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Baked Kettle Corn {The Loaded Version}

Yield: 12 -15 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5-6 quarts popped corn, about 1 cup unpopped kernels
  • 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
  • ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups roasted, salted almonds
  • 1 ½ cups (255 g) chocolate chips, semisweet, milk, white or bittersweet

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and sugar (and salt, if using) together, stirring often, until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. The mixture shouldn’t come to a simmer.
  • Pop the popcorn and sift through the popped corn to get rid of the unpopped kernels (I don’t want anyone to sue me for a broken molar!). Place the popped corn in a very large bowl (or two medium bowls). Sprinkle almonds on top of the popped corn. If you want to coat some of the popcorn in chocolate, reserve about 3-4 cups of popcorn before proceeding with the next step.
  • Once the butter and sugar mixture is finished warming/dissolving, pour it over the popped corn, stirring all the while to evenly coat the popcorn.
  • Divide the popcorn between two large rimmed baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the popcorn cool on the baking sheets. When cool, the popcorn can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • To coat the reserved popcorn in chocolate, melt the 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl until completely melted and smooth. Toss in the reserved popcorn and using a rubber spatula, gently fold the popcorn into the chocolate mixture, taking care not to be too ambitious and break the popcorn into pieces.
  • When the popcorn is evenly coated, pour onto a lined baking sheet (with a silpat or parchment) and refrigerate until the chocolate has set. Break the popcorn into pieces and toss with the baked and cooled popcorn.

Notes

Salt: the 1/8 teaspoon salt is optional. Use it if you want even more of a sweet/salty contrast. You’ll get that anyway by using salted butter but if you want to amp it up even more, throw in the salt, too.