db's caramel popcorn bacon mix

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (12 ounce) package thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup
• 3 quarts popped popcorn
• 2 cups crispy rice cereal squares (such as rice chex®)
• 2 cups crispy wheat cereal squares (such as wheat chex®)
• 2 cups peanuts
• 2 cups pretzel sticks
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ready Time: 1 hr 45 mins


• line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• arrange bacon slices close together and slightly overlapping the prepared baking sheet. drizzle bacon slices evenly with maple syrup.
• place the baking sheet in the cold oven; set temperature to 400 degrees f (200 degrees c). bake until bacon is crisp, about 20 minutes.
• transfer bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. crumble cooled bacon.
• reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees f (120 degrees c). line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• lightly mix popcorn, rice cereal, wheat cereal, peanuts, pretzels, and crumbled bacon together in a large bowl. transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
• melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; mix brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt into the melted butter. cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. boil mixture, without stirring, for 4 minutes.
• place popcorn mixture in the preheated oven to warm.
• remove the butter mixture from heat and mix in vanilla extract and baking soda until caramel begins to foam. drizzle caramel in a thin stream over popcorn mixture, tossing to evenly coat.
• bake caramel corn in the oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until caramel coating is set, 1 hour. let caramel corn cool completely before breaking into pieces.