Baseball season popcorn mix (Printable)

A sweet and salty mix of caramel-coated popcorn and roasted peanuts, ideal for gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Popcorn

01 - 10 cups freshly popped popcorn

→ Nuts

02 - 1 cup roasted salted peanuts

→ Caramel

03 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
05 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup
06 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place popped popcorn and roasted peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a gentle boil.
04 - Let the caramel boil for 4-5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. The mixture will foam.
05 - Quickly pour hot caramel over popcorn and peanuts. Using two spatulas or wooden spoons, toss until the mixture is well-coated.
06 - Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even coating and prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and let cool completely. Break into clusters before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It strikes that impossible balance between sweet and salty that makes you reach for handful after handful without thinking.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which means you can pull this off even on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
  • It's the kind of snack that transforms instantly from homemade treat to impressive gift when you pack it in a cute jar.
02 -
  • The caramel will continue to harden as it cools, so what feels a bit soft when you pull it from the oven will be perfectly crunchy by morning.
  • If you stir during those crucial 4 to 5 minutes of boiling, you risk crystallizing the whole batch, which happened to me once and taught me that sometimes restraint is the best cooking technique.
03 -
  • Use a candy thermometer if you want precision—aim for 238°F when the caramel boils, which is the perfect sweet spot for texture.
  • The baking soda reaction is your visual cue that everything is working correctly; if the mixture doesn't foam dramatically, something went sideways and you'll want to start fresh rather than troubleshoot.
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