Lightly glazed baked popcorn tossed with Nerds while the coating is still slightly tacky, so the candy sticks without dissolving.
Bake low and slow so the glaze dries to a crisp shell. Add the Nerds while the popcorn is still warm and slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes out of the oven; once it is fully cool they will not stick, and while it is hot they dissolve. Toss right away, then let it cool completely.
Keeps 3 days airtight; humidity makes the Nerds sticky. Stir every 10 minutes during baking so it browns evenly.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 10 cup popped popcorn
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup Nerds
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 10 cup popped popcorn
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup Nerds
Instructions
Prep
Heat the oven to 250°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Put popped popcorn (10 cup) in a very large heatproof bowl.
Equipment: large rimmed baking sheet, very large heatproof bowl
Make the glaze
Combine unsalted butter (4 tbsp), light brown sugar (½ cup), light corn syrup (2 tbsp) and salt (¼ tsp) in a saucepan.
Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring, then boil for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda (¼ tsp) and vanilla extract (½ tsp).
Pour over the popcorn, stir gently to coat, then spread on the baking sheet.
Equipment: large rimmed baking sheet, medium saucepan
Bake
Bake about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the glaze is dry and crisp.
Equipment: large rimmed baking sheet, very large heatproof bowl
Cool briefly
Cool the popcorn on the pan for 3 to 5 minutes, until warm and slightly tacky but no longer hot.
Add the Nerds
Toss immediately with Nerds (½ cup), break into clusters, then let cool completely.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Bake low and slow so the glaze dries to a crisp shell.
- • Add the Nerds while the popcorn is still warm and slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes out of the oven; once it is fully cool they will not stick, and while it is hot they dissolve. Toss right away, then let it cool completely.
- • Stir every 10 minutes during baking so it browns evenly.
- • Keeps 3 days airtight; humidity makes the Nerds sticky.
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