Caramel Popcorn Balls
 

Christmas is coming. So treat yourself or your family & friends

4 cups popped corn - plain no salt

1 stick (1/2 cup size) Real Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk, heated so it mixes well with the sugar/butter mixture

Pop corn in paper sack in microwave. Shake so unpeopled kernels are on the bottom of bag. Using your hand put the popcorn in a jellyroll pan. Set aside.

In high side pan, melt 1 stick real butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cook & stir until is very foamy and kind of thickened a bit. THEN add the HOT milk and stir again until it get foamy and thickened again. Then spoon and drizzle over the popcorn and mix around. You can test a small drop on a couple of kernels to see it if hardens a bit. We don't want sticky.

When it's all over the popcorn I will often take the corn and put some back in the pan and stir around. It gets the last goodness of that syrup and helps spread more evenly. I do this a couple of times. THEN make into balls and let dry a bit, or just eat like it is.

I haven't tried this with regular sugar but IF I do I will report to you.

I make popcorn balls using granulated sugar & Karo syrup. I put peanuts in mine and I pop my popcorn on the stove top. I'm not crazy about microwave popcorn. The biggest challenge is working with the popcorn balls while they are hot. Do you have a trick to keep from burning your hands? Some people like to make popcorn balls using marshmallows (think Rice Crispy Treats.) I may try your recipe this year. Thanks for posting it.

Oh yum! I have not made popcorn balls in over 43 years. It used to be something my sisters and I did for Halloween when we got to old to go Trick or Treating.

Wet your hands with cold water!Hands will not burn or stick! First time DH and I made popcorn balls I buttered my hands like I was taught-he scolded me and told me to wet my hands instead. I had my doubts but it works,also great for pressing rice krispie treats down in the pan without sticking

Years ago when our children were of the "trick or treat age", first place they wanted to go was the lady that gave out pop corn balls. If they waited until later, she would run out and they didn't want to miss out. Can't get away with homemade treats these days, can we?

Thanks bakersmom. Tranum, it is so sad that we live in a world where you can't give out homeade treats.

sounds delicious tuckyquilter!

It has probably been 40 years since I made any too. Too dangerous.
My recipe

Melt 1 stick butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
1 3 oz package of jello

stir and re nuke until mix is dissolved

pour over 4 quarts of popcorn and shape into balls. Altho having had so many years to get smarter I'd probably press into a pan.
The jello flavor is heavenly.

We just added this to our Christmas baking list the other day. I am definitely going to try the jello recipe. What I do is butter lightly a 9x13 pan, pour the caramel corn into the pan, place parchment or wax paper over the top of the mixture, and using a wooden pastry and pizza roller I roll over the top to spread the popcorn into bars. Much easier for me than rolling the balls. Easier for the grandkids to eat also.

You just brought back some sweet memories of my family. Mom's thing was popcorn balls at Halloween. And it was my job as the oldest child to help. We buttered our hands. But I think that made the popcorn balls better.

Marcia

I did this with my grandmother. Later after my boys were in school they helped. We made popcorn balls for treats to take to school. It was one of the few treats kids with allergies didn't have to worry about since we didn't use peanuts.