Spicy-Sweet Buffalo Popcorn

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 36 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

Spicy Buffalo sauce meets sweet kettle corn to make this crunchy, addictive popcorn snack mix that your football party guests will destroy.

Ingredients

cooking spray
8 cups popped popcorn
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup Buffalo wing sauce (such as Frank's®)
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1 Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Fill with popcorn.
2 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.
3 Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring and swirling pan gently as needed, until sugar has melted and the caramel is a deep amber color, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
4 Stir Buffalo sauce and butter carefully into the caramel; it will spit and bubble and may form a ball. Return to heat; bring to a boil, stirring until caramel is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and cayenne pepper.
5 Pour spicy caramel mixture carefully over the popcorn. Toss to completely coat, guarding your hands from the hot caramel. Spread the coated popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet.
6 Bake in the preheated oven until dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes; stir.