Looking for candied popcorn recipe with lower sugar amount

Hi rosehill,

Though I've never had candied corn, I have had and made carmel corn many, many times. The recipe I have provided is a recipe given to me by the mother of a best friend: tried and true from the 40s. Because you want to give this a fruity flavor, I'd purchase a 4-pack of those small bottles of fruit flavors that are added to fizzy water when making your own soda or pop. Since my favorite of these is raspberry, I'd add perhaps 6 drops into the first batch of the liquid mixture and see how that comes out. BTW, this carmel corn is not overly sweet by any stretch of the imagination. It's really just right. It's not sweet-sweet and doesn't have that nearly burnt taste that Cracker Jack has.

Carmel Corn

Preheat oven to 250.

Make 8 quarts (3 batches) of air popped corn. In a heavy saucepan, add 2 cubes salted butter, 2 cups light brown sugar, ½ cup lite corn syrup and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and boil at medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from burner and add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp butter flavor (in a bottle like vanilla – very necessary) and ½ tsp. baking soda. Stir well.

Place the 3 batches of popped corn in a large roasting pan. Have ready 2 large spatulas or 2 large wooden spoons. Have one person take hold of the roasting pan by the handles on each end. The other person carefully pours the hot mixture over the corn in a medium drizzle, stopping occasionally to stir, then drizzle the remaining hot mixture over the popcorn.

Place the roasting pan in the 250 oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Thank you, sfnative. Your vintage caramel corn recipe sounds wonderful. I will try it. Many years ago, when my kids were little, I made caramel corn. I wonder what the carb content is. I will try to google it and find out. (I am secretly looking for a snack that I can enjoy too, that isn't too bad carb wise.) Thank you for posting the recipe.