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Buggy Caramel Popcorn

Creepy, crawly Halloween caramel corn! This caramel corn will be the hit of your Halloween party! 
Buggy Caramel Popcorn in spooky black bowl
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For some reason, I got the idea of making caramel corn all Halloweeny and gross stuck in my head. Where these thoughts come from I have no idea. It just started with the vague idea of black chocolate drizzled on it, moved on to green as well in my inner thoughts, then clinched it when I found candy bugs.

Buggy Caramel Popcorn in spooky black bowl

This caramel corn is my mom’s recipe, one that we have used for years and it’s perfect. No candy thermometers needed, no complex directions, just plain and simple caramel corn.

You need to decide if you are making a single or double batch as well!

Caramel Popcorn Ingredients:

3/4 cup of butter or margarine
2 cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
5 liters of air popped popcorn
5 oz of green chocolate disks
5 oz of black chocolate disks
one container of Wilton bugs

Kick the tires and light the fires to 250 degrees

Get your popcorn all popped up and remove the kernels that are left. You could use microwave popcorn, but there is just nothing like air popped when it comes to fluffy, amazing popcorn.

I use the big roasting pan that I have – for turkeys- and throw the popcorn in there.

Combine your butter,sugar,syrup and salt and bring to a boil on medium heat. Now, this next part just about kills me, but DO NOT stir it for 5 minutes after it starts to boil. Once that is done remove from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will sputter and spit at you, so be careful.

Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and stir until coated. Put in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Make sure to stir it frequently, bringing the popcorn from the bottom of the roaster to the top to make sure it dries out and bakes.

Once it’s done, set it aside to cool. I waited a day to make it “buggy” and left it uncovered to keep it crisp. Now, depending on your climate, you may have to cover it up to keep the crispness.

popcorn all over the table with a waxed paper

When you are ready, set up your workstation. I made a double batch – which bakes up fantastic in that roaster!- so I needed space. I covered half my table with waxed paper and poured the popcorn all over it.

a pack of spooky green chocolate disks in wooden background

 If you are making a single batch, use half a bag of each chocolate, a double batch, use a whole bag. Melt your green and black chocolate disks and drizzle all over the popcorn.

Melted green and black chocolate disks drizzled all over the popcorn

 I was so thrilled to find these,  I scoured stores looking for something crunchy to put on the popcorn that was creepy and gruesome and here they are! Sprinkle these over the top of the chocolate, the more you make sure it’s ON the chocolate, the more that will stick and dry to it.

a pack of creepy and gruesome sprinkles

Let it all dry on the wax paper, then to break it up, start lifting the wax paper, bit by bit.  It will snap and crack and do all the breaking for you! I made 30 treat bags of popcorn out of a double batch and really, if you are going to all this trouble to start with, why not go big or go home?

I will have two more recipes coming tomorrow from my Halloween blitz, but now it’s time to go and carve the pumpkins with my family. Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

Love,

The Eager To Roast Those Pumpkin Seeds Magpie

Buggy Caramel Corn

Creepy, crawly Halloween caramel corn! This caramel corn will be the hit of your Halloween party! 
5 from 2 votes
Buggy Caramel Popcorn in spooky black bowl
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Caramel Corn
Servings
15
Calories
1610
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 3/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 5 liters air popped pop corn
  • 5 ounces green chocolate disks
  • 5 ounces black chocolate disks
  • 1 container Wilton bugs

Instructions
 

  • Kick the tires and light the fires to 250 degrees. 
  • Get your popcorn all popped up and remove the kernels that are left. You could use microwave popcorn, but there is just nothing like air popped when it comes to fluffy, amazing popcorn. I use the big roasting pan that I have “for turkeys”- and throw the popcorn in there. 
  • Combine your butter, sugar, syrup and salt and bring to a boil on medium heat. 
  • Now, this next part just about kills me, but DO NOT stir it for 5 minutes after it starts to boil. 
  • Once that is done remove from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will sputter and spit at you, so be careful. 
  • Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and stir until coated. 
  • Put in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Make sure to stir it frequently, bringing the popcorn from the bottom of the roaster to the top to make sure it dries out and bakes. 
  • Once it’s done, set it aside to cool. I waited a day to make it “buggy” and left it uncovered to keep it crisp. Now, depending on your climate, you may have to cover it up to keep the crispness. 
  • When you are ready, set up your workstation. I made a double batch – which bakes up fantastic in that roaster!- so I needed space. I covered half my table with waxed paper and poured the popcorn all over it. If you are making a single batch, use half a bag of each chocolate, a double batch, use a whole bag. 
  • Melt your green and black chocolate disks and drizzle all over the popcorn. Sprinkle these over the top of the chocolate, the more you make sure it’s ON the chocolate, the more that will stick and dry to it. 
  • Let it all dry on the wax paper, then to break it up, start lifting the wax paper, bit by bit. It will snap and crack and do all the breaking for you!

Recipe Notes

Nutritional values may vary.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 1610kcal, Carbohydrates: 310g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 332mg, Potassium: 1138mg, Fiber: 48g, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 980IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 11.1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

Iā€™m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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  1. Katherine Martinelli says

    Such a fun recipe! Thanks for submitting it to my Halloween blog hop šŸ˜€

    5 stars

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