Bourbon Pecan Praline Popcorn
Bourbon Pecan Praline Popcorn adds the irresistible southern pizzazz of pralines to basic caramel corn. Think pecan pralines flavored with a hint of bourbon combined with crunchy popcorn to produce a sweet, crispy and totally addictive treat.
Servings: 14 servings
Calories: 245kcal
Equipment
- Small heavy saucepan
- Silicone spoon
- Large disposable aluminum pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups (8-ounces) pecan halves, toasted (See Tip 1)
- 8 cups popped popcorn (See Tip 2)
- ¾ cup (5.625-ounces) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4-ounces) unsalted butter (See Tip 3)
- ¼ cup (2.75-ounces) light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons bourbon (See Tip 4)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Add the popcorn to a large bowl. Add pecans on top. Do not mix at this point. Set aside.
- Heat the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, undisturbed and uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir, then stir in the bourbon. Be careful here, because the baking soda can cause the caramel to boil significantly.
- Pour the caramel over the popcorn and pecans; quickly stir to coat.
- Spread the mixture onto an ungreased large disposable aluminum pan (15-3/16 x 11-5/16 x 2-⅞ inches). Bake for one hour, removing every 15 minutes to stir. (See Tip 5)
- Spread the mixture onto parchment paper to cool. It may seem sticky at first but will dry as it cools.
- Yield: 10 cups. (See Tip 6)
Notes
- Toasting pecans greatly enhances their flavor. To toast pecans, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch closely to ensure the pecans do not overtoast.
- It’s best to use popcorn with no added flavor, like unflavored SkinnyPop. I like to pop my corn in a brown paper bag in the microwave with nothing added. I typically use 6 tablespoons of kernels when I make my own popcorn in a paper bag.
- You can use salted butter rather than unsalted butter in the caramel. However, do not add any additional salt.
- You can substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the bourbon – this way it would be Pecan Praline Popcorn.
- I use a disposable aluminum roasting pan because the caramel can stick to the pan during baking, making cleanup somewhat of a chore. This way, I toss the pan in the trash. You could, however, use a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil instead.
- The Bourbon Pecan Praline Popcorn will stay fresh for up to a week if stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
