Caramel Popcorn with Macadamia Nuts

In my mind, caramel popcorn and Halloween go hand-in-hand. I can remember making popcorn balls with my sister to pass out to trick-or-treaters – back when you could hand out homemade treats and not worry about tainted candy scandals! This version of caramel corn becomes a decadent grown-up treat with the addition of the macadamia nuts, but the core recipe is the same: five pantry ingredients + popcorn + nuts = delicious.

Click here to download and print a pdf of this recipe:

Caramel Popcorn with Macadamia Nuts

box no. 17 | contents

• Onions
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
  
• Acorn Squash
• Sweet Dumpling Squash
• Sweet Peppers
• Popcorn
• Kale
• Baby Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cilantro
• Potatoes

Did you know...

Illinois has a rich history and affinity to popcorn:

• In 2003, a group of second and third grade students from Joliet lobbied state legislature and the governor to declare popcorn the official state snack food of Illinois.
• There are 333 Illinois farms that grow popcorn on 47,000 acres, making Illinois the third largest grower of the product.
• The world’s largest popcorn ball was unveiled in October 2006 in Lake Forest, Illinois. It weighed 3,415 pounds, measured 8 feet in diameter and had a circumference of 24.6 feet.

And how does popcorn pop?
Popcorn pops because its kernel contains a small drop of water that suddenly expands when exposed to high heat. The kernel turns inside-out as it explodes.