft yet crunchy, deliciously chewy, and has that perfect sweet-salty combo that everyone is sure to love!
WHAT IS SUNBUTTER?
SunButter, for those who have never heard of it or had the pleasure of trying it, is a seed-butter spread that is made from sunflower seeds! SunButter is an excellent alternative to nut-butters for any one with allergies, sensitivities, or looking to incorporate a delicious, but healthier alternative to most nut-butters! It has 7g of protein per serving, is jam-packed with vitamins & minerals, and has absolutely no trans-fat and actually has less saturated fat than your typical almond butter!
Check out my SunButter Milk Chocolate Cream Puffs, SunButter Salted Caramel Cheesecake and SunButter Banana LayerCake if you’re interested in more SunButter recipes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Corn Syrup: This is one of the main components in making the SunButter caramel sauce that coats the popcorn. It provides sweetness and also prevents crystallization of the caramel sauce, ensuring it is nice and smooth. You’ll need the light variety for this recipe!
Brown Sugar: Dark or light is fine! I personally used dark.
Butter: Another component of the caramel sauce! Provides fat making the caramel smoother and helps the caramel get crunchy in the baking process.
SunButter: SunButter really elevates your classic caramel corn, adding a delicious salty nuttiness!
Salt: To enhance that sweet-salty flavour of the SunButter caramel sauce!
Vanilla: For added flavour, of course!
Baking Soda: Baking soda reacts with the caramel, causing it to slightly bubble up, essentially aerating the caramel. This aeration aids the caramel in hardening when it is mixed with the popcorn – resulting in crunchier caramel popcorn.
Popcorn: I used plain microwave popcorn!
Add-ins: I used pretzels and chocolate chips (at the end), but feel free to add anything you’d like!
To Bake or Not to Bake the caramel popcorn
My preferred way of making this SunButter Caramel Popcorn is to bake the coated popcorn. Baking the popcorn at a low heat for 30 minutes, dries the caramel coating out a little more, resulting in crispier caramel popcorn!
It is perfectly acceptable, however, to just coat the popcorn and immediately consume after! The popcorn will just be more on the softer side.
How to make the SunButter Caramel Popcorn
1.Heat corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and SunButter: Add the corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and SunButter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until combined and smooth, then continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add salt, vanilla, and baking soda: Remove the caramel from the heat, then add the salt, vanilla, and baking soda to it. Stir to combine.
3. Pour caramel over popcorn and mix: Add popcorn and pretzels to a baking sheet. Pour SunButter caramel over top, then mix and toss well until all of the popcorn is coated.
4. Bake: Bake the caramel popcorn in the oven for 30 minutes, ensuring that you mix and toss again halfway through baking.
5. Add chocolate: After the popcorn is finished baking, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then add chocolate chips and toss lightly. Consume warm or wait to cool to room temperature. Store in a sealed ziploc bag.
Get the Recipe: SunButter Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (123g) Light Corn Syrup
- 6 tbsp (90g) Natural SunButter
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup (57g) Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 Bag Plain Microwave Popcorn,, popped
- 3/4 cup (30g) Mini Pretzels
- 6 tbsp (90g) Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Add the corn syrup, SunButter, brown sugar, and butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until combined and smooth, then continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the caramel from the heat, then add the salt, vanilla, and baking soda to it. Stir to combine.
- Add popped popcorn and pretzels to a baking sheet. Pour SunButter caramel over top, then mix and toss well until all of the popcorn is coated.
- Bake the caramel popcorn in the oven for 30 minutes, ensuring that you mix and toss again halfway through baking.
- After the popcorn is finished baking, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then add chocolate chips and toss lightly. Consume warm or wait to cool to room temperature. Store in a sealed ziploc bag.
