Crunchy, candied popcorn makes a delicious treat and a wonderful gift! Popcorn covered in a rich, buttery, hardened caramel sauce-- who could resist? If you're looking for a homemade gift for family, friends, co-workers or neighbors, this will be loved by all!
Preheat oven to 225. Pop the popcorn kernels (see Notes below for methods). Place in a very large bowl.
Melt vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 3-4 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. It will bubble up a little. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn while stirring. Stir until evenly coated.
Divide popcorn between two large shallow/flat baking dishes. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 50 minutes to one hour. Watch to make sure it doesn't burn!
Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
HOW TO POP CORN- Easy Paper Bag Method:
INSTRUCTIONS
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Directions
Pour kernels into a med-large paper bag.
Close the bag. Fold the top of the bag over twice to prevent the kernels from spilling.
Cook in the microwave at full/high power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops.
I use an air-popper which is super simple-- if you have one, all the better!