On Monday morning I did something totally crazy.
I reached for my cell, dialed Time Warner and cancelled my cable. This was a desperate measure to take my life back. Sound dramatic? Probably. But last week I called my mom to discuss Bethenny and Jason’s marriage, which sort of seems on the rocks (right?!!?). And on Sunday night I was all like, “Whoa Cythia! That orphan comment you said about Kim was craaaazy messed up. KIM, DON’T FORGIVE HER!”
I have to draw the line sometimes, you know? Being invested in TV relationships is just too much for me right now. I can’t deal. I’d rather spend my life thinking about other things…like bacon and popcorn, and cookies with brown butter in them.
Also, this means I have more money to spend on shoes. Shoes > Cable. DUH!
I woke up thinking about popcorn, literally. I dreamed this popcorn situation while laying in bed before my alarm went off.
My first brain-thought when I get up is always coffee. Always.
So, coffee lead to breakfast foods. Breakfast foods lead to bacon. Bacon lead to something sweet…like maple syrup.
Maple syrup lead to sugar, which then transformed into slightly browned, creamy caramel. And caramel usually leads to salt. And THEN salt lead to popcorn.
(And then I thought to make it spicy while in the shower.)
And then BOOM! Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn.
A fun lesson I learned: boiling sugar, checking Instagram, checking Twitter, texting AND taking pictures is totally an accident waiting to happen.
I have a blister on two of my fingers now. No biggie! Just don’t do what I did.
This caramel cooks up like a champ–nothing too scary. All you gotta do is work swiftly, so make sure you have all your stuff set-up and ready to go, beforehand.
What I love about this popcorn recipe is that the bacon bits are added to the caramel, so they’re coated, too! That mixture is poured over the popcorn. This means the bacon is, like, stuck to the popcorn. AWESOME.
This caramel popcorn has a good punch of heat and the salty bacon works wonders with the caramel.
P.S. Is it bad that I already sorta miss my cable?! The OC Housewives are gonna be on tomorrow and I’m gonna miss it. SADFACE!
Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn
5-6 slices of bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups white granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay bacon side-by-side. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven and cook bacon for 15 minutes, and until crispy and brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. When cool, cut into dice-sized pieces.
2. Lightly coat two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 4 minutes. Transfer the popped popcorn to the large prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Quickly fold in bacon bits. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss, like a salad, until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel.
4. Pour the popcorn onto a large baking pan and quickly flatten and separate it into small pieces while it is still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once it is cool, store it in a well-sealed airtight container.
5. Caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Adapted from The Craft of Baking
{ 98 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow…bacon popcorn! This sounds really amazing!!
This is the best looking popcorn recipe I have seen!
Wow, sweet and salty deliciousness.
Seriously though, I feel you on the housewives…the only two stations I watch are FN and Bravo. (‘Cept Sunday night when I watch the Apprentice because Theresa is on…).
Oh and personally I will never understand what Cynthia sees in her husband…ick.
What, what, what?!
This looks like pure popcorn-heaven. I’m very sad I don’t have a bowl of caramel bacon popcorn infront of me right now!
After being a vegetarian for the last few years, I never really “got” the bacon craze.
And then I started eating bacon again. It clicked. Therefore, this recipe is being bookmarked, fosho!
Sweet baby Jesus, does this look good! What I wouldn’t give for a handful of that stuff right now, shoved into my mouth.
I’ve been thinking about cancelling my cable too. It’s not that I watch too much of it (even though I do), I just think if the house was silent, it would push me into the kitchen more. And I would get more done.
Let me know how life is, sans cable!
seriously you’re one brave woman. i’m on this strict diet and it’s killing me lookin’ at these beautiful, mouth-watering photos of your delish food. so sad here. but i’m excited for all your adventures ahead of you now which means more shopping and “me” time
Dang it! I’ve already got pig candy on my list of things to make. Now this too. Crunchy chewy salty sweet spicy bacony goodness. I’m a goner.
Also, way to go with the cable thing! People think my husband and I are so weird for not having it. Once we got used to it, we loved it. We still watch plenty on Netflix, but I’m no longer constantly watching trash tv (which I was hooked on!). plus, we actually talk and hang out with each other without the tv always on. It’s awesome.
And more money to add to my shoe closet? Done and done.
Yes. We haven’t had cable in over two years, its pretty awesome.
We did buy a Vizio with WIFI last year and we watch some shows on Hulu or movies on Netflix. My hubs misses live sports, but if he really want to watch a game he’ll go to his brother’s house.
Oohhh this looks good!!! And Bethenny and Jason are on the rocks?! I don’t have cable at school but I watched the entire first season last year. They can’t break up!! They’re a power couple!
Well they’re not really a power couple since his career is kinda meh (compared to hers). It’s pretty complicated. WHY DO I CARE SO MUCH?!
I’ve been sans cable for about 3 years. It’s completely amazing. I have Hulu to help me through the rough patches.
Just signed up for hulu plus. We’ll see how this goes.
Hulu Plus is totally where it’s at.
… except when all you want to do is watch SNL reruns (HELLO JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE) and Toddlers and Tiaras (we all have our dirty little secrets).
We cancelled our cable, too! My hubs is a computer guy and turned an old laptop into a DVR. He hooked that up to an antenna and set it up to record Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and other CBS shows you can’t get on Hulu. Between Hulu Plus and Netflix, we are perfectly happy and do not miss the cable at all. More money for shoes! Yippee!!
ohhhhhh these are my husband’s very favorite goodies all in one bowl. He will die when I surprise him with this, Thank You!!!!
PS- you are so brave for quitting cable. I’m teetering on the edge, just reduced our package which meant giving up style, DIY, and the cooking channel. I don’t know what I miss more, Jerseylicious or The Vanilla Ice Project
yeah….I need to cut the cord.
You gotta rip it off like a band-aid.
Um I would die without bravo. I admire you!
I love the use of corn kernels! They always make for fresher tasting popcorn… all the things in this popcorn can really make me pretend I’m eating popcorn pancakes with some bacon on the side (or the top for this matter).
Popcorn pancakes?!?! Did you just invent that, because I’m pretty sure that doesn’t exist and now I wanna make it exist in my kitchen.
Adrianna, This looks dangerously good! I saw your photo on twitter yesterday and I had to see the results of the makeout session;) Very nice.
xxoo
E
This is the child they made.
You can watch all the episodes on the internet.
The popcorn looks sinful and I now have to make it. Thanks for the wonderful idea.
Bacon and popcorn! Yum! I could eat all of this in one sitting.
xoxo,
mon amy
holy moley! mere moments before reading this i got was thinking about the large marshmallows i had in the pantry which made me think of baking but are too big for my famous cookies which made me think of rice crispy treats which made me think of salty sweet which reminded me of the bacon bark i made over the holidays (was that your recipe?) which made me think i should turn it into a crispy treat…imagine…boozy bacon and brown butter marshmallow treat.
this popcorn looks AMAZING!
You have a good brain.
That’s just evil… in the best way possible
Um, wow. This looks incredible! We don’t have cable (or a tv, for that matter) either, and it leaves SO much more time for shoes! and boys! and fun things! Good choice. Plus… the internet is always there if you need a fix of TV
Thanks for the recipe – looks AWESOME!
Holy Moly! This takes popcorn to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL! And I thought popping my kernals in bacon fat was like living on the wild side! I think I know what we’re having this weekend while laying around!
If I ate bacon I would make this in a heartbeat.
Ha! I almost did the same last week. Then they offered me 10$ off per month and I succumbed. Bacon and caramel…yum!
You are brave. I can’t believe Bravo doesn’t have the episodes on their site? Popcorn sounds awesome!
Umm..this sounds amazing! I love how your train of thought runs rampid while lying in bed/showering! I just found your blog and since this was the first entry I read I am hooked.
I love all things Bravo and also find it concerning how much feeling I have toward the relationships. But I am not willing to cancel my cable juustttt yet!
Question with the bacon. It sounds actually quite good, but does the popcorn now have to be refrigerated since it has bacon??? _That_ would be odd.
Re cable, congrats! I bet you will find that you have much more time for other things now (unless you have amazon prime and start watching shows there or on hulu or netflix instant, etc.). We haven’t had a tv, much less cable, for over 13 years now. It used to be easier tho because there weren’t all of the computer choices. We’ve always done Fri night movie night by popping a dvd in the computer, but my kids have discovered clone wars and star trek so I have to battle that a bit. I allow them to sometimes, just not _all_ the time.
Yes! Let me add this detail. It should be refrigerated. I know that’s weird but I dunno it’s bacon. I’d feel weird not doing so.
yum, that popcorn recipe looks drool-worthy (although totally not within diet, so I’m going for vicarious calories). re: the cable, my household has been surviving on a combo of hulu(free) netflix(streaming only), rabbit ears and the occasional redbox run (1-2x/year). Certainly more screen time than we have space for
When I saw your Instragram pic of these happenings, I got really excited. Adding a spicy kick is a whole ‘nother level. Thank goodness for shower inspiration!
We haven’t had cable since 2004 and it’s all good. We do have a Roku for watching Netflix stuff on our tv which probably makes it all a wash, but it’s much cheaper. When Mad Men came back I was ready to cry (I watched all 5 seasons on Netflix), so we just bought a season pass on iTunes and we’ll watch a day after everyone else. Good luck with your decision!
The photo where all the pieces are sticky and gooey… yum!!!!!
not crazy at all! – i don’t even have a tv
This is kind of a silly questions, but should you add the popcorn into the caramel or pour the caramel onto the popcorn? I only ask because I need to make this, as it combines my love of bacon and popcorn!
I agree with you on Bravo. I get very opinionated about these people’s lives! I’m impressed you could cancel your cable.
Totally not a silly question. I’m an idiot and forgot to include that sentence in the written directions. Thank you for catching it! You pour the caramel over the popcorn and then toss until the popcorn is evenly coated.
Aww that sucks about the cable, but I know why you did it, I’d get a lot more done if I didn’t have the TV to distract me, but sometimes it is nice just to lie in front of it and do nothing. The popcorn looks great too, I’ve never tried it with a savoury flavour, but why not?
I love all the shows and been banging my head against the wall why Bethenny hasn’t had an episode in ages. I can’t find them anywhere online or the tube. I don’t know how you found the courage to cancel the cable. Props to you though. If you need an update on the Reals let me know. Lol. This popcorn is worth giving up any tv show…well… maybe not anything with Timothy Olyphant in it but really, really close.
This looks amazing. I don’t like eating popcorn because of the whole kernels in your teeth issue, but I’m going to power through that little problem and make this soon!
When I moved on my own, I never got cable. I was too cheap and all the stations I really wanted were on the specialty stations which cost even more. Last Christmas I finally bought myself a TV, you know, just in case someone came to visit…..I also got an antennae. You can get a digital antennae for around $20 give or take. I get enough stations that when I want to turn on the TV, there is something to watch. The reception is really good too. No static whatsoever….I don’t even miss cable….plus if you’re really desperate ,you can stream anything online…an watch it while eating bacon caramel popcorn. YUM. I might just have to sit down to watch my TV just so I have an excuse to make this and eat it!
There is a party at my house tonight, and I am making these!
YUM! This looks so tasty. I could probably eat the entire batch.
I’ve considered cancelling my cable service, but I still love watching The Cooking Channel for inspiration. I don’t think I could do it!
<<<>>>
This is going on the must make list.
Oh my gosh. This popcorn sounds like heaven! Bacon and caramel- Yum!
The sweet, the salty, the crunchy, the spicy. Heaven in a hand basket, I tell ya! I definitely would not have dreamt up this combo on my own – very clever. I could see a handful of this treat turning into several bowls full!
I love you. That’s all I can say.
You’re a sick and twisted woman….amazingly so! What an awesome recipe!! It isn’t fattening is it?
Your thought process sounds a bit like the “If you Give a Pig a Pancake” or ” If you give a Mouse a Cookie” books! ADORABLE!!!!! This looks absolutley amazing! I have to admit, I am a bit intimidated by popping popcorn that is not popped in the microwave……but I guess I better get over it! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
I just found your blog and love it! I agree.. cable shows can get addicting.. much more fun to make this popcorn! (not sure if I should tell you this.. but my daughter finds all those shows for free on-line.. so if you get desperate
xo Smidge
OMG this looks like a divine pop corn…. Never tried this but MUST try it now !!! so creative :p
http://www.liveyoungabroad.com
The oddest recipes with bacon are my current obsession. Who doesn’t love that fantastically fatty piece of meat? And recently it has become acceptable with foodies across the globe to add it to anything! I have pinned this recipe and can’t wait to try it out myself! Thank you for sharing!
Lindsey
http://www.forloveofexploration.com
I think I have a new-found love of caramel popcorn. I used to think I hated it, but then I made it recently and I don’t know how I could have let myself miss out for all these years! I love how you don’t bake the popcorn at the end (this step always seemed too time consuming for me)
I have thought many times about cancelling my cable… however I don’t think I could live without the food network!
I am going to the store right now to purchase the ingredients to make this popcorn. I am both a caramel corn fanatic, as well as a bacon fanatic. The combination of the two makes this recipe irresistible. I will let you know how it turns out!
Ooh, come to mama, bacon popcorn!!
You have more self-control than me. I cancelled HD last year in a save money effort…but it’s about as far as I’ll go. I’ve been all over fancy popcorns lately, but this is the absolute best ever. Bacon?! I love it.
that looks freakin amazing
Oh boy! Oh boy! A flavor combination after my own heart. A neighbor got locked out of her flat and was forced to wait with me and my student-friends for hours until the locksmith came. Later that day she dropped a popcorn maker at our door and it has changed my life! Salty snacks, whenever!
WOW bacon and popcorn! Ok caramel pop corn I get. French toast with Bacon I get. But Popcorn and caramel AND bacon… has to be tried.
I have just made the most utterly decadent desert… The Filthy Brownie.
Think cookie dough, rolos and brownie mix. Layered. Baked. Served warm with Vanilla Ice Cream!
http://www.coffeetoastandlondon.com/2012/04/filthy-brownies.html
Laura x
Hi! So I tried this twice without success :/ I make the caramel and everything seems right then when I pour it over the popcorn it gets grainy and yucky… Any suggestions on how to stop this from happening?!
I just found this on Pinterest. I can’t wait to make it, as it sounds fabulous. Don’t think I’d make it without cable (I’m a TV junkie), but I totally understand the blisters and burns. Baking and cooking as much as I do, injuries just happen.
Cancelled your cable?! No way. Couldn’t do. I could do this popcorn though. Drool big time!
wow, this looks awesome!
I made this tonight, it’s delicious, but it melted our spatulas! Next time we’ll be making it with metal spoons
Oh man bummer! Silicon spatulas won’t melt! They’re the way to go.
For true bacon afficiondos…..don’t throw away the bacon grease. Store it in the fridge and horde it for delicous fried fish and…..popcorn. Sub the bacon grease for the oil and you will be in heaven!!
Not to disagree with Lauren– but do NOT store that bacon grease.
Why? As a full-time bacon-loving dude, I suggest the following:
Cook the bacon first. Put the grease in the pot you’re going to make popcorn in and use it in lieu of the cooking oil. Trust me, with absolutely no other preparation, your popcorn is going to be approximately 150% more awesome. Seriously, try it. Just try the popcorn before you put the caramel over it. It’s still AMAZING.
Also, as the aforementioned fully-qualified bacon dude…thanks. This recipe just made my weekend.
My family and I are going on a picnic today and I made this recipe as a salty-sweet snack. It turned out great! I used an air popper for the popcorn and nice, thick sliced bacon. the caramel is just spicy enough and cools extra crunchy. Definitely a repeat recipe and a real crowd pleaser! I’d love a caramel variation with maple syrup in it!
YES! So glad you enjoyed.
Any way to make this last longer than 4 days? I want to make it as a gift for someone, but I won’t be seeing them for at least 7 days and very little time to make it within the 4 day time span before seeing them.
Hmm…in theory the bacon should last in the fridge for up to 7 days, I just personally wouldn’t chance it. You can always make this and leave the bacon out. I’d recommend making this and simply leaving the bacon out.
thanks for the response, i was able to postpone making it for a few days. made it. its delicious!
Just made this for a party last night, everyone loved it! Maybe go a little easy on the cayenne pepper
I just made this and I’m still shaking from fear! When I added the soda mixture it literally exploded out of my pan, I barely got it to the sink without it getting on me! It is all over my kitchen floor and sink! What the heck? I have made so many candy recipes, and know that it puffs up with the soda, but this was unbelievable! I am seriously lucky that I’m not in the ER!
I honestly thought this was some practical joke, that is definitely not funny! Are you sure you have the measurements right on the soda?
OH MY! That’s awful. It definitely didn’t explode with me and a various people have made it with success so I’m not really sure. The 1 1/2 teaspoons should be just fine. You didn’t add 1 1/2 tablespoons, right? :/
I just made this but it didn’t work out. The caramel never turned brown. And it was all super bubbly with white foam on top before i even added the baking soda. I poured it over the popcorn and it was almost clear, when it set it was all chalky and grainy and WAY too sweet, like eating straight sugar. The bacon didn’t stick either. Any idea what I may have done wrong or how that could have happened?
It takes a while for sugar to carmamelize and once it starts the process goes quickly. most of the water must evaporate before the carmelization process even starts. if you ve never made caramel before you’re almost guaranteed to burn sugar at least once.
Just wanted to let you know we used this recipe for a ham-themed first birthday party, and it was a huge hit. We blogged about the party here (http://everybodysinvited.in/2012/11/08/our-events-hattie-hams-1st-birthday/), and devoted special attention to your recipe here (http://everybodysinvited.in/2012/11/12/spicy-caramel-bacon-popcorn/). Thanks for the inspiration!
YAY! Awesome. Love it. The birthday looked super cute, too!
So I saw the recipe and pictures and instantly became inspired to go in the kitchen and make this. Everything was going awesome until the caramel burned in an instant. It hadn’t been 10 minutes yet and the color changed so quickly i missed the hint to take it off the heat! I have made caramel before but not like this (not that there is anything wrong with this recipe… it was me…i admit it!). I am going to attempt it again tomorrow after I get more sugar! Heehee. I was so hoping to chow down on this while watching The X Factor
It looks great but unfortunately mine is burnt 
Hi Daniah, sorry this caramel gave you trouble. Hopefully it’ll work out great tomorrow. xo
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I took it off too soon!!!!! I was so paranoid of burning it that it came out a gritty, sandy texture. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I usually rock my kitchen!!! I also had a 1,3, and 4 year old running around the house which may have contributed to the lack of focus. I tried
Sounds AMAZING–and I will try it! But–why not use the fat from cooking the bacon to pop the popcorn kernels in????
OMG!! It’s like you and I are twins separated at birth!!! The first paragraph of this blog sounded EXACTLY like me!! My husband tells me “Bethenny isn’t your friend, you don’t know her or have lunch with her, she’s on TV!!” Whatever!! I’m gonna totally make this amaze popcorn today!! Love your site!!
oh, crap. it’s so delicious. and now I have a tub of it.
I hadda to cut down the caramel cooking time to *right* when it starts to turn (took about 5-6 min on high heat), as I had a “first batch incident” with over cooked caramel.
but… no really. crap! SoDamnGood!
Caramel is tricky BUT AM SO GLAD you like it!
I made this for a movie night with my boyfriend and it was delish. He loved it! and except for a few burns on my fingers (from mixing the caramel and popcorn) it turned out perfectly! thanks!
Just made it!!!!! AMAZING! Spray your bowl with non-stick spray, the Carmel is hard to get off!!
Awesome! YAY! And good tip.
Hi! I just made this recipe and I have to tell you, we can NOT stop eating it! This popcorn is utterly AMAZING! Kudos to you! Perfect combination of spicy, salty, smokey and sweet! You have managed to cover all the craving bases! I’ll be making this over and over and this coming from someone who has never attempted to make caramel anything and have always been a bit intimidated by it. Turned out perfectly. Thanks for a terrific recipe!
I’m trying this recipe this weekend! Question: does the popcorn crisp like most caramel popcorn or does it stay gooey/sticky? Thanks! Love your blog!
It ends up being a little soggy when you add the caramel but it hardens so it ends up being crisp!
How much does this recipe make?
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