Dairy-Free Caramel Popcorn

Instructions

1. 1Place the 1/2 cup popcorn kernels into a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Add the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Cover the pot and heat over medium-high heat (around 204.4°C/200°C if using an air popper). Shake the pot occasionally. Listen for the popping to slow to one pop every 2-3 seconds, then immediately remove from heat. Pour the popped popcorn into a very large heatproof bowl.
2. 2In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup dairy-free butter alternative, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the saucepan over medium heat (around 148.9°C/150°C).
3. 3Stir the mixture constantly until the dairy-free butter alternative is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then stop stirring. Let it boil undisturbed for exactly 5 minutes. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
4. 4Carefully remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. The mixture will foam up significantly. Stir until the foaming subsides.
5. 5Immediately pour the hot caramel sauce over the 1/2 cup popped popcorn in the large bowl. Use a heatproof spatula or large spoon to stir quickly and thoroughly, ensuring all the popcorn is coated with the caramel.
6. 6Quickly spread the caramel-coated popcorn in a single layer onto a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Make sure the popcorn is not clumped together.
7. 7Place the baking sheet into an oven preheated to 120°C. Bake for 1 hour. Every 15 minutes, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the popcorn to ensure even baking and caramel distribution.
8. 8After 1 hour of baking, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Let the caramel popcorn cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 1-2 hours. This allows the caramel to harden and makes the popcorn crunchy. Once fully cooled, break apart any large clumps before serving.

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