The PERFECT Halloween Movie Snack – Disney-Inspired Candy Corn Popcorn Bowl
Popcorn Bowl Hobby
One random day when I was missing Walt Disney World, specifically Main Street USA, I decided to make my own popcorn bowl at home. It was sweet and salty and utterly amazing. I did not realize that making popcorn bowls was going to turn into a bit of a hobby. 😂. Well, maybe not exactly a hobby, but every time I see a cool flavor combo I think, “hey, that would make a great popcorn bowl!
Halloween Movie Night
Popcorn bowls are really the perfect movie night snack. Everyone can have their own bowl and they can be customized to everyone’s taste. For example I’ve already shared recipes for a Sweet & Salty Popcorn Bowl, a S’Mores Bowl, and a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bowl – there is a bowl for everybody!
Candy Corn Delay
I’ve been thinking about making this particular Candy Corn Popcorn Bowl for a while now. The only thing holding me up was, well, the candy corn. Most of the popular Halloween candy has been out in my local stores for quite some time already. Surely candy corn would have been the first thing out, right? Nope. Week after week I would scour the seasonal candy aisle with no luck. But finally, just this week, I FOUND IT! Funny thing is, I usually don’t even buy candy corn. So naturally, the one year that I was gung-ho to buy some, it made me wait. Perhaps that was for taking it for granted all of these years?
Nostalgic Candy Memories
While I didn’t necessarily buy candy corn in the past, every year there was one similar thing that I would wait for. Brach’s used to make a fabulous Autumn Mix. They still do make something called “Autumn Mix”, but it isn’t the one that I remember growing up. I distinctly remember chocolate cats and what I believe were jugs of maple syrup? I want to say there were also moons and a couple other different things that I’ve forgotten about. Does anyone else remember this? If Brach’s would like to make the 80’s and 90’s babies really happy and bring that mix back some year I would be ELATED!
Popcorn Tips
You can make the 8 cups of popcorn needed for this recipe any way that you’d like. Microwave it, pop it on the stovetop, buy it already popped, or my favorite way – in the air popper! I remember my mom making it that way when I was a kid. Here is the air popper that I currently use and love.
Also, I love a giant fluffy piece of popcorn. For this recipe I used Popsecret Jumbo popcorn kernels which are also available on Amazon. (As an Amazon Associate I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.)
Disney-Inspired Candy Corn Popcorn Bowl
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 250°.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Continue stirring until mixture begins to bubble.
- Stir frequently for approximately 3 minutes, until the caramel is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. (It will foam a little bit.)
- Immediately pour the caramel over the 8 cups of popcorn and stir until evenly coated.
- Spread the popcorn in an even layer on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and stir one last time to separate any large clusters. Let it cool completely.
- Put 1 cup of caramel corn in each of 4 bowls. (Be sure to use bowls that will hold 3-4 cups so there there is room for all of the fixings!)
- Sprinkle some candy corn on top of the caramel corn. (Approximately 12 pieces.)
- With a spoon, drizzle several tablespoons of melted chocolate over the caramel corn in the bowl. (If the melted chocolate is too thick, you can add a tiny amount of vegetable or canola oil to thin it out – that will also make it shinier!)
- Repeat the last 3 steps to create another layer of caramel corn, chocolate, and candy corn.
- If desired, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on the very top. Let it rest for just a bit so the chocolate can set. Enjoy your movie and popcorn bowl!
Halloween Movie Night
So what movie are you watching while you eat a fabulous Candy Corn Popcorn Bowl? Hocus Pocus? Halloweentown? The Nightmare Before Christmas? Share in the comments.
