Kitchen Sink Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Corn (vegan and Gluten free)

Oh, just in case you thought it may have somehow changed, Seattle is still dark and wet as a mud puddle, and my mood is about as cheerful.

So I am taking off for the weekend with my hubby and my darling parents are staying with the girls. Pete and I are going down to Palm Springs to mainline Vitamin D/Seratonin in the form of sunshine and eat Mexican Food with friends. Also, I will most definitely be breaking my dry January. So, that should definitely improve things in the mood department I think.

Speaking of dry and healthy January- After almost an entire month of (bordering on pristine) clean eating here, I am going to fall off the wagon in a spectacular way. Being that we only have a week(ish) until you guys will be in full Superbowl mode, I felt it was only right to bring you some “knock your friends socks off” recipes that you can obsess about needing to make for the next week.

And that my friends, is this TO DIE FOR Kitchen Sink Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Corn.

All the delicious things are in here. Popcorn, pretzels, potato chips (the ruffled cheap kind that are so damn good) coconut (shredded and flaked) dried cranberries and honey roasted peanuts. And it’s all coated in Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce. It’s so sick in such a good way. It may look a mess, but my GAWD it is so good.

And despite the fact that I have no football excitement to muster (wahhhh!!! My beloved Seahawks!) If I was a Bronco or Panther fan I would definitely add peanut butter M&Ms in my team colors to this mix. So, you should do that- ok?

If you make it ahead of time- good luck, it stores fine in a Tupperware, but it will be hard not to shovel it all in your face and have regrets when your pants don’t zip and you have nothing for your guests. You could also make it day-of and set bowls of this out, or honestly, people will just eat it straight off the sheetpan. Either way, make it happen….

Kitchen Sink Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Author: Heather Christo

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

10 cups popcorn
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup gluten free pretzel sticks
2 cups potato chips
½ cup dried cranberries
Chocolate Caramel:
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and prepare a sheetpan with a sheet of parchment or a silpat.
In a large pot combine the coconut oil, peanut butter, corn syrup, sugar, chocolate chips and kosher salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. While the caramel sauce is simmering combine the baking soda and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the pot and it will start frothing. Turn the heat off and add the popcorn, peanuts, coconut and pretzel sticks to the caramel. Stir everything together well to coat and combine.
Spread the popcorn mixture out on the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Stir in the dried cranberries and the potato chips (gently) and drizzle with the melted chocolate chips and toasted coconut flakes(optional) then bake another 10 minutes. Let the sheet pan of caramel corn sit until cool, about 30 minutes. Breakup and serve immediately or store at room temperature in an airtight container.

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