I have a thing for popcorn and an even bigger thing for caramel popcorn. It must have started when I was a kid and ate Cracker Jack any chance I got. I always thought the little prizes stuffed inside were the coolest thing ever. That love for caramel corn never waned as I grew up. In fact, I became an addict once again when I worked on Michigan Avenue in the Windy City of Chicago. If you have ever had the good fortune of visiting Garretts on the Magnificent Mile you know what I mean. Nearly every day lines of grownups and kids alike would wait for the freshly roasted caramel corn. Walking by the shop and getting a whiff of their fabulous treats was enough to make me stop in more than once.
As many of you know, Caramel Corn is a big No-No in the world of food allergies because they often contain milk and nuts. But I wanted John to experience the joy of eating sweet caramel corn too so I created a version that is in fact better than any prepackaged version. The recipe is so easy to make that I usually make a second batch and drizzle it with dairy free melted chocolate. It’s the perfect treat for birthday parties, patio parties, or even dinner parties with a funky twist. It also keeps well for a few days in a sealed plastic container. Enjoy!
Caramel Corn
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup dairy-free margarine
6 cups popped corn
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat and preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large, heavy pot, heat brown sugar, corn syrup, and margarine over medium heat until melted. Add popped corn, and stir thoroughly to coat. Remove from heat, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake caramel corn for about 30 minutes or until caramel begins to set on the bottom . Remove from oven and let cool. Break caramel corn into clusters and store in re sealable bags for up to one week.
Chocolate Caramel Corn
A yummy update on the classic version.
Yield: 4 servings
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1 recipe prepared Caramel Corn spread on parchment-lined baking sheet
In a microwaveable bowl, heat chocolate chips for 30-45 seconds, or until chocolate chips are melted. Drizzle melted chocolate over the caramel corn. Let chocolate set completely and break caramel corn into clusters.
That is the CUTEST picture!
Yum! And cutest picture!
Thanks Trisha and Alisa!!
Out of curiosity, what dairy-free margarine and chocolate chips do you use? I have been making my own margarine with Spectrum shortening made from 100% expeller pressed palm oil as my daughter had a soy allergy as a baby. We recently learned that she has outgrown the soy allergy, however, is still very much allergic to eggs and moderately allergic to dairy. Dropping her soy allergy opens us up to a lot more food options!
Hi Jennifer, I love Enjoy Life mini chips and Divvies (www.divvies.com) for regular sized dairy, egg and nut free chips. You can buy the EL chips at Whole Foods. I also love Fleischman’s UNSALTED margarine. Only use the unsalted version, the regular has milk in it. I can’t wait for you to try some of the recipes!!