Love is sharing your popcorn.
Charles M. Schulz
I love popcorn. End of statement…let’s get to the recipe! Well, really, recipes because you need caramel and cheese popcorn to make Chicago Mix.
Caramel Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar
½ cup Corn Syrup
1 tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
2/3 cup Popcorn Kernels (makes approximately 5 quarts finished popcorn)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
- Pop all the popcorn in small batches and place in large bowls. I only use Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popcorn Kernels.
- Cover large trays or baking dishes with parchment paper.
- Make caramel by melting butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
- Bring to boil while stirring constantly. Stop stirring and allow to boil untouched for 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and pure vanilla extract.
- Pour over popcorn in thin stream. (It helps to have an extra person shaking the bowl while you pour, but you can stir gently as you go as well.)
- Place baking dishes/pans into the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Check on it every 15 minutes to gently stir. (Make the cheese popcorn below while the caramel popcorn bakes.)
- Put parchment paper on set of baking sheets. Remove popcorn from the oven. Lift the parchment paper up from under the popcorn and use it to flip the popcorn over onto the new sheets. This will allow caramel that has settled to the bottom to drip down over anything uncovered before it all cools. Set aside.
Cheese Popcorn
Ingredients
1/4 to 1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese Powder
2/3 cup Popcorn Kernels (makes approximately 5 quarts finished popcorn)
Directions
- Pop all the popcorn in small batches and place in large bowls. You might have extra from the caramel batches. Just play it by ear. You want equal parts cheddar popcorn to caramel popcorn.
- Pour finished popcorn into large bowls. Cheese powder will stick if you sprinkle it on immediately. Toss popcorn to thoroughly coat. If needed you can spray a little bit of olive oil spray onto the popcorn to improve how much sticks.
Mix the cheese popcorn and the caramel popcorn together, say ta-ta, and enjoy!
Laura says
I can’t wait to make this!
Kayla says
It is so worth the effort. Plus you have popcorn for days.
Sandy Engels says
OMGosh, this is a must try. Thank you!!!
Kayla says
It is SO good. When we ran out of cheddar popcorn before caramel popcorn we took a shortcut and used Smartfood white cheddar popcorn to finish the mix.
Lori Nova Endres says
Yum! ? How do you pop your corn? On the stove, in a pot with a lid, in the microwave… what’s your favorite method?
Kayla says
I do it old school on the stovetop. I’ve tried all the different methods and that is my favorite. I also have tried lots of different oils to pop popcorn and I live to use olive oil the most.
Carol Wilson says
I want to try this; sounds so yummy. My problem though is that I now have a glass top stove and I don’t know how to pop fresh kernels on it. I don’t feel it’d be wise to move a pan back and forth across the stove top. Any suggestions?
Kayla says
I’d use an air popper instead. They have microwave ones and countertop versions.
TRICIA says
It’s safe to move the pan back and forth on a glass top stove. My last apartment had one and I’d make popcorn on it “old school” all of the time. I never even gave it a thought that it might not work well.
TRICIA says
You can use a glass top without any issues. My last apartment had one and I used to make popcorn “old school” (my preferred way too) all of the time.
I never even thought that it might be an issue.
TRICIA says
Sorry for the double post above, oooppps.
I recently bought a package of “turtle Chex mix” made with caramel corn and corn & rice Chex, pretzels, peanuts and mini M & M type candies. I think this Caramel corn recipe would be a good base for this with added almonds and maybe pecans.