Ultimate Nut-Free SunButter Caramel Popcorn: Sweet, Salty & Crispy Perfection
We’re delighted to share this incredible recipe, proudly sponsored by SunButter®! As always, every idea and opinion expressed in this SunButter Caramel Popcorn post is authentically our own.
Prepare your taste buds for an unforgettable treat! Who can resist the alluring combination of chewy and crunchy caramel corn? Now, imagine elevating that classic delight with the addition of creamy, subtly salty SunButter. This isn’t just any caramel popcorn; this SunButter Caramel Popcorn offers a unique blend of textures – wonderfully soft yet satisfyingly crunchy, deliciously chewy, and perfectly balancing that irresistible sweet-salty dynamic. It’s a snack that promises to be a universal crowd-pleaser, perfect for movie nights, parties, or simply indulging in a moment of pure bliss. Its golden hue and tempting aroma will draw everyone in, while the rich, complex flavors keep them coming back for more. This recipe transforms ordinary popcorn into an extraordinary, allergy-friendly masterpiece.
What is SunButter? The Allergy-Friendly Alternative You’ll Love
For those who haven’t yet discovered the wonders of SunButter, allow us to introduce you to this fantastic seed-butter spread. Crafted from carefully roasted sunflower seeds, SunButter serves as an exceptional and delicious alternative to traditional nut-butters. Its creamy texture and mild, slightly nutty flavor profile make it a versatile ingredient in countless recipes, from savory dishes to sweet baked goods, and of course, this incredible caramel popcorn. Beyond its delicious taste, SunButter shines as a top choice for individuals with nut allergies or sensitivities, providing a safe and satisfying option where peanuts and tree nuts are off-limits.
But SunButter isn’t just for those managing allergies; it’s also a powerhouse of nutrition that appeals to anyone seeking healthier alternatives. Each serving boasts an impressive 7 grams of protein, making it an excellent source of plant-based energy. Furthermore, SunButter is brimming with essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin E (a potent antioxidant), magnesium (crucial for muscle and nerve function), and iron. It contains absolutely no trans-fats and, remarkably, has less saturated fat than many typical almond butters, presenting a genuinely healthier choice for your pantry. Its naturally occurring fats are primarily unsaturated, contributing to heart health. Choosing SunButter means embracing a nutrient-dense spread that supports a balanced lifestyle without compromising on flavor or texture.
The versatility of SunButter extends far beyond just spreading on toast. Its smooth consistency and unique taste make it a star ingredient in a wide array of culinary creations. If you’re eager to explore more delicious ways to incorporate SunButter into your diet, be sure to check out some of our other fantastic recipes:
- SunButter Milk Chocolate Cream Puffs: A light and airy dessert with a creamy, rich SunButter filling.
- SunButter Salted Caramel Cheesecake: An indulgent dessert that marries the sweet-salty caramel with the distinctive flavor of SunButter.
- SunButter Banana Layer Cake: A moist and flavorful cake perfect for any occasion, offering a delightful twist on a classic.
These recipes highlight just how wonderfully SunButter can enhance both sweet and savory dishes, proving it’s a staple ingredient worth keeping on hand.
Essential Ingredients for Your SunButter Caramel Popcorn
Crafting the perfect batch of SunButter Caramel Popcorn requires a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving that desirable balance of flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:
Corn Syrup: This is undeniably one of the most vital components in creating our luscious SunButter caramel sauce that perfectly coats every kernel. Light corn syrup, specifically, is preferred for this recipe. Its primary function is twofold: it provides a smooth, sweet base for the caramel, and more importantly, it acts as an anti-crystallization agent. Without it, your caramel might become grainy or seize up, making it difficult to achieve that signature silky-smooth texture. It ensures the caramel remains pliable and coats the popcorn beautifully.
Brown Sugar: Whether you opt for dark or light brown sugar, both will work wonderfully in this recipe, each offering a slightly different nuance. I personally used dark brown sugar for a richer, deeper caramel flavor. Brown sugar contributes more than just sweetness; its molasses content introduces subtle notes of toffee and a darker, more complex flavor profile that complements the SunButter and popcorn exquisitely. Dark brown sugar will yield a more robust caramel, while light brown sugar will create a milder, sweeter taste.
Butter: A cornerstone of any exceptional caramel sauce, butter is essential for achieving that luxurious richness and creamy mouthfeel. It provides the necessary fat that makes the caramel incredibly smooth and contributes significantly to the browning process during cooking. During baking, the butter also helps the caramel achieve its desired crunchy texture, ensuring your popcorn isn’t just coated, but perfectly crispy. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content precisely, which is important for balancing the sweet and salty notes.
SunButter: This is where our caramel corn truly gets its unique twist! SunButter elevates a classic treat by infusing it with a delicious, slightly salty nuttiness that is entirely peanut and tree-nut free. Its creamy texture seamlessly blends into the caramel, adding depth and a distinctive flavor that is both comforting and exciting. Beyond its taste, SunButter enhances the snack’s nutritional profile and makes it accessible for those with common food allergies, transforming it into a specialty item everyone can enjoy.
Salt: A pinch of salt is not just for seasoning; it’s a flavor enhancer. In caramel, salt plays a critical role in balancing the intense sweetness, creating that highly addictive sweet-salty combination that makes caramel corn so irresistible. It helps to bring out the deeper flavors of the brown sugar and butter, making the overall profile more complex and satisfying. Kosher salt is often preferred for its clean taste and coarser texture, which allows for better control during seasoning.
Vanilla Extract: For an added layer of aromatic flavor, a dash of vanilla extract is indispensable. Vanilla beautifully complements the rich notes of caramel and SunButter, adding warmth and depth without overpowering the main ingredients. Use pure vanilla extract for the best results, as artificial vanilla may not provide the same complex aroma.
Baking Soda: Don’t underestimate this small but mighty ingredient! Baking soda is key to achieving that signature crunchy, airy caramel texture. When added to the hot caramel, it reacts with the acid in the brown sugar, causing carbon dioxide bubbles to form. This process aerates the caramel, making it lighter and less dense. This aeration is crucial as it aids the caramel in hardening and crisping up perfectly when it is mixed with the popcorn, ultimately resulting in an extra crunchy and delightful caramel popcorn.
Popcorn: The foundation of our snack! While you can certainly pop your own kernels on the stovetop or with an air popper, plain microwave popcorn works perfectly for convenience. The key is to ensure it’s unbuttered and unsalted so you can control the flavor profile of the final product. Make sure to remove any unpopped kernels or hulls to ensure a pleasant eating experience.
Add-ins: This is where you can truly personalize your SunButter Caramel Popcorn! I chose to enhance my batch with savory pretzels for an extra salty crunch and creamy chocolate chips, which melt slightly when added to the warm popcorn, creating pockets of rich flavor. However, feel free to get creative! Other fantastic additions could include mini marshmallows, roasted sunflower seeds (for extra SunButter flavor and crunch), other types of nut-free candies, or even a sprinkle of sea salt flakes after baking for an even more pronounced salty kick. The possibilities are endless for customizing this delightful treat!
To Bake or Not to Bake: Achieving Your Desired Caramel Popcorn Texture
One of the most common questions when making homemade caramel popcorn is whether or not to bake it after coating. The answer largely depends on your preferred texture, but for truly exceptional SunButter Caramel Popcorn, baking makes a significant difference.
My absolute preferred method for preparing this SunButter Caramel Popcorn is to bake the coated popcorn. The process involves baking the popcorn at a low heat, typically around 250°F (120°C), for approximately 30 minutes. This gentle baking step serves a crucial purpose: it slowly dries out the caramel coating, allowing it to become much crispier and harder. The result is caramel popcorn that boasts a delightful snap with every bite, retaining its crunchiness for longer and preventing it from becoming sticky or clumpy. Baking also helps to evenly distribute the caramel and allows it to adhere better to each kernel, ensuring a consistent, delicious coating throughout the entire batch. It creates that classic, irresistible caramel corn texture that stores beautifully.
However, it is perfectly acceptable to skip the baking step! If you’re short on time or simply prefer a chewier, softer caramel popcorn, you can certainly consume the popcorn immediately after coating it with the SunButter caramel sauce. When unbaked, the caramel coating will remain softer and more pliable, offering a wonderfully chewy texture right off the baking sheet. It’s still incredibly delicious, just with a different textural experience. Just be aware that without baking, the popcorn might be a bit stickier and may not store as well or maintain its texture for as long as its baked counterpart. Both methods offer a delightful treat, so choose the one that best suits your craving!
How to Make Irresistible SunButter Caramel Popcorn: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making this delightful SunButter Caramel Popcorn is surprisingly straightforward. Follow these steps carefully to achieve a perfect, crunchy, and flavor-packed snack:
1. Heat Corn Syrup, Brown Sugar, Butter, and SunButter: Begin by combining the light corn syrup, brown sugar (dark for richer flavor, light for milder), unsalted butter, and SunButter in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon until all the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture becomes smooth. Continue to cook this mixture for precisely 3 minutes after it reaches a gentle simmer, ensuring you stir frequently to prevent sticking or burning. The goal is to melt the sugar and butter completely and allow the flavors to meld, creating a uniform, glossy caramel base.
2. Add Salt, Vanilla, and Baking Soda: Once the 3-minute cooking time for the caramel base is complete, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. This step is crucial before adding the baking soda to prevent an overly vigorous reaction. Stir in the kosher salt and vanilla extract, ensuring they are well incorporated. Finally, add the baking soda and stir briskly. You’ll notice the caramel mixture will bubble up and lighten in color, becoming foamy. This reaction is exactly what we want, as it aerates the caramel, which is essential for achieving that desirable crunchy texture later.
3. Pour Caramel Over Popcorn and Mix: On a large baking sheet (or two if needed to avoid overcrowding), spread out your freshly popped popcorn along with your chosen add-ins, such as mini pretzels. Ensure the popcorn is fluffed and evenly distributed. Carefully pour the hot SunButter caramel mixture evenly over the popcorn and pretzels. Using two rubber spatulas, or even your hands (wearing heat-safe gloves is recommended!), gently but thoroughly mix and toss the popcorn until every piece is generously coated with the glistening caramel. Work quickly, as the caramel will begin to cool and thicken.
4. Bake: If you desire the ultimate crispy caramel popcorn, it’s time to bake! Preheat your oven to a low temperature, typically around 250°F (120°C). Spread the coated popcorn back onto the baking sheet(s) in a single layer as much as possible to ensure even baking. Bake for 30 minutes, and here’s a crucial tip: halfway through the baking time (around 15 minutes), remove the baking sheet from the oven and give the popcorn another good mix and toss. This prevents the caramel from sticking too much to the pan and ensures all sides of the popcorn get evenly crispy. The popcorn should look golden brown and feel firm when done.
5. Add Chocolate and Store: After the SunButter caramel popcorn has finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. This cooling period is important because if you add the chocolate chips too soon, they will melt completely. After 10 minutes, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the warm (but not scalding hot) popcorn and toss lightly. The residual heat will soften the chocolate, creating creamy pockets of flavor without fully melting them. You can consume this delightful treat warm for a chewier texture or wait for it to cool completely to room temperature for maximum crispiness. To store any leftovers, place the cooled SunButter Caramel Popcorn in a sealed Ziploc bag or an airtight container at room temperature. It will retain its crunch and flavor for up to a week, making it a perfect make-ahead snack!
Get the Recipe:
SunButter Caramel Popcorn
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
4
servings
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Rate
Ingredients
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6 tbsp
(123g) Light Corn Syrup -
6 tbsp
(90g) Natural SunButter -
3 tbsp
Brown Sugar -
1/4 cup
(57g) Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature -
1/2 tsp
Kosher Salt -
1/2 tsp
Baking Soda -
1 tsp
Vanilla Extract -
1
Bag Plain Microwave Popcorn,, popped (approximately 8-10 cups) -
3/4 cup
(30g) Mini Pretzels -
6 tbsp
(90g) Chocolate Chips
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan, add the light corn syrup, SunButter, brown sugar, and butter. Place over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is fully combined and smooth. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes after it reaches a gentle simmer. Remove the caramel from the heat, then carefully add the kosher salt, vanilla extract, and baking soda. Stir vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and the caramel becomes foamy and lighter in color.
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Prepare a large baking sheet by spreading your popped popcorn and mini pretzels evenly across it. Pour the warm SunButter caramel mixture over the popcorn and pretzels. Using two rubber spatulas or heat-safe gloves, mix and toss thoroughly until every piece of popcorn and pretzel is generously coated with the caramel.
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Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C). Spread the coated caramel popcorn back onto the baking sheet(s) in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, ensuring you remove the sheet and mix and toss the popcorn again halfway through the baking process (at about 15 minutes) to ensure even crisping.
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Once the popcorn is finished baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. This allows the popcorn to cool slightly but still remain warm enough to soften the chocolate. Add the chocolate chips and toss lightly. Serve warm for a chewier texture or wait for it to cool completely to room temperature for maximum crispiness. Store any leftovers in a sealed Ziploc bag or airtight container at room temperature.
American
Snack
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