Sweet and Salty Caramel Popcorn Mix

Sweet and Salty Caramel Popcorn Mix made with popcorn, pretzels, Chex cereal, nuts and potato chips, all coated in caramel. Perfect party snack!

We are taking caramel popcorn to a whole new level today! The sweet and salty level with crunchy salted pretzels and ruffled potato chips but also cereal and nuts. This Sweet & Salty Caramel Popcorn Mix is currently our favorite for Friday movie nights. If you've never tried salty potato chips coated in sweet caramel, you are missing out! It's a surprising but a delicious treat. Perfect for a party mix!

This Sweet and Salty Caramel Popcorn Party Mix is quite addicting yet surprisingly easy to make. If you follow the prep steps, you can make it under 20 minutes and ready for your movie night or next party!

Ingredients:

• popcorn
• potato chips
• Chex cereal
• pretzels
• nuts
• butter
• brown sugar
• corn syrup
• salt
• vanilla extract
• baking soda

Instructions:

• Start by selecting the mix: pop the popcorn and place in a large mixing bowl with Chex cereal, pretzels, nuts and broken up ruffled potato chips. I do not recommend classic potato chips as they are too thin and will burn in the oven.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Stirring often, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook for 2 minutes without stirring. It's helpful to set up a timer.
• Remove saucepan from heat, stir in salt and vanilla. It will bubble up (you are adding liquid to hot sugar mixture) so be careful. Stir. Add baking soda and stir until the mixture is lighter and creamy in color.
• Pour caramel mixture over the party mix. Stir well. Spread on a large baking sheet (lined with silicone baking mat). Bake in the oven for 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. The caramel mixture will melt all over the popcorn mix. Remove from oven and let cool. It will set up and become crunchy. Break it up and place in serving dish. Enjoy!

Best tips:

• Measure out all of the ingredients and have them ready to go. When making caramel, you need to watch the mixture and it's helpful to have the brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla and baking soda ready.
• Use a heatproof and large mixing bowl. If you don't have a large one, use two medium ones. You can also place the mix on the baking sheet and pour the caramel mixture over it and stir to coat.
• Watch the popcorn mix while baking in the oven. Every oven is different and if yours is running hot, the caramel might burn. Don't forget to stir halfway through baking.
• Do not use classic potato chips. They are very thin and might burn during baking.
• You can use any nuts you like: pecans, salted peanuts, almonds or walnuts. I personally love candied walnuts and thought they are perfect in this recipe.

More party snacks:

• Hot Cocoa Muddy Buddies
• Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites
• Reindeer Chow
• Muddy Buddy Shortbread Bites

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

Sweet and Salty Popcorn Party Mix

Author: Anna

Sweet and Salty Caramel Popcorn Mix made with popcorn, pretzels, Chex cereal, nuts and potato chips, all coated in caramel. Perfect party snack! 

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cups

Calories 675 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 cups popped popcorn
• ▢ 2 cups Chex cereal
• ▢ 1.5 cups pretzels
• ▢ 1 cup nuts
• ▢ 1.5 cups broken ruffled potato chips

for caramel:

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup corn syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

 

• Pop the popcorn and place in a large mixing bowl with Chex cereal, pretzels, nuts and broken up ruffled potato chips.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Stirring often, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and let cook for 2 minutes without stirring. It's helpful to set up a timer. In the meantime, prepare large baking sheet with silicone baking mat and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove saucepan from heat, stir in salt and vanilla. It will bubble up (you are adding liquid to hot sugar mixture) so be careful. Stir. Add baking soda and stir vigorously until the mixture is lighter and creamy in color.
• Pour caramel mixture over the party mix. Stir well. Spread on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the oven for 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. The caramel mixture will melt all over the popcorn mix. Remove from oven and let cool. It will set up and become crunchy. Break it up and place in serving dish. Enjoy!

Notes

• Do not use classic potato chips. They are very thin and might burn during baking. 
• You can use any nuts you like: pecans, salted peanuts, almonds or walnuts. I personally love candied walnuts and thought they are perfect in this recipe. 
• Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.

Nutrition

Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 6.9mg

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