Ingredients:
– 10 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels)
– 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1/4 cup light corn syrup
– 1/4 cup water
– 1/8 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring (LorAnn or similar)
– Gel food coloring (pink, blue, or both – optional)
– Sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
1. Start by popping your popcorn! Once it’s popped, toss it into a large mixing bowl and set it aside. Don’t forget to line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to catch all that sweetness later!
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and mix in the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Keep stirring until everything’s combined and the butter is melted.
3. Now, bring that heavenly mixture to a gentle boil—no stirring now! Let it bubble away until it reaches 235°F (the soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, usually about 4-5 minutes of boil time.
4. Once you hit that magical temperature, take it off the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract and cotton candy flavoring. If you want to jazz it up with some color, now’s the time to add that gel food coloring!
5. Carefully pour that gooey sweetness over the popcorn. With a gentle hand, stir it all together to make sure every popcorn piece gets a good coat.
6. Spread the sticky popcorn goodness onto your prepared baking sheet. If you’re feeling extra fancy, sprinkle some colorful sprinkles on top while it’s still warm.
7. Let it cool completely for about 30 minutes—this is the hardest part! Once it’s set and cool, break it apart and enjoy your nostalgic, candy-coated creation!
Dig in and have fun!
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