Coconut Caramel Corn

I love popcorn. I have it at least twice each week as my evening snack. Usually I air pop and go with a tiny bit of butter and salt. Sometimes, I dash some Chili Lime Franks Red Hot sauce on. Other times, I'll satisfy a chip craving and use salt and balsamic vinegar.

My dad is a ninja at the stove popping method. It really does taste so much better. I tried it once and made serious mess of my pot. To this day the bottom it is still stained slightly black with burnt on popcorn.

Tonight I was feeling like dessert but had baked cookies a few nights earlier. I baked them to send to my sister and after much container decorating and parcel taping, they turned out to get delivered to the wrong address! I'm sure some stranger....albeit a lucky stranger... in Missisauga is enjoying my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies as I type. This is where my caramel corn idea comes in. I pretty much took the sticky portion of my energy bar recipe (brown rice syrup, brown sugar, salt and vanilla), drizzled that over air popped popcorn, and mixed in the coconut.



Coconut Caramel Corn


1/4 cup unpopped corn kernels
1tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a shallow baking dish with waxed paper.

Air pop the corn kernels into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine brown rice syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat for ~ 5 minutes or until is start to lightly boil. Add salt and baking soda and stir until combined. NOTE: when you add the baking soda the mixture will begin to froth. Remove from heat and pour over the popcorn. Stir to coat all the popcorn kernels and pour into the baking dish. Spinkle with the coconut.  Spread the popcorn evenly into the baking dish. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes total. Every 5 minutes be sure to take it out and toss it. Let cool completely and enjoy.