Caramel Peanut Popcorn Baseballs Recipes

HOMEMADE CARAMEL POPCORN AND PEANUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• Place popcorn and peanuts in very large bowl; set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and corn syrup to boiling Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda, salt and vanilla.
• Pour caramel mixture over popcorn mixture; toss until well coated. Spread popcorn mixture evenly on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine popcorn and cereal in a large bowl; set aside. , In a heavy saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe dish, heat caramels and water until the caramels are melted. Stir in peanuts and salt; mix well. Pour over popcorn mixture and toss to coat. , With buttered hands, shape into 3-in. balls. Reshape if necessary when partially cooled.

PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a large saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth.
• Place popcorn in a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over popcorn; toss until evenly coated. Form into about 16 balls using buttered hands. Arrange balls on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; allow to dry and set, at least 30 minutes.

CARAMEL PEANUT POPCORN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Pop the popcorn according to the package instructions. Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer the popcorn from the bag to the bowl, then set the bowl aside.
• Whisk the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and 2 Tbs. of water in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until the mixture reads 250°F on a digital thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and the baking soda. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn until all of the popcorn is coated. Gently stir in the peanuts and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (less if it's hot and humid).

PEANUT-PECAN CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with canola spray.
• In a large saute pan over medium-low heat, add the butter, pecans and peanuts. Saute until the nuts become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the caramel sauce and vanilla extract and continue to cook on low until the caramel begins to thicken, an additional 5 minutes. Next, add the popcorn and stir to coat completely with the caramel sauce.
• Remove the popcorn from the heat and spread it into 1 even layer on the prepared sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the sea salt and let cool. Break up the popcorn with a spoon and serve family style in a large bowl.

BACON-CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a pan over medium heat until all the fat has rendered out, and all the pieces are well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer into a strainer set over a bowl to catch the excess grease. Let bacon cool to room temperature.
• Place popcorn in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled bacon and mix lightly until evenly distributed. Set aside until needed.
• Pour white sugar into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. As soon as the sugar begins to melt and turn clear around the edges, carefully shake and swirl the pan. Do not try to stir the sugar with a utensil! Just occasionally shake and swirl the pan, which will mix the still granulated sugar into the melted sugar.
• When almost all the sugar is melted, and the mixture is turning a light amber color, reduce the heat to low.
• Once all the sugar is melted, turn off the heat, and add cold butter cubes to the pan all at once. Carefully shake and swirl the pan until the butter melts into the sugar. Do not use a whisk yet.
• Add water and salt and use a whisk to mix until a smooth, thin caramel sauce forms. Some of the sugar may temporarily harden when you add the water, but just keep whisking until everything dissolves and you've achieved a smooth sauce. If it's not melting, turn the heat on low, and continue until it does.
• Remove from heat and quickly, but carefully, drizzle caramel sauce over the bacon and popcorn while tossing with a lightly buttered spatula. Continue tossing until the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
• Lightly butter your hands, and as soon as the mixture has cooled down enough to stick together, form it into balls. Don't squeeze the balls too hard as you form them, or you will compress the popcorn and it will not be as light in texture. Transfer balls to a pan to cool completely.

CARAMEL, PEANUT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the popcorn kernels into a large brown paper bag and roll the top down to seal the bag. Transfer to the microwave and microwave on high until all the kernels have popped, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer popcorn to a large bowl and mix with peanuts. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water, corn syrup, and molasses and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until sauce reaches 260ºF, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and salt. Pour immediately on top of the popcorn and peanut mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• Once cool enough to handle, spray your hands with cooking spray and form mixture into baseball sized-balls, about 3-inches in diameter. Place formed balls on prepared baking sheet and set aside until cooled completely and hardened.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add the white chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until completely melted. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip off the tip or corner. Pipe lines on the popcorn ball so it resembles a baseball and allow chocolate to cool.
• Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and keep up to 1 week.

PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Place popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and corn syrup to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Quickly pour over popcorn mixture and mix well., When cool enough to handle, quickly shape into ten 2-1/2-in. balls; insert a lollipop stick into each ball. Let stand at room temperature until firm; wrap in plastic.

PEANUT-POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup; cook, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly combined. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil without stirring. Cook until mixture registers 245° to 248° on a candy thermometer, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off heat; stir in molasses, salt, and baking soda to completely combine. Keep stirring until mixture turns very foamy and lightens in color and bubbles up quite a bit.
• Pour hot syrup over popcorn mixture and immediately sprinkle peanuts over top; stir until all kernels and nuts are coated. Let stand briefly. Meanwhile, put on a pair of rubber gloves and spray them with cooking spray (this isn't required, but it will help protect your hands from the heat, and it's important to work while the mixture is still warm).
• Working quickly, use your hands to form mixture into balls, each about 1 cup in volume (if you have a 1-cup scoop, use that!). Transfer balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once all have been formed, go back and use your hands to press them into tighter balls, so they really hold together. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Bake 45 minutes. (If one or two balls fall apart during baking, let cool briefly, then re-form.) Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine popcorn and Rice Crispies cereal in a large bowl; set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan over low heat, warm caramels and water until the caramels are melted.
• Stir in peanuts and salt; mix well.
• Pour over popcorn mixture and toss to coat.
• With buttered hands, shape into 3 inch balls and place on waxed paper.
• Reshape if necessary when partially cooled.