Peanut butter caramel corn made even sweeter by the addition of candy corn. This easy Halloween treat tastes just like a Pay Day candy bar.
Caramel corn is one of my favorite treats to make to give as a gift or party favor. I was craving chocolate covered caramel corn recently and decided to make it a little more festive by adding in some candy corns.
What is a Pay Day?
Those little morsels of candy corn didn’t just add color–they made the popcorn taste like the Payday bars!
A Payday is a candy bar made with peanuts, nougat and a candy coating. Something about combining candy corn and peanuts together recreated the flavor almost perfectly.
I’ve been munching on bowls of peanuts and candy corn for years, especially when it’s Halloween season and there’s candy corn everywhere.
That snack inspired payday truffles and this payday cookie recipe!
So adding candy corn to my peanut butter caramel corn to make Pay Day Caramel Corn was a no-brainer.
Ingredient Notes
- Popcorn- Good caramel corn starts with freshly popped corn. Use your favorite microwave popcorn, make it on the stove top, or use a popcorn popper. Make sure to remove the unpopped kernels after the popcorn is popped.
- Peanuts in this recipe should be roasted and salted for best flavor.
- Corn Syrup- I know many of you will ask, but no, you cannot skip this ingredient!
PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).
Step by Step Instructions
Pop the popcorn.
- Pop according to package directions or using your preferred method for homemade popcorn from scratch.
- Transfer the popped popcorn to a large mixing bowl being careful leave the seeds behind.
Make the caramel.
- Melt butter with sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.
- Pour over popped corn and mix well to coat every piece of popcorn with the caramel.
Bake.
- Divide caramel corn mixture evenly into two foil lined broiler pans.
- Bake in a 250 degree oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. After stirring each time, rotate the pan 90 degrees so the popcorn bakes evenly.
Add candy corn and peanuts.
- Remove the caramel corn from the oven and return it to a clean mixing bowl. Melt your vanilla bark according to package directions and then pour over the caramel corn.
- Add peanuts and candy corn, mix together and pour out on to a strip of parchment paper. Allow to set until the vanilla coating is firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to large ziploc bags and seal to store. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Storing: This popcorn lasts about 2 weeks if stored sealed tightly at room temperature. In my house, we always eat it up long before!
- Not a fan of candy corn? You can make this without to have a delicious peanut caramel corn recipe.
- Broiler pans lined with foil are perfect for baking the popcorn. Disposable lasagna pans work too!
- Store the caramel corn in individual portions by dividing it between sandwich bags instead of larger gallon sized bags. Easy to grab and go or hand out as a Halloween party favor!
Treats like this Pay Day Caramel Corn might just be my favorite thing about Halloween! This one is definitely part of our regular rotation, along with Candy corn cookies and Fluffernutter Caramel Corn.
More Snack Recipes
- Cracker Jack
- Candied Cinnamon Pecans
- Candy Corn Cupcakes
- Popcorn Balls
- Ranch Oyster Crackers
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
- Cocktail Meatballs
Game Day Snacks
See all Appetizers recipes
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Payday Caramel Corn
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ bags popped corn remove seeds, about 5 quart popped
- 16 ounce package vanilla bark or Ghirardelli vanilla melting wafers
- 21 ounce bag candy corn
- 1 ¼ cup salted roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Pop popcorn according to package. Place popped corn into a large mixing bowl (make sure to not add any seeds). Set aside.
- In small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popped corn. Mix well.
- Divide caramel corn mixture evenly into two foil lined broiler pans (or large disposable lasagna pans would work too) Bake in a 250 degree oven for one hour. Stir every 15 minutes, and rotate in oven.
- After one hour, remove from oven and pour into a large mixing bowl. Melt vanilla bark according to package directions and pour over caramel corn. Add in peanuts and candy corn. Pour onto parchment paper (I lay a big strip down on my counter top) and allow to set, about 30 minutes). Once chocolate is set, fill two large gallon sized ziploc bags and seal. ENJOY!
Notes
- Once chocolate is set, fill two large gallon sized ziploc bags and seal. Store for up to one week.
- Storing: This popcorn lasts about 2 weeks if stored sealed tightly at room temperature. In my house, we always eat it up long before!
- Not a fan of candy corn? You can make this without to have a delicious peanut caramel corn recipe.
- Broiler pans lined with foil are perfect for baking the popcorn. Disposable lasagna pans work too!
- Store the caramel corn in individual portions by dividing it between sandwich bags instead of larger gallon sized bags. Easy to grab and go or hand out as a Halloween party favor!
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
I love the bright pop of orange and yellow color mixed in with the white candy coated popcorn kernels. The salty crunch of peanuts and the buttery caramel make this Pay Day popcorn a must try!
Thank you for the information
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The taste and aroma alone make me impatient to enjoy it
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Looks Delicious! Will definitely make!
Paydays were my favorite candy bar as a kid. I have not had one in forever. I love this candy corn version. This will be perfect for Halloween. Thanks for sharing.
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try!
Oh this looks fabulous, and I will make it for Halloween for sure. Another great win for the Shugary Sweets Candy book!
Yummy! I love caramel popcorn and pretty much all the iterations of it, haha. This payday version is so great!
I hear you about the costume stress. My kids change their minds a million times so I just wait until last minute and they get what they get, haha! Loved this sweet and salty treat! One of my favorites to snack on while watching movies.
Is there a way to do this without the corn syrup?
So yummy! We just made this today and it’s delicious! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know!
What is vanilla bark? I can’t find it anywhere in the Midwest.
How long can you save it?
As long as you keep the seal on your ziploc bag (and nobody leaves it wide open, like my kids sometimes do) I have had it for two weeks. Usually doesn’t last as long though cause it gets eaten up! but two weeks for sure!
YUM! This sounds delicious. Would you consider linking this up at my Pinworthy Projects Party? I hope to see you there!
Oh, wow!! I must make this! Looks so delicious. I think my sister would love it, too.
Darn you for blowing my diet! LOL~ Just kidding…if I were dieting I wouldn’t attend any link parties! This looks truly divine!
Diana
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